AN initiative to have the voices of young people inform the strategic direction of the services funded to provide support to them commenced in Bellingen Shire in October 2022.

Ellie Tree, the Project Manager for The YOUth Speak Project said it was driven largely by the youth services and community sector in the Bellingen Shire to identify issues concerning local youth and to generate a list of ideas that young people were keen to see happen or to lead in the Shire so that as grants become available, applications are relevant and youth-inspired.

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Funding was secured to host a Shire-Wide YOUth Speak Forum in April 2023 and young people came from local high schools, with more than 150 in attendance.

The day was like a kitchen table conversation, where facilitators and scribes were leaders from the community such as Chamber of Commerce Presidents, teachers and school staff, Council staff, P&C members, older youth, etc.

“Between the surveys we had the YOUth Speak Forum and a dozen or so project sessions to support groups of young people to form their own projects,” Ms Tree said.

“The Forum teased apart the survey results further and identified three key themes in terms of concerns for youth that fell under safety, isolation and alcohol and drugs.”

From there, 48 young people led nine projects from across the Shire focusing on infrastructure, programs and advocacy.

For example, Dorrigo young people have pitched their ideas to the broader community at a session that was held at Dorrigo High School, leading to a commitment for fully funding a youth night in Dorrigo, collective advocacy and grant applications working groups for a concept design for an upgrade of the Dorrigo Skate Park, and free access to the Dorrigo Recreation space for youth to increase social connections and healthy options for youth on the plateau.

One project that has been fully funded and conducted saw the CEO of Drug Ed Australia provide harm minimisation strategies for all young people at both public high schools in the Bellingen Shire.

Ms Tree said it was incredibly well received, and, as well as two parent sessions, 100 copies of a teen drug education book was distributed to parents that focuses on how to have conversations with young people to minimise harm when it comes to experimentation and risk taking behaviours.

Another group is coordinating a meeting between Bellingen and Dorrigo High School leaderships to plan a sport/wellbeing gala day between the schools.

Bellingen High School groups are pitching their projects on November 16 at the school.

One group wants to partner with Rotary and Bellingen Shire Council to upgrade the chess tables in Church Street, and another is aiming to develop a strategy that ensures youth get a say on the future of the Shire.

October saw the release of the second YOUth Speak survey, which is open for youth 12-24 from the Bellingen Shire.

This will help organisers draw comparisons between results and see if the previous concerns are still relevant – for example, initially, 71 percent said mental health was a concern, 70 percent highlighted alcohol and drugs, 78 percent said they didn’t feel like they have a say in the future of the Bellingen shire and 38 percent said they didn’t know where to seek help or support.

The Project also saw one young leader who stood out in the YOUth Speak Project, nineteen-year-old Sam Daykin, to be fully funded to go to Canberra to be part of the National Leadership Forum, where he rubbed shoulders with the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition and other MPs, as well as leaders and youth leaders from across the country.

Ms Tree said YOUth Speak is a Neighbourhood Centres of Bellingen Shire initiative, funded by the Office of Regional Youth with huge support from Council, the three Chambers of Commerce, and many community organisations who have attended events over the past twelve months and volunteered to facilitate and scribe conversations where they can.

By Andrew VIVIAN