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YOUNG LEADERS: Youth Advisory Committee Mayor Emily Rawlings and Deputy Mayor Blake Brougham.
Story: Louis Mayfield (Whyalla News)
Long-time friends Emily Rawlings and Blake Brougham will be leading the Whyalla Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) into a new era as Mayor and Deputy Mayor respectively.
The duo were recently elected at a YAC meeting and are taking over from former Mayor Ethan Klobucar and Deputy Alex Giumelli.
"We have always done things as a team," Blake said.
Emily hopes to raise the profile of the organisation within the community and foster exciting new ideas for the benefit of Whyalla's youth.
This will build on what YAC has already achieved for the community, including bringing ice skating and the Inflatable World playground to Whyalla.
"I want people to know that the YAC is something serious, we do a lot for the community," Emily said.
"We want to work closely with everyone on the committee and get everyone's ideas across, because I feel like a lot of the ideas raised can be developed more."
As well as growing exciting ideas, the duo want to work closely with community organisations to support new events, one potentially being a board games convention.
YAC events currently on the horizon include the Riskit Skate Park Competition, Rainbow Run, and Youth Week.
Emily will be running her Children's Recycled Arts Workshop at the uneARTh Festival, and will be performing live on the day as well.
Council Youth Development Officer Gail Rostig said the committee had received very positive feedback about their events from the community so far.
"I'm hearing very positive comments about the work we've been doing. Even being part of the Harmony Day/ Close the Gap event, people were thrilled to see the YAC Shack there," she said.
Ms Rostig thanked all those who put their hands up as candidates for the Mayor and Deputy Mayor positions, saying it was a very tight race.