DUMFRIES Rotary Club welcomed a member of the youth council to speak at their meeting last Friday afternoon.
Riley True, 15, a fourth year student at Dumfries Academy, represents Lochar Ward as the constitution spokesperson for Dumfries and Galloway Youth Council.
He developed his interest in politics from an early age, enhanced along the way with his other major interest as an actor and performer with the Dumfries Guild of Players.
The teen addressed the club with a highly articulate and entertaining presentation.
He outlined the many ways in which the Youth Council members can participate in the life of the region and can contribute to policy and planning services and events.
Involvement in advocacy, complaints and compliments, consultation and focus groups, events, volunteer programmes, panels and voting, forums, boards, committees, and councils – all of it was important to have a voice for young people.
As a member of the Youth Council drawn from across the whole region, Riley participates in online meetings weekly and bi monthly meetings in person.
Youth council members work alongside the respective elected councillors for their ward and with local community councils, ensuring that that young peoples’ voices and views are heard at every level.
Rotary members were impressed with the broad range of interests that Youth Council members were involved and even more impressed when Riley invited questions from the floor and demonstrated a maturity beyond his years in answering each one.
In his comprehensive vote of thanks, Donald Campbell referred to that ability and considered that if Riley pursued a career in politics or in theatre he would assuredly be a success whichever.
