Keysborough Gardens Primary School Captain and Grade 6 student, Mya Durakovic has been elected Junior Mayor of the City of Greater Dandenong.
Mya is thrilled to receive the recognition and said it is an honour and so important that Council seeks a child’s perspective on any issue.
“I am excited to be elected Junior Mayor by my peers in the Children’s Advisory Group. I feel it is so important to listen to my peers and be a voice of my generation,” said Mya.
Fourteen members of Council’s Children’s Advisory Group applied to be Junior Mayor. They each gave a speech presenting their ideas for the year ahead and outlined why it is important for Council to have a Junior Mayor. Mya received the most votes for the leadership position from her fellow advisory group members.
Council’s Children’s Advisory Group for 2022 has 34 students from 17 primary schools, with two students from each school.
City of Greater Dandenong Mayor, Cr Jim Memeti, congratulated Mya on her election as Junior Mayor.
“Mya is an impressive young person and will make a difference in our community this year. I look forward to working with her and the members of the Children’s Advisory Committee to achieve our community’s vision for Greater Dandenong and the objectives of our Council Plan.
“As a child friendly city, we are committed to supporting children and their families and providing opportunities for them to engage within the community and to have their voices heard,” said the Mayor.
The role of the Junior Mayor aims to provide a local primary school student with the opportunity to learn more about how local government works and the democratic process, to build their leadership skills and to share their voice on Council and community issues.
The Children’s Advisory Group meet twice per term and are supported by Council’s Children’s Services team, participating primary school teachers and staff from Mission Australia Communities for Children. The group will consult with various Council departments throughout the year to discuss issues impacting the community, local facilities, activities in Greater Dandenong, and Council’s ongoing commitment as a child friendly city.
