Request the Council of General Synod to consider a change to Section 33.a.vi of the Constitution of the General Synod to allow for the election of two youth members per Ecclesiastical province onto the Council of General Synod.

Many of the youth delegates share the feeling that there are not enough youth voices on the Council of General Synod. The meetings of the Council of General Synod pose challenges for youth delegates; many of whom cannot attend meetings for various reasons, including but not limited to: school (exams, classes, schedules), work (getting time off), and familial commitments, and the financial burden of taking time off work while working shift work, as most young people are. Additionally, youth delegates who travel across the country to a meeting where there are only three others in their age bracket often experience a sense of loneliness. With only four youth on the Council of General Synod the youth are a very small minority of the Council. If one of them misses a meeting due to school or work commitments (the latter of which has financial implications for the youth delegate), the Council is losing a quarter of the youth voice at the meeting. By having up to eight youth instead of four it not only increases the youth voice overall, but also ensures that when a youth delegate is unable to attend a meeting there is still a strong youth voice at council. Both youth members are to be full voting members of the Council of General Synod. Increasing the number of youth delegates would also help combat the tokenisation of youth that often occurs in all areas of the church, including in the Council of General Synod. It is our hope that increasing the number of youth delegates will instill a greater sense of community and connection.

In the normal course, an ordinary motion must be passed by a majority of the members of General Synod present and voting together.

Six members of General Synod may, prior to the question being put, require a vote by Orders, with a majority of each Order being necessary to pass.

If a question passes on a Vote by Orders, any six members (two from each of three different dioceses) may immediately before the next item of business require a vote to be taken by dioceses. A motion passes if a majority (or a tie) of dioceses vote in favour.

Source: Sections 4 and 5 of the Declaration of Principles and sections 18, 19 and 20 of the Rules of Order and Procedure.