On this page
YACVic Training and Support
YACVic offers a range of training and support as part of our social enterprise work. The training and support you book directly supports us to expand and develop the capacity and skills of young people across Victoria.
In addition to the training sessions for young people and workers supporting young people (which you can find out below), YACVic offers in-depth and longer-term fee-for-service support based on your needs which can include:
- Framework, policy and strategy design: we can walk through this process with you and support you to create the documents you need to embed youth participation in your organisation
- Consultations: we can design, host and deliver peer-led youth consults
- Co-design: we can support you to work alongside young people on designing and delivering solutions for your key challenges and projects
- Recruitment: we can connect you with young people from around the state to get involved in your initiatives. We will support both you and the young participants through the process.
For more information and to discuss how we can support you to work with young people please get in touch with Sam Champion, Participation & Development Coordinator on 0438 072 200 or at schampion@yacvic.org.au
Training for Workers Who Support Young People
Youth Participation 101
Why is taking young people seriously so important?
Do you need guidance to boost your youth groups, programs and advocacy?
Does your team need tools and strategies for effective youth participation?
Youth Participation 101 will equip you with the fundamental theories, strategies and resources to help you engage young people.
You’ll learn how to strengthen the voices of young people in the work of your organisation and in the wider community. We’ll talk about the successes you’re having and unpack the barriers you may be encountering to increase your confidence in working alongside young people.
Benefits
- Discuss the fundamental benefits of youth engagement
- Provide support to embed the voice of young people within your work
- Learn more about YACVic’s model of participation (both successes and learnings)
- Share good stories, and workshop any challenges you may currently be facing
- Graduates are invited to join the Youth Participation Practice Network (YPPN)
Code of Ethical Practice for the Youth Sector
What do you believe are healthy boundaries to have when working with young people?
How do you respect young people’s confidentiality, when they tell you things you know you need to act on?
Are you confident about the values, principles and practice responsibilities of working with young people?
The Code of Ethical Practice training will strengthen your youth work practice and how you interact with and support young people. This workshop covers foundational theories and guidance for using the Code in your workplace. There is heaps of opportunity for discussion and reflective practice as well as strategies for developing ethical practice in your role/organisation.
Topics we cover
- Why is a Code of Ethical Practice so important for the youth sector?
- What are ethics anyway?
- Background to the Code
- Youth work Principles
- Youth work Practice Responsibilities
- How do I deal with an ethical dilemma at work?
How to Run Engaging Workshops
Are you new to running workshops and meetings with and for young people?
Would you like to be more confident in creating safe, accessible and empowering spaces?
Do you want to run workshops where young participants are actively involved and highly engaged?
You’ll walk away from this fun and interactive training equipped with the confidence and skills you need to run great workshops with and for young people.
Through the careful and practiced guidance of our experienced young peer facilitators you will leave knowing how you can enhance your meetings, workshops and events. The content can be tailored to focus on participants who are aged 12-25 or over 25.
Topics we cover
- How to start a workshop
- Online vs Face-to-Face meetings
- Developing a run sheet
- Problem solving – what happens when things don’t always go to plan
- How to manage people and different group dynamics
You can also visit our events calendar for public training.
Please be advised that bookings will need 2 months notice of the date in which you wish to book.
Training for Young People
Media Training for Young People
Do you want to speak to the media on an issue that affects you? Do you want to raise awareness in the media about an issue affecting your community? Do you want to be heard when speaking up about an issue affecting young people such as yourself?
This training session provides fundamental guidance to understanding the media, how to pitch, and media interview skills.
The workshop is run by YACVic's Media and Communications team, who has worked with the media and successfully pitched stories to Triple J, ABC, The Age, SBS, Vice and more.
Topics we cover
- Understand what the media actually means
- Learn how the media works
- How to write a media release
- How to pitch your story
- Techniques to nail that interview
Youth Advocacy
Do you want to know how to lead change in your community and be heard by decision makers?
This workshop informs and inspires young people to create change on issues they are passionate about! Through a mixture of learning advocacy concepts combined with reflective and group activities, the participants will delve deeper into decision-making, stakeholder engagement & public advocacy. Using real world examples and learning various tips on engaging with the greater community this workshop helps shape what advocacy might end up looking like for each of the participants.
Topics we cover
- Explore the different components of advocacy
- Identify aspects of decision making and leadership
- Identify certain strategies to overcome barriers
- Explore the various ways of driving stakeholder and community engagement
- Reflect on the next steps in your advocacy journey
How to Run Engaging Workshops
Are you new to running workshops and meetings with and for young people?
Would you like to be more confident in creating safe, accessible and empowering spaces?
Do you want to run workshops where young participants are actively involved and highly engaged?
You’ll walk away from this fun and interactive training equipped with the confidence and skills you need to run great workshops with and for young people.
Through the careful and practiced guidance of our experienced young peer facilitators you will leave knowing how you can enhance your meetings, workshops and events. The content can be tailored to focus on participants who are aged 12-25 or over 25.
Topics we cover
- How to start a workshop
- Online vs Face-to-Face meetings
- Developing a run sheet
- Problem solving – what happens when things don’t always go to plan
- How to manage people and different group dynamics
Youth-led Meetings
Could your youth group benefit from learning the skills to run great meetings?
This workshop will inform young people what goes into planning meetings, conducting meetings and what next steps might look like. Participants will delve into how to write agendas, and experience real-life scenarios through interactive activities with the guidance of the workshop facilitator. Using these activities and discussions, this workshop will give young people the professional skills necessary to navigate board or council meetings and set up their own work- or personal-related meetings in the future.
Topics we cover
- Planning for meetings
- Writing an agenda
- Conducting meetings
- Creating a safe and accessible space
You can also visit our events calendar for public training.
Please be advised that bookings will need 2 months notice of the date in which you wish to book.
Benefits and Pricing
YACVic workshops are delivered in-house and/or online by our highly experienced facilitators. They are designed to share theory, develop practice and encourage conversation in your teams.
You will receive:
- A 3-hour interactive workshop for up to 30 participants
- Planning, pre-brief and debrief support from our team
- Evaluation report from your session
- Resources
- Certificates of attendance (on request)
YACVic Member prices for NFPs start at $1000 (plus GST)
For information on becoming a YACVic Member organisation please see yacvic.org.au
To make an inquiry please get in touch with Sam Champion, Participation & Development Manager on 0438 072 200 or at schampion@yacvic.org.au or simply book online here.
Training and Events Calendar
If you are an individual, you can find out if we're running open training in your area (or online) by looking in our events calendar.
Book in a Young Peer Facilitator
To make an inquiry to book in a Young Peer Facilitator please get in touch with Sam Champion, Participation & Development Manager on 0438 072 200 or at schampion@yacvic.org.au or simply book online below.
Young Peer Facilitators
YACVic Young Peer Facilitators are a group of young people from across Victoria with a diverse range of lived experience who are trained and supported to lead discussions on a wide range of issues. They design and facilitate trainings, consultations and other events, for and with other young Victorians.
Placing experienced young people like the Young Peer Facilitators at the centre of youth discussions and projects reflects YACVic’s values and empowers young people in all their capacity. Likewise, the youth sector benefits from the Facilitators’ involvement in delivering trainings and projects as it centres the unique perspective of young people– one that often gets side-lined in decision-making processes.
By engaging our Facilitators, you’re also supporting young people to gain new skills and confidence in delivering work to the youth sector and beyond.
Meet The Facilitators
Ruqia (she/her)
Ruqia is a Young Peer Facilitator at YACVic and a Youth Program Assistant at Banyule City Council. Born into a refugee family and as a woman of colour, Ruqia is passionate about making Victoria a safer place for young people where they are free to express themselves and lead the changes they would like to see. At YACVic, Ruqia worked on the COVID-19 Youth Engagement Project where she worked with young people to create content on TikTok. Ruqia has also recently concluded her undergraduate studies in Health Science (Public Health Major).
Maya (she/her)
Maya is passionate about empowering young people to advocate on the issues they care about. Prior to YACVic, she was a volunteer at Student Youth Network (SYN) Radio and co-created the Refugees on Air podcast. The podcast aimed to provide a safe space for refugees to share their stories and challenge the narrative around refugees. Maya’s passion for helping young people, especially those from migrant and refugee backgrounds, is what motivated her to become a Young Peer Facilitator. Maya is in her final year of her undergraduate Politics, Philosophy, and Economics degree.
Riya (she/her)
Riya loves being involved in spaces that amplify youth voices and agency. She has contributed her passion and lived experience to various organisations such as Orygen and the City of Casey. This work has led her to the Young Peer Facilitator role with YACVic. Riya’s creative practice centres around poetry and spoken word, and she enjoys supporting young people with using creativity as a tool for healing and advocacy. After exploring a range of different fields, Riya has settled into studying a Bachelor of Arts, and loves learning inside and outside of her study. In her spare time, Riya drinks plenty of tea and annoys her grumpy dog.
Tom (he/him)
Tom is passionate about working towards better outcomes for all young people across Victoria. He is currently undertaking a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Melbourne and is a member of the Victorian Youth Congress, advising State government on Youth matters. Tom is also a committee member for the Voices For Nicholls electorate advocacy organisation. Prior to starting at YACVic, Tom worked as a Project Research Officer at the Goulburn Murray Local Learning Employment Network, and he is the youngest graduate of the Fairley Leadership Project. Tom grew up in Shepparton and is particularly enthusiastic about removing barriers to success that Regional Youth are disproportionately affected by.
Christopher (he/him)
Chris loves creating healing-centred and relational spaces where young people can lead advocacy and change. Growing up living on the intersections of different marginalised identities made Chris passionate about creating collective environments of care, needed to nurture the capacity of young people who have experienced structural injustice and systemic barriers to build their futures. Chris works as a Campaign Coordinator and Researcher at Victoria University supporting youth activist movements. Chris finished his Bachelor of Arts majoring in Sociology last year and can be found eating zesty citrus fruits, reading, and biking nowhere.
Finnley (they/them)
Finnley is a passionate advocate for LGBTQIA+ young people, youth mental health and Ethical Practice within the Youth Sector. Finn has been volunteering in the youth sector in various ways for the last 6 years including; advocating for young people's mental health and running and creating LGBTQIA+ panels, workshops and social groups. Finn wanted to be a Young Peer Facilitator because they love connecting with people, sharing their lived experience and supporting both young people and workers in the youth sector! Finn loves all things glitter, is a published author, and dreams of one day performing in drag!
Rebecca (she/her)
Bec is passionate about the education of sexual and reproductive health as well as the representation and empowerment of the LGBTQIA+ community. She believes that young people should be able to feel safe and confident when making decisions for their bodies and lives. Bec has completed a BA in Gender Studies and Criminology along with a Cert IV in Youth Work and is now working at Neami National as a Community Rehabilitation and Support Worker. Bec wanted to be a Young Peer Facilitator because she volunteers in a similar role with headspace and wanted to build on her experience and passion for working with young people.