Council has approved Banyule Youth Spaces Plan on 30 August 2021.

In developing the plan, we actively engaged with 348 members of the community. For more information check out the Consultation Report and the Demographic Review.

The aim of the plan is to provide strategic direction for the future provision of outdoor recreation places and spaces for young peoples aged 12 – 25 years across the municipality.

The plan supports an assessment of community needs and demand for additional youth recreation spaces and facilities.

Key actions include:

• Investigate locations and feasibility for district youth spaces to service the needs of youth aged 12 – 25 years;
• Investigate locations and feasibility for walkable local spaces for youth aged 12 – 14 years and spaces for youth aged 15 – 17 years spread across the municipality;
• Develop a funding program that covers the costs for these proposed facilities including maintenance and renewal.

We plan to investigate locations and the feasibility of local and district spaces. This will involve further consultation with the community, in particular youth, to ensure that their voices are heard and inform future decisions.

While traditional play and youth spaces such as playgrounds, sandpits and skate parks have an important role to play, to fully utilise the benefits of play and activity while still addressing the developmental needs of young people (cognitive, sensory, social and emotional), we need to think, plan and design in new ways.

We are preparing a Youth Spaces Plan to ensure there are safe and appropriate facilities, places and spaces for young people to come together and socialise. This plan will help us develop and maintain youth friendly spaces, will allow young people to feel included within the community and will help us develop holistic, innovative and meaningful youth facilities, spaces and activities across Banyule.

The Youth Spaces Plan will be prepared in alignment with the Banyule Youth Services Action Plan 2019.

This project has funding support from the Victorian Government.

We have undertaken youth spaces and facilities auditing and research, which will be complimented by an extensive schedule of community consultation including a mix of surveys, workshops and group discussions across:

• Banyule YouthFest
• Malahang Park
• Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities
• Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, Queer, Plus (LGBTIQ+) youth
• Young people of all abilities
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) community
• La Trobe University students
• Young parents groups
• Banyule and Nillumbik Youth Services Network
• Selected local secondary schools
• Relevant Council departments and staff