An initiative to empower young people to have more formal input into local issues is being supported by all five Thames-Coromandel community boards.

Under the proposed model, each ward would gain two representatives, aged 16-24, who'll meet regularly with their area's Youth Champion, who will then present their perspective on local issues at community board meetings.

The two represenatives would also be expected to present report to their local community board at least twice a year.

Thames Community Development Officer Marlene Perry says the Youth Voice initiative is a way of gaining a formalised youth voice onto Coromandel's community boards.

'One of the key visions identified in the Youth Strategy, was that the Coromandel was a place where young people's voices were heard,” she explains.

'A youth/council partnership group was established to explore how we could facilitate an initiative that would not only accommodate a youth voice, but would also encourage it.”

A report on the initiative will go to council at its next full meeting on May 18.