The collaborative YOUth Speak project began in Bellingen Shire more than two years ago.

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In 2024, as reported in NOTA, it took up a new direction within the Nambucca Valley, conducting a survey and facilitating a forum in the first term of this year.

The project’s main sponsors were Becoming U Uniting, Nambucca Valley Council and the NSW Government.

“The goals [of the project] were to find the biggest barriers young people face in achieving their employment and education goals within the Valley, to identify projects they (youth) are keen to lead, to assess their sense of connection to community and to support them to lead their own ideas to fruition,” Ms Tree said.

“The success of this project is due the incredible young people who participated as well as the support of the Nambucca Valley Youth Interagency which comprises local schools, ShoreTrack, youth services, Police and health, and more recently Nambucca Valley Council.”

In particular, Ms Tree thanked Council’s Manager of Economic Development and Tourism, Michael Grieve, for his efforts in “bringing Council into the conversation and the solution-seeking process”.

According to Ms Tree, a total of 595 people, mostly between the ages of twelve and seventeen years, responded to the survey conducted as part of the project.

Of these, 29 percent of respondents identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.

The top issues for the cohort were found to be struggles with alcohol and drugs, mental health, racism, bullying, and safety, crime and violence.

More than a third of respondents also said mental health and lack of jobs in the area were barriers to achieving their goals.

Close to 30 percent cited a lack of education opportunities as a factor in not achieving their goals.

The main place respondents said they liked to hang out with friends was at home, although this was closely followed by rivers and beaches.

The YOUth forum held at Macksville High School in April was attended by over 200 young people from a variety of schools in the area.

Tables of ten to twelve people discussed and responded to the results of the survey so the issues identified could be further unpacked.

The forum ended with participants pitching their ideas for the future.

“Basically they (young people) want to see less violence, racism, drugs and prejudice, more youth events, spaces for young people, transport, access to sport and free mental health services,” Ms Tree said.

Since then, the ongoing Nambucca Valley YOUth Speak project has worked with schools and ShoreTrack to support young people.

Several events have already been funded or have grant applications pending.

Ms Tree thanked Nambucca Valley Council for its support.

By Ned COWIE