Penrith City Council will establish both a youth forum and committee to give the younger generations a say in their city. At a Policy and Strategy Meeting of Council on Monday evening, Councillors unanimously voted to endorse a hybrid model for youth advocacy in Penrith. The hybrid model will combine the proposed Youth Forum and Youth Committee Action Group to deliver a bi-monthly working group and an annual youth forum. Councillor Libby Austin, Penrith’s youngest ever Councillor, has been advocating for a dominant youth voice since she was elected in 2024. “The Youth Forum allows us to hear from a broader and more diverse range of young people, and the Youth Committee gives us something equally important: consistency.