The Youth Reference Group (or simply the YRG) is a key example of our commitment to ensuring young people have a say in the key issues that affect them as well as in what we do here at YACVic.

Members of the YRG meet monthly at our Melbourne office to plan and discuss a broad range of issues relating to young people. This could be in the form discussing the impact any upcoming laws on young people, providing input to any policy work that YACVic is involved in at the moment, responding to any key public issues that may have arisen recently, or simply exchanging ideas on ways to raise awareness of young people’s rights.

The YRG also takes on several projects throughout the year based on their own choosing, which allows them to focus on specific issues or implement certain ideas. Members may also elect to take on certain roles within the Group, such as “YRG reporter” where they report on the YRG’s activities through our Annual Report or website or both! Ultimately, members of the YRG themselves decide what they want to do, which issues to raise and where they want to go!

Get involved!
The Youth Reference Group comprises 6-15 members. Every year, around September, there is an open call for nominations that is advertised on our website. You need to be a member of YACVic (membership is open to everyone!) in order to nominate.

YACVic's Board of Governance then decides on YRG membership to ensure that a diverse range of young people are involved. An exemption under the Equal Opportunity Act allows membership of this group to be restricted to young people aged between 12 and 25 years.

Find out more!
If you'd like to find out more about joining the YRG, click here to download the information sheet for YRG applicants. You can also download the YRG guidelines here.

If you'd like to nominate for participation in the Youth Reference Group, download the nomination form here.


If you'd like to find out more about the YRG, find out first-hand what the YRG does or simply to get involved, give us a call on (03) 9267 3799 or email us at sector@yacvic.org.au.

The YRG 2010 L-R: Hugh Stephens, Vu Long Tran, Victoria McLure, Anushka Dantanarayana, Kerry Jenkins, Vivek Foot, Esther Ooi, Tim Ooi, Caitlin Hardy, Pat Hamilton, Nic Kimberley.

Absent: Joseph Tuariki, Bianca de Bortoli, Victor Victor & Eleanor Toulmin.