The Community Services Directorate has postponed this week’s Youth Week events due to the gathering rules required as part of the COVID-19 health crisis.
Despite the closure, the Minister for Children, Youth and Families, Rachel Stephen-Smith said ACT Youth Week was an important annual opportunity to recognise the contributions of young people in the community.
“This is a difficult time for everyone, including for many young people,” Ms Stephen-Smith said.
“I look forward to continuing to work with the Youth Advisory Council and our young citizens as we seek new ways to boost our resilience as a city through this emergency and, in due course, start our recovery processes.”
She said ACT Youth Week had been scheduled to run until Sunday (5 April).
Ms Stephen-Smith said events associated with Youth Week, including the Young Canberra Citizen of the Year Awards, had been postponed in consultation with the ACT Youth Advisory Council.
“A key Youth Week event is the presentation of the Young Canberra Citizen of the Year Awards, which celebrate the contribution of Canberrans aged 12-25 years in a range of areas,” Ms Stephen-Smith said.
“An award ceremony will be held when it is possible for us to gather again to celebrate the achievements of our young people.”
She said the 2020 ACT Youth Assembly was also due to take place this week but had been cancelled due to the pandemic restrictions.
“This is an important forum for young people to work together in a deliberative way to provide advice and recommendations to the ACT Government on issues that are important to them,” Ms Stephen-Smith said.
“Given its significance in providing a voice for young people directly to Ministers and Members of the Legislative Assembly, the Youth Assembly has been postponed rather than cancelled at this stage.”
