KAYNAT Virk and Emily Tricarico have been elected to lead the City of Whittlesea’s Youth Council for the next 12 months as the new Youth Mayor and Deputy Youth Mayor respectively.
Twenty-year-old Kaynat, who previously served as the Deputy Youth Mayor, and 18-year-old Emily, were elected by their fellow youth councillors to lead the team as the group head into the second of their two-year term.
Youth Mayor Kaynat Virk was excited to continue his journey in leading the council.
“I am incredibly honoured to have been elected as the youth mayor for 2025-2026, and am truly grateful for the trust youth councillors placed in me to continue leading our journey,” he said.
“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.”
Deputy Youth Mayor Emily Tricarico echoed Kaynat’s words, emphasising the importance of representing the community.
“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,” she said.
“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.”
The Youth Council is made up of 13 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 today to talk to young people about the role of the Youth Council.
For more information on the Youth Council, visit www.whittlesea.vic.gov.au/youthcouncil.
