Mogale City and Sweden unite to empower youth leaders in local democracy initiative
The municipality recently took hands with the Swedish delegation to assist with a youth programme.
Mogale City Local Municipality (MCLM) extended its hand to the Swedish delegation at Town Hall recently to discuss a three-year project focused on establishing active Junior Youth Councils in municipalities for both South Africa and Sweden.
Also supporting the cause is the Swedish International Centre for Local Democracy (ICLD), an NPO that has been working to promote local democracy in low and middle-income countries.
According to MCLM Mayor Lucky Sele, the purpose was to launch an exciting youth programme and project.
“The aim is to address several issues concerning the youth, celebrating achievements as well as identifying new opportunities to amplify youth influence in municipal decision-making,” the mayor said.
Along with the Swedish delegation present was the Mogale City Junior Executive Council which was composed of 46 learners from various schools in the municipality.
The mayor explained that the Junior Student Council (JSC) is a programme aligned with the municipal partnership initiative with the Falun Municipality through the ICLD.
Sele added that the idea was initially launched in June 2023 and through an open voting process under the watchful eye of the municipality, learners were elected through a secret ballot process. Non-elected learners acted as observers. The idea was Sele’s brainchild and was established as part of the municipal public partnership programme to get the youth interested in the local democracy.
”Through this programme, we hope to encourage youth to be involved in making a difference in the community and playing a bigger role in improving society,” Sele concluded.
