The Youth Mayor for 2019 - 20 is Samah Khalil.
The Deputy Youth Mayor is Megan Birchall.
Samah is 18 and lives in Chadderton with her family.
She attended North Chadderton School and Sixth Form, going on to study A levels and is currently
a first-year bio-engineering student at the University of Sheffield.
Elected to the Youth Council in 2016, she has attended numerous events representing the Youth Council, sat on funding panels including Action Oldham and recruitment panels for various positions within Oldham Council.
In February 2019 she completed her term of office as Member of Youth Parliament (MYP), representing Oldham on a national level.
As MYP, in November, she delivered a speech from the dispatch box to celebrate 100 years since some women first achieved the right to vote.
In doing so, she became the first Oldham MYP to sit on the front benches at the Annual House of Commons sitting.
She has also represented Oldham and Greater Manchester’s young people on a regional and international level and will be the first female from a Black or Ethnic Minority (BME) background to ever stand in this capacity as Youth Mayor in Oldham.
Speaking about the accolade, she said: “I am so honoured to be able to stand in this role and so incredibly grateful for the young people who voted me (first) onto the Youth Council and then into this role as Youth Mayor.
“I will work hard throughout the year to ensure I represent the views of young people and carry them with me wherever this role takes me.
“I am determined to make Oldham a place where young people are proud to come from and will use this opportunity to do so.
“I hope over the next year, I will be able to do justice to the amazing young people we have in our borough.”
Role of the Youth Mayor
The role of Youth Mayor is to represent the young people of Oldham in a formal and civic role.
They are an ambassador for the town and an inspirational role model for young people.
The Youth Mayor shadows the Mayor on Civic engagements and is also a key member of the Youth Council.