Ending his term as junior city councillor Liam Rhoda (17) a Grade 12 learner and head boy at Lavender Hill High School says he hopes to become a politician to make a difference in his community.
“I always see Lavender Hill as a positive place that I want to change and that is my goal.”
The eldest of four siblings, Rhoda completed his term as a junior city councillor at the end of March.
“I got involved in the junior city council because next year I’d apply to study Philosophy, Politics and Economic Science, so I’m trying to do something towards my career path.”
He further explains that his journey as a junior councillor opened his eyes to the world.
“For me joining the junior city council was about being an active citizen and to represent Lavender Hill proudly. It opened my eyes to the world of work and the world of politics and the most exciting thing was when I went to the provincial parliament and met the speaker of parliament.”
The teenager says he wants to see the change in Lavender Hill where much change was still needed.
“If I were to be a politician I would make a difference. Most politicians say they are going to make a change but they don’t. I want to be the one who comes back and actually does something. Lavender Hill for example does not have a library. You have to go to Retreat and we don’t have a day hospital, we only have a clinic. Things like that should be implemented in our communities.”
Rhoda says it was important to have the right mindset to push yourself towards your goals.
“Most of the time when people come from Lavender Hill other people have the mindset that you are less than them.
“And I am the person who is going to tell and show you that I am better than what you think I am. That’s also one of the reasons why I joined the junior city council because most of the time it is only the elite schools who join.”
The learner says he has learned a great deal about being an active citizen.
“Most of the time teenagers don’t want to be active citizens, they just want to say things and they want things to happen but they don’t put the work in to make it happen.
“The junior city council provided that platform for me to make the changes that I would like to make.”
Rhoda has in the meantime started a group for teenagers to come together and discuss their career goals.
“I saw youth in our community that are despondent in a certain way. So I started a group for teenagers that can include their career goals so that they can come away from the norm of just going to a party every weekend.”
The teenager says he wished there were more platforms and centres to guide youth in their career choices.
“After school, I want to set up a platform for youth where they can be given the options of what they can study, yes our schools do that, but only to a certain extent.
“We should have centres where youth can go and be told about after-school opportunities.”
His advice to other teens is to be active citizens.
“My advice to teens, who are interested in joining the junior city council, is not to go with the mindset that learners at the council come from a better school or better area than you.
“Go with an: ‘I belong spirit’ because you belong in any room you step into and that is what carried me through.”
