Page 1674 - Week 05 - Wednesday, 1 April 2009
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and the workforce”. This was reflected through the young people’s plan, which clearly articulates the government’s commitment to young people, and provided a whole-of-government policy framework for all young people in the territory based on the four themes of participation, access, transition and support.
The government achieved the key policy directives through a number of funded programs and through its own service delivery. Throughout the life of the young people’s plan, the government has committed $30 million to the youth services program, which funds organisations to provide services to at-risk young people aged between 12 and 25. Additionally, $400,000 was provided to fund the government’s youth participation initiative, Youth InterACT. Youth InterACT is a participation strategy launched by the government in 2002. It represents ACT Labor’s way of involving and consulting with young people from a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences, allowing them to have their say about youth issues in Canberra and to be actively involved in their community and at a government level. The initiative encompasses six mechanisms: the Youth Advisory Council; the Youth InterACT conference; the Youth InterACT website; a consultation register; and the Youth InterACT grants and scholarships.
The Youth Advisory Council at a broad level recognises that young people, as Australian citizens, have the right to participate fully in the social, cultural, political and economic life of our country. The council consists of 15 young people aged from 12 to 25, from diverse backgrounds and life experiences, including culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, a young person with a disability, and young people attending public and private schools, CIT and university.
The role of the Youth Advisory Council membership includes providing me with direct and well-informed advice on matters relating to young people, and ensuring that the diversity of young people’s experiences and circumstances is reflected in advice to government. The council consults widely with young people in the ACT through community-based forums, open meetings in the community, the online youth website, the annual Youth InterACT conference and the Youth InterACT consultation register.
Over the last 18 months, the council has held a number of forums, including “Young people and the law”, “Body piercing and tattooing under the Children and Young People’s Act 2008” and “Increasing the school leaving age”. The Youth Advisory Council has played a key role in the annual Youth InterACT conference through identifying current topical issues that are important to young people and cofacilitating each forum at the conference with a mentor.
The annual Youth InterACT conference aims to inform and engage young people in a variety of topical issues. It provides young people with opportunities to engage in activities, decision-making and advisory forums, as well as community and government events. This year’s Youth InterACT conference, as Ms Hunter has indicated, will be held on this Friday, 3 April. It aligns with the closing of National Youth Week and aims to promote youth participation and feedback to the ACT government on issues of importance to young people.
Since 2002, the Youth InterACT conference has been gaining recognition amongst young people in the territory, with 240 people in attendance at the 2007 and 2008
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