Report shares opportunities and challenges of living in Mandurah

The Commissioner for Children and Young People Colin Pettit has released a report on his recent visit to Mandurah.

During the visit the Commissioner met with several agencies, services providers and schools in the area to hear of their experiences and the challenges of living within a regional community, despite Mandurah being much closer to the Perth CBD in comparison to other regional locations.

Mr Pettit said it was fantastic to have met with such a committed group of organisations, each working hard to better the lives of children and young people.

“I was particularly pleased to have had the opportunity to meet with staff and students at Greenfields Primary School and Coodanup College, where they told me with enthusiasm about how much they loved living in Mandurah, and that they enjoyed the small and close-knit community, great location, and big events and festivals in their area.” Mr Pettit said.

As part of the visit, the Commissioner also heard from local agencies and service providers about some of the important issues facing the community, such as youth mental health and suicide, homelessness, education and employment, and the provision of youth services, which are addressed in more detail within the report.

“Youth suicide, drug use and crime in Mandurah and the wider Peel region have been under scrutiny in recent years, which has led to a number of initiatives being implemented,” Mr Pettit said.

“It is imperative that the roll-out of any new initiatives in the area be closely monitored and evaluated to ensure they achieve the desired positive outcomes for children and young people and the wider community.”

The Commissioner thanked all of the students and stakeholders for their time in meeting with him, and for their openly discussing their experiences of life in Mandurah and suggestions for making it an even better town.

The Commissioner visits regional and rural Western Australian communities to give children and young people in these areas the opportunity to have their views heard.