These Youth Represent - Youthful Ambitions - Feb. 18th, 2007 - Written By: The Windsor Star - www.windsorstar.com
Reem Zaia isn't yet old enough to vote, but that's not stopping the 17-year-old from having a say in city hall along with her peers.
Zaia is one of 10 youths who comprise the Mayor's Youth Advisory Committee.
The committee was formed 2-1/2 years ago by its current co-chairs Denny Timm and Prerna Chandak.
"Our goal has always been, I believe, to make sure that the youth voice is heard at the municipal level," said Chandak, 20.
"And to always have the ear of the mayor," chimed in Timm, 20.
"Right, exactly," Chandak responded. "And be able to be that link between the youth and council."
After getting an earful from their peers at two youth forums held at Devonshire Mall in 2005 and 2006, the group has been meeting monthly to address the issues raised at the public meetings. Issues such as the lack of youth entertainment venues, transportation and jobs.
So far, the committee's work is slowly but surely paying off.
Just last week, Timm succeeded in convincing the Transit Windsor board of directors to approve the group's idea of reducing the bus fare from $1.70 to $1 during March break. Thanks to Timm, high school and elementary school students will get to pay the lesser fees to ride public buses March 9-15.
"It wasn't really that hard to convince Transit Windsor to do this because they've been in full support of what we're doing," said Timm, an honours and political science and labour studies student at the University of Windsor, who also finds time to work part time at Chrysler.
The committee has also booked the Riverfront Plaza for a dance party and battle of the bands on May 9. The event will cost the group about $2,500, which is about $500 more than its operating budget, but Zaia said she is working with potential sponsors to help pitch in for the costs.
"We're looking at getting city sponsors for that, and we're very well on our way to doing so," said Zaia, who is a Grade 12 student at St. Joseph's high school. "We have so many interested organizations ..."
"... That just want to get on board," said 18-year-old Alex Kais, finishing Zaia's sentence. "We want this event to be accessible to all youth. We want it to be free so they can go there and have fun."
Finding places for young people to gather permanently continues to be a challenge for the group, however. Chandak said she has spoken to numerous downtown businesses and investors about opening some permanent space for the under-18 crowd.
"But with Windsor's economy right now, it's not feasible," said Chandak, who's completing her fourth year in the honours communications program at the U of W and working at RBC Dominion Securities. "In all fairness, we've gone out, we've talked to investors and business owners and what they're saying is it's not possible."
So, the group is turning to the city's parks and recreation department.
"And talking to them about how we can get more youth into our community centres because we've got tons of buildings in windsor, tons of community centres that could be used 100 per cent and they're not," Chandak said.
In March, the committee will make a presentation to council outlining some of their recent accomplishments and continuing challenges.
"The thing is, as long as we're making progress that is in itself well because that means you're moving forward from where you were," Chandak said.
Online: For more information about the Mayor's Youth Advisory Committee or to get on its mailing list, visit www.windsoryouth.com.

This article is from The Windsor Star -
http://www.canada.com/windsorstar/news/story.html?id=3b2001de-b378-448c-8a9d-5906f834ebf2&k=79103