New Youth Mayor and Deputy Youth Mayor elected
Published on 11 March 2025
Congratulations to Kaynat Virk and Emily Tricarico, who were elected to lead the City of Whittlesea’s Youth Council for the next 12 months as the new Youth Mayor and Deputy Youth Mayor.
Twenty-year-old Kaynat, who previously served as the Deputy Youth Mayor, and 18-year-old Emily, were elected by their fellow Youth Councillors, as the group head into the second of their two-year term.
The Youth Council is made up of thirteen members, aged between 12-21 years, who live, work or study in the municipality. The Youth Council meet monthly to discuss and provide feedback on matters referred to them from Council, as well as advocate on important issues, challenges and opportunities for young people.
The Youth Council have recently campaigned to raise awareness of the harmful chemicals in vapes, have supported International Women’s Day and will be holding a stall at the HWLLEN Careers Expo at the Plenty Ranges Arts and Convention Centre on Tuesday 18 March to talk to young people about the role of the Youth Council.
For more information, visit the Youth Council page.
Quotes attributable to Youth Mayor, Kaynat Virk
“I am incredibly honoured to have been elected as the Youth Mayor for 25-26 and truly grateful for the trust youth councillors placed in me to continue leading our journey. It’s all about putting in the hard yards and working even harder to build a more united and empowered youth voice. I can’t wait to continue this journey alongside the Deputy Youth Mayor, ensuring we make the most of this term and leave behind a meaningful legacy for young people in our municipality.”
Quotes attributable to Deputy Youth Mayor, Emily Tricarico
“Serving as Deputy Youth Mayor of the City of Whittlesea is both an honour and a responsibility – not only as a representative of my community but as a leader in every sense. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to take on the role following the newly elected Mayor, Kaynat, and want to thank the Youth Council for trusting me to uphold our shared values. I look forward to developing more community connections and creating meaningful, long-lasting change.”