Councillor’s Comment: Youth Council - softening the echo in our council chamber

Nelson Youth Council is one of the most integrated youth councils in our country, engaging with Councillors in our meetings and workshops. Given space for questions, speaking rights and empowered to navigate the complexities of local government; this is more than a token gesture, but one of many necessary steps to keep us safe from the risks that accompany knowledge and experience.

The best I’ve ever felt was immediately after having my wisdom teeth removed. My wife catching me before I wheeled myself down the hospital staircase is a memory we both hold very differently in our minds. Reality hits, and the euphoria gives way to agony, and the burning question of “why has my body done this to me” settles into my mind.

Teeth have taught me something about growth: Sometimes it requires us to let go. Like teeth, we acquire knowledge and experience throughout our lives, and mostly it serves us well. Learning is a double-edged sword, with each new discovery offering the potential for future damage, a contextual mismatch in how we apply it, and a risk that we close our minds and become rigid.

Our Council is incredibly fortunate to hold a broad range of experience and perspectives, and we test these together in a refreshingly healthy and constructive way. I frequently lean on the experience and insights of other Councillors and believe this serves our community well. Yet we must also remain aware of the risk that each of us carries and find ways to shield Council decisions from the inevitability of our blind spots.

One opportunity that Council has taken up is through Nelson Youth Council. By empowering and enabling these 17 exceptional young people, we are welcoming the opportunity to be challenged and confronted with unfamiliar views and perspective. I am privileged to be Council’s liaison within Nelson Youth Council and am repeatedly inspired to be around these incredible leaders. Nelson’s Youth Councillors are sharp, engaged, and provide me with hope that our future is in safe hands.