A yen for YAC

The somewhat unsettled state of political affairs in recent years, as well as a rapidly changing and uncertain world environment has led to an increasing importance being placed on young voices, as the country prepares to welcome the next generation of policy makers into parliament. Indeed, less than two years ago, Wyatt Roy was elected into parliament at the age of just 20, making him the youngest ever person to be elected into an Australian parliament. Running for election is of course, not everybody’s cup of tea – let alone if you have just left school! However, there are several avenues through which young adults can contribute to their community.

The Youth Advisory Council was established in Australia in 1989 under the Youth Advisory Council Act (1989). The purpose of the council is to advise the Minister for Youth, currently Victor Dominello, on matters of concern to young people, as well as Government policies and programs that concern young people. It has established a channel of communication between the community and the Government in relation to matters concerning young people.

Mr Dominello acknowledges the council as a pivotal part of his role.

“The NSW Government is privileged to be able to tap into first-hand experiences of these young people in participating in today’s highly diverse society,” he said. “The 2012 YAC will provide advice to me on issues affecting young people and will be called upon regularly to discuss a range of topics, as well as monitoring and evaluating policy and legislation which affects young people”.

“This year’s council members come from diverse geographic and cultural backgrounds and bring a wide range of life experiences to the table - be it as a student, worker, volunteer, young parent, child of immigrants or even a target of bullying. One thing all the Council members have in common is a demonstrated desire to take action for positive change in their communities,” he added.

Through the team’s own personal interests, which reflect those of the young population, as well as reconciling these interests with the priorities of the government, a work plan has been developed which sets out a few items of focus for the year. A record number of young Australians recently applied for a position on the 2012 Council. Dev Bhutani, a 21-year-old student from Kellyville, Sydney, is the Deputy Chair for the 2012 Council, and finds it an engrossing experience.

“The most rewarding part of being part of such a group is when you can see the changes that the council have suggested actually being implemented,” revealed Dev. “It is fantastic to think that despite the slow moving nature of government, the youth sector can still have a constructive input into the process”.

Dev is no stranger to being involved in the community, having already been a big part of UN Youth Australia, as well as being UNICEF Australia’s Youth Ambassador. As Deputy Chair of the YAC, Dev provides support to the chair in helping them run the meetings, as well as co-ordinate logistics between meetings. The council is made up of twelve members, half of who must be under 25 years of age. They come from a variety of backgrounds, and hold up to eight meetings a year.

Recently, the council’s actions resulted in the Board of Studies appointing young people amongst their Board of Advisors in order to make sure that the youth could comment on the issues that mean the most to them. Previous councils also had a big impact in bringing the issue of young drivers to the government’s attention, forcing them to reconsider certain likening restrictions.

“One surprising thing about liaising with the government is that process means everything. You may have a fairly reachable and obtainable outcome, but if you don’t go about it the correct way you won’t get anywhere,” said Dev. Often, he recalled, the council has had to reconsider their approach to certain issues in order to ensure their voices have maximum impact.

Asked if he would recommend the experience to others, Dev was unhesitant in his reply. “Absolutely! I would certainly recommend it. It is a fantastic experience and really gives you a chance to contribute to our community. Whether it be the YAC, your local council’s advisory council, whatever it is, I feel community participation is really important for young people. I’ve made plenty of friends along the way, both on the council and through external activities on the council. Working closely with the chair this year has been a great experience and we have become close friends in the process”.

There are many ways for young Australians to involve themselves in the community – the Youth Advisory Council is just one of them. In an increasingly diverse and complex society, it becomes more and more important for the government to represent each and every such faction, not merely the majorities important to election – and one of these such factions is the younger community. After all, it is as true as it is somewhat melodramatic – the future is in their hands.

Recently, the council’s actions resulted in the Board of Studies appointing young people amongst their Board of Advisors in order to make sure that the youth could comment on the issues that mean the most to them.