Reshape Our Future: 2021 Youth Forum and Sector Conference

Each session of the Conference is connected state-wide, with speakers presenting in-person and online from multiple locations. Attendees can participate in Q&As and table discussions from their location, whether that’s in-person or online. For more information, visit our FAQ page.

• Registration

• Tea and coffee

• Technology briefing

• Welcome to Country

• Remarks by Parliamentary Secretary for Youth Mr Josh Bull MP (he/him)

• Tasha Ritchie (she/her) – Chair, YACVic, & Youth Programs Manager, Children & Young People with Disability Australia (CYDA)

Youth Loop: A young person from each Conference location will share insights about their region and the previous day’s Youth Forum.

• Melbourne: Natarsha Bamblett (she/her)

• Lakes Entrance: Brodie Pile (he/him)

• Mildura: Breanna Macfarlane (she/her)

• Wangaratta: Steph Grant (she/her)

• Warrnambool: Dylan Bermingham (he/him)

Young people are more active than ever in their communities across global movements. How is it that they do not have a more prominent role in decision-making on urgent issues?

• Dr Harry Shier (he/him) – Writer, researcher and global expert on young people’s rights and participation

• Bryce Taylor (he/him) – Participation & Development Officer, Koorie Youth Council

• Amy Chu (she/her), Youth Ambassador, and Catherine Maine (she/her), Youth and Family Services Team – ‘Youth United Against Family Violence’ initiative, City of Greater Dandenong

• Moderator: Andrew Leap (he/him) – Student Voice Advocate & Member, VicHealth Reimagining Young People’s Futures Youth Steering Group

People and politics seem more divided than ever. How can we empower diverse young people to participate in and build a more connected society? People and politics seem more divided than ever. How can we empower diverse young people to participate in and build a more connected society?

• Leah Van Poppel (she/her) – Co-Chair, Victorian Government Diversity & Intersectionality Working Group, & CEO, Women with Disabilities Victoria

• April Goldring (she/her) – Rainbow Program Leading Aboriginal Mentor and Facilitator Mentor and Facilitator, Strong Brother, Strong Sister

• Swathi Shanmukhasundaram (she/her) – ABC Takeover, & Co-founder, The Vermillion Project

Update on the progress of the Victorian Government’s new Youth Strategy, due for launch later this year.

• Gerry Goswell (she/her) – Director, Office for Youth, Victorian Government

• Member (TBA) – Youth Congress, Victorian Government

Bushfires, pandemic and recession over the past two years have put even more intense pressure on the mental health of young people and those working with them. At the same time, the Royal Commission into Mental Health has presented a roadmap for the future of Victoria’s mental health system. As key stakeholders, how can young people and the youth sector contribute – state-wide and locally – to the successful implementation of the recommendations?

This session will have a state-wide speaker and Q&A, then local speakers and discussions.

State-wide Speakers:

• Pam Anders (she/her) – CEO, Mental Health Reform Victoria

• Jen Rowan (she/her) – Youth Mental Health Working Group Member, YACVic

Three young activists speak on urgent issues, encouraging better allyship from the youth sector.

• Cindy Liu (she/her) – COVID-19 Youth Working Group, Youth Disability Advocacy Service

• Tim Lo Surdo (he/him) – Founder & National Director, Democracy in Colour

• Representative (TBA) from Seed Indigenous Youth Climate Network

• Introduced by: Nick Duffy – Partnerships Manager, HESTA

Session sponsored by HESTA Superannuation.

Each location will run a session on a different, locally-specific topic.

Melbourne 1 / Online: Young People Leading Peace and Connection

Social media bubbles and identity politics try every day to divide us, and can lead to violence and exclusion. How are young people taking action to build social connection and respectful relationships, and how do we support them?

• Lakshitha Saji Prelis (he/him) – Co-Chair, UN Global Coalition on Youth, Peace and Security, & Director, Children & Youth Programs, Search for Common Ground

• Youth Representative – Know Your Roots, Point of Difference Studio, Shepparton

• More Speakers TBA

Melbourne 2: Enthusiastic Yes! Positive and Respectful Relationships

We need to support young people to enjoy more equitable, respectful and safer relationships now and in their futures. How can we take a strengths-based, holistic approach to this, and build on work already underway?

• Dr Kath Albury (she/her) – Professor of Media and Communication, Swinburne University of Technology

• Miranda Johnson-Jones (she/her), Laura Crozier (she/her) and Paddy Grindlay (he/him) – Youth Ambassadors, Time to Talk consent initiative, Macedon Ranges Shire CouncilMore Speakers TBA

Lakes Entrance: Young People in Disaster Recovery and Emergency Management

In disasters, it’s vital to provide resources to specifically support and empower young people. Not only in the immediate aftermath, but also as part of ongoing recovery and rebuilding over several years. In the wake of the 2019/20 fires and COVID-19, how do we collectively ensure that young people have a central role in decision making? How do we ensure that they get dedicated and specific roles on local, state and national recovery committees, and other advisory bodies?

• Carmel Flynn – Acting CEO, Bushfire Recovery Victoria

• Dr Fiona McDonald (she/her) – Senior Research Fellow, ISILC, Victoria University, & Research/Project Coordinator – Youth Perceptions of Bushfire Response, YACVic\

• More speakers TBA

Wangaratta: Young People in Disaster Recovery and Emergency
In disasters, it’s vital to provide resources to specifically support and empower young people. Not only in the immediate aftermath, but also as part of ongoing recovery and rebuilding over several years. In the wake of the 2019/20 fires and COVID-19, how do we collectively ensure that young people have a central role in decision making? How do we ensure that they get dedicated and specific roles on local, state and national recovery committees, and other advisory bodies?

• Todd Macbeth (he/him) – Director, Inclusive Education Professional Practice Branch Department of Education

• Quin O’Bran (she/her) – Member, Bushfire Youth Working Group, YACVic Rural

• Claire (she/her) – Exec Member, Victorian Student Representative Council (VicSRC)

Mildura: Trauma-Informed Services and Care

So many young people who come into contact with the youth sector are affected by trauma in their own lives, and intergenerational trauma. How can we incorporate trauma-informed practice into programs and services? How can we focus on youth participation and peer workers to help young people step into a better, lighter future?

• Morgan Cataldo (she/her) – Senior Manager Youth Engagement, Berry St

Note: this workshop will be delivered virtually to Mildura participants.

Warrnambool: Collaborative Approaches to Mentoring

The unique relationships developed in a mentoring relationship benefit everyone involved and are increasingly popular with young people. How can small-scale mentoring programs collaborate on common tasks like recruitment, promotion, training and scheduling? How can they keep policies current and staff well-supported? We consider a collaborative response to the logistics, ethics and future of mentoring in Victoria’s south west.

• Emma Brian (she/her) – Program Manager, Standing Tall Hamilton

• Drew Paten (he/him) – Co-Chief Executive Officer, AIME

• Leyla Quartermaine (she/her) – Marram Nganyin Aboriginal Youth Mentoring Project, Koorie Youth Council

• Kyle Hayes (he/him) – Peer Mental Health Advocate, Batyr, Orygen Youth Mental health and Youth Live4Life

Each session of the Conference is connected state-wide, with speakers presenting in-person and online from multiple locations. Attendees can participate in Q&As and table discussions from their location, whether that’s in-person or online. For more information, visit our FAQ page.

• Registration

• Tea and coffee

• Technology briefing

• Acknowledgement of Country

• Katherine Ellis (she/her), CEO, YACVic

• Youth Loop: A young person from each Conference location will share insights about the previous day’s speakers and discussions

• Why do you get up in the morning?
  Interactive reflection on working with/for young people, led by Louisa Keck, Senior Facilitator, Reach Foundation.

Recessions impact young people disproportionately, both at the time and throughout the recovery. What needs to be done now and in the future to guarantee young people have access to suitable, safe and meaningful work? This session will have a state-wide speaker and Q&A, then local speakers and discussions.

State-wide Speakers:

• Mairead Lesman (she/her) – Acting Director, Young Workers Centre

• Emma Cull (she/her) – Senior Manager Youth Service Development and Strategy, Brotherhood of St Laurence

• Young person – 'How Work Works' project, Loddon Campaspe Region LLEN

The global pandemic has highlighted social injustice and inequality across the world, as well as closer to home. How should the Code of Ethical Practice for the Victorian Youth Sector be updated for a safer and more equal society based on human rights? How do we include ChildSafe Standards and Reportable Conduct, social media, disability self-determination, and trans and gender diverse young people?

• Dr Tim Corney (he/him) – Principal Fellow ISILC, Victoria University & Lead Author, Victorian Code of Ethical Conduct in Youth Work

• Liana Buchanan (she/her) – Victorian Commissioner for Children & Young People

• Lucy Thomas (she/they) – Co-founder, Project ROCKIT

• Mija Gwyn (she/her) – Manager, Youth Disability Advocacy Service

• Sara Strachan (they/them) – Zoe Bell Gender Collective, cohealth

Three future thinkers share what they see coming for young people and their lives.

• Sonia Arakkal (she/her) – Co-founder, Think Forward

• Youth Representative (TBA) – VicHealth 'Reimagining Young People’s Futures' project

• Kate Griffiths (she/her) – Fellow, Budget Policy & Institutional Reform, Grattan Institute

Has the use of technology in the past 12 months taught us how we can build more accessible environments? What are the digital innovations that are enriching youth work and youth participation? What can we learn from global experts and local practitioners?

• Suvi Tuominen (she/her) and Juha Kiviniemi (he/him)– Centre of Expertise for Digital Youth Work, Verke, Finland

• Elizabeth Smith (she/her) – Program Coordinator, Broadening Horizons Gippsland

• Moderator: Sam Champion (he/him) – Participation & Development Manager, YACVic

Each location will run a session on a different, locally specific topic.

Melbourne 1 / Online: Translating Youth Participation into Meaningful Action

We spend so much time creating and delivering programs and services for young people, that we often have no resources, time or energy to leverage their power beyond their immediate impact. How do we reshape our efforts, with meaningful youth participation?

• Dr Mandy Charman (she/her) – Project Manager, Outcomes, Practice and Evidence Network (OPEN), Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare (CFECFW)

• Kirra-Alyssa Horley (she/her) and Morgan Cataldo (she/her) – Lived Experience Consultants, Y-Change, Berry Street

• Wendy Williams (she/her) – Editor, Pro Bono Australia

Melbourne 2: Young People and Youth Justice

Young people who come into contact with the justice system are often facing complex difficulties. How can we work with young people to reduce re-offending? What are alternatives to the current system that will help keep young people and the community safe?

• Laura Chipp (she/her) – Principal Lawyer / Prosecutor and Head of Specialist Children’s Court Prosecution Unit, Victoria Police

• Marlion Pickett (he/him) – Richmond AFL Player and #RaisetheAge Advocate

• Vincent Shin (he/him) – Lawyer and Youth Law Program Manager, WEstjustice

• Nasima Allahyari (she/her) and Mehri Vijdani (she/her) – Participants, Victoria Police South East Young & Emerging Community Leaders Program.

Lakes Entrance: Where Have All the Youth Workers Gone?

With targeted programs, short-term funding, burnout and shift expectations, generalist youth workers seem to have all but disappeared in regional Victoria. Where are they? What gaps are being left? Should we, or can we, get them back?

• Dr Karen Hart (she/her) – Senior Lecturer/Researcher & Course Chair of Youth Work and Community Development, Victoria University

• More speakers TBA

Wangaratta: Sexual Health and Healthy Relationships

We need to support young people to enjoy more equitable, respectful and safer relationships now and in their futures. How can we take a strengths-based, holistic approach to this, and build on work already underway?

• Ange Davidson (she/her) – Sexual Health Nurse Gateway Health

• Jenny Walsh (she/her) – Relationships and Sexuality Education Consultant

• More Speakers TBA

Mildura: Engaging Young People in Programs and Services

Even before COVID-19 youth organisations, local government and employers in north west Victoria were struggling to engage young people in programs and services. Now it’s even more critical. How can we make our offerings relevant and engaging? What can we do to connect with young people to empower them for their future?

• Louisa Keck, National Manager – Wake by Reach & Strategic PartnershipsReach Leadership Team Member

• Samantha Dodd and Anthony Cavallaro, HomeBase Mildura

• Kane Sparks (he/him) – Youth Support Coordinator, Swan Hill Rural City Council

• More speakers TBA

Warrnambool: Sexual Health and Healthy Relationships

Despite pervasive gender-based violence across the country, south west Victoria still has few resources to support young people in this space. How can we support young people to enjoy more equitable, respectful and safer relationships now and in their futures? How do we take a strengths-based, holistic approach to this, and build on work already underway?

• Munira Yusuf (she/her) – Senior Policy Advisory Young People, Our Watch

• Sarah Prescott (she/her) – Respectful Relationships, DET Wimmera South West

• Nicola Grayson (she/her) – School Nurse Manager, DET Wimmera South West

• Dr Erin Gordon (she/her) – GP and YouTube superstar

• Sienna Gladstone (she/her) – VicSRC Executive Member and Warrnambool student. 

• Moderator: Emma Mahoney (she/her) – EO Barwon South West Women’s Health

State-wide closing remarks before local conclusion to Reshape Our Future