Following elections held between September and October in 24 Ardèche middle schools, a new cohort of 48 young departmental councilors has been elected. Their goal is to make the voices of middle schoolers heard, get involved in their territory's life, and imagine projects addressing young people's concerns.
Over the next two years, these young elected officials will interact with departmental councilors, gather ideas and expectations from students at their schools, and propose concrete actions. The program includes thematic commissions, plenary assemblies, and numerous opportunities for meetings and discovery.
The young councilors will participate in seminars and plenary sessions to choose a theme, imagine and carry out projects, fostering an experience of participatory democracy. They will also be involved in small groups by local authorities, associations, and Ardèche partners to offer their perspective as young citizens on various topics through calls for projects.
Five commissions have been established for this term: Commission A (Violence in Sports), Commission B (Teens at the Library), Commission C (My Schoolyard), Commission D (Let's Eat!), and Commission E (The Charter of the Monts d'Ardèche Regional Natural Park).
The official installation took place on Friday, November 6, at the Hôtel du Département in Privas, where the young councilors learned about the institution's functioning. The weekend continued at the Espace découverte ardèche (EDA) with team-building activities and project presentations for their mandate.
