Collaborating and identifying a need in the Hume community
The Hume CIC identified multiple youth committees within Hume and wanted to bring them together to collaborate. In partnership with Hume Youth Services, they formed the Youth Committee Community of Practice (CoP). Over the past year, this has consisted of Hume Youth Services, Brotherhood of St Laurence (BSL), Open Door, Banksia Gardens Community Services, Arabic Welfare and headspace.
Hume Youth Services’ Youth Innovation Committee (YIC) led the planning and delivery of the Works In Progress Youth Summit with input from Brotherhood of St Laurence, headspace and Open Door at the Youth Committee CoP meetings.
YIC members identified a need within their community: lots of young people don’t know about alternative pathways to university, because, ironically, there is simply too much information being delivered through too many similar events, creating confusion and making it difficult for young people and families to engage effectively.
The YIC then set priorities and designed activities that would be relevant to young people in Hume. The Youth Committee CoP met monthly to discuss planning and determine if BSL or headspace committee members had any other ideas.
Putting youth voice at the centre
During the design phase, young people reflected that while most expos they had attended were for young people, they could see that young people weren’t involved in running it. They decided that it was important for information to be relatable and to hear from different lived experiences throughout the event.
Created by young people, with support from Youth Services staff, for young people, the summit gave attendees the chance to connect with employers, support services and education pathways, while thinking about what their future careers could look like.
YIC members knew from experience that having an uncertain pathway can be challenging in many areas of a young person’s life, so they outlined the themes of the event to be more holistic, from branding on self-advocacy, stress management and self-care.
To make sure youth voice was at the centre of every conversation, all presenters, panel guests and workshop facilitators were under the age of 30.
A panel discussion featured four young people from very different walks of life. Each panellist shared their unique journey and spoke about what led them to their chosen pathway, offering valuable insights and inspiration to everyone in attendance.
Atena, a Youth Advisor at BSL’s Hume Thrive Hub, said she had a great experience as a facilitator and emcee on the day. “We didn’t follow the script word-for-word. There’s a difference between simply reading from a page and using the script as a guide or backup when needed.
We got a few laughs, giggles, and “oohhs” from the audience, which made the whole event feel more enjoyable. I believe this really helped the audience connect with us and engage with the whole event.”
Panel
Stalls
Baristas who had completed free accredited training facilitated by Hume Youth Services served free coffees and non-alcoholic beverages to attendees throughout the day, getting more hands-on workplace experience.
A relaxed environment created a space for rich engagement with organisations at interactive stalls, allowing young people to explore opportunities and ask questions. The workshops were vibrant and smaller groups created space for meaningful conversations.
“It was fantastic to see young people actively engaging, asking questions, and learning about the different pathways and supports available to them.” – Senior Youth Advisor & Development Coach
What young people want government to know about finding work
Nansi Khayat (pictured, left) who is a member of the Hume Community Investment Committee and NYEB Youth Advisory Board, lead an activity asking young people attending “What advice would you give to the government about helping young people to find jobs?”
Attendees voted on the advice they agreed with, highlighting common barriers and opportunities for the government to understand a young person’s journey to employment.
The themes they voted for most were:
- “There should be access to free advice and guidance.”
- “You should be connected to work without needing fluent English.”
- “Putting together a one stop shop website that has info for young people about jobs and training.”
- “Public transport should be easy, cheap and reliable to get to work.”
Nansi got as much out of attending other workshops as she did from running one: “I attended the workshop with the Australian School of Entrepreneurship in the afternoon, learnt a lot and it was a very powerful and inspiring workshop.”
Building on the momentum
Feedback from participants will play an important role in guiding the Youth Committee Community of Practice (CoP) when they plan future youth-led initiatives.
The Hume Community Investment Committee collected advocacy messages from young people that will be used to plan for future CIC initiatives to improve opportunities for young people within Hume.
“I’m excited to see more youth-led activities and opportunities delivered in the future, building on the success of this event and continuing to support young people in our community.” – Senior Youth Advisor & Development Coach