Whittington’s Elliot Nicholas and Newtown’s Minnie Dacres-Mannings will lead Geelong’s youth council after their peers elected them as junior mayor and deputy mayor recently.
New junior mayor and LGBTIQA+ advocate Elliot looked forward to learning more about local government.
“I am excited to be junior mayor because I have aspirations to work in positions of leadership, politics more specifically, and in the areas of mental health and the LGBTIQA+ community,” he said.
Nicholas believes that tackling misconceptions about the community’s connection to faith and education in schools to support the LGBTIQA+ community are important issues.
Newtown resident and fellow Brownbill ward representative Minnie will serve alongside Elliot as junior deputy mayor.
Minnie feels strongly about tackling youth suicide in greater Geelong.
She is also passionate about addressing the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on young people and promoting access to sport as part of a healthy lifestyle.
Mayor Stephanie Asher congratulated the new leadership pair on their recent appointments.
“The junior mayor and junior deputy mayor’s election is an exciting moment as we see who will lead the youth council over the next year and advocate strongly for greater Geelong’s young people,” Cr Asher said.
“Congratulations and I’m looking forward to hearing Elliot and Minnie’s ideas and recommendations to council.”
The 12 junior members of the 2021 youth council were inducted last month to commence in their role as an official advisory committee and ‘youth voice’ to council.
