Weston High School learner Jay-Lee Smith has been appointed as the new junior deputy mayor of the Saldanha Bay Municipality (SBM) Youth Council.
Being in a leadership position is nothing new to Smith, for she serves as the secretary of her school’s Representative Council of Learners (RCL). This is how she was nominated to be part of the SBM Youth Council. Smith says on hearing the news that she had been selected deputy mayor of the Youth Council she was stunned, for she didn’t think she would get the position so quickly, but she did.
“I look forward to working with my fellow youth councillors, but most importantly to help our youth and make their voices heard,” she said.
Since becoming part of her school’s RCL Smith says her goal ever since was to help others, including the youth and her community. “Now that I am in a much higher position it is still my goal to help where I can, and I think it’s much easier now that I have the SBM Youth Council on my side to help implement my goals.”
Serving with females in leadership, Smith says the need for more female leaders has never been more crucial. “I think women can often be perceived as more emotional and less decisive than men, yet women bring more diverse physical, mental strength and experience to everyday conversation.”
Smith wants to encourage the youth of the West Coast to never give up on life even when it seems impossible.
“You have to keep on living because you have a purpose on this earth.”
