Australian Government Brings Youth to the Table
Engage! sets out the strategy, but does it live up to its ambitions?
The Office for Youth has released a detailed strategy to assist the Australian Government to develop its relationship with Australian youth, while also offering a ambitious glimpse into a youth empowered future.
Currently, 4.7 million young people live across Australia. Comprising of Generations Z, and Alpha (yes, that’s an actual thing now), they represent the next generations of Australian leadership, industry, arts, and much more.
As always, young people care deeply about their future. They are passionate about topics such as climate change, mental health, cost of living, employment, housing, and more. Yet often they are first to feel the most dread when it comes to resolving many of these issues.
Hence, the Federal Government, in response to an extensive consultation with over 4,600 young people has formalised a youth engagement strategy, Engage!, which will provide government departments, organisations, and young people with the resources to engage effectively on the issues that impact them.
Engage!
The Albanese Government Minister for Youth Dr Anne Aly MP announced Engage! at the National Youth Forum held 20 March 2024 Canberra. This strategy, a three-year action plan, is part of a wider shift in the Government’s Youth Engagement Model since election, which aims empower young people across country.
“This strategy is our vision to ensure that every young person has the opportunity to be included in government decision-making – helping shape the future of our country.”
Dr Ann Aly MP
This has seen the establishment of the Office for Youth (OFY), the creation of the Youth Steering Committee, and numerous youth advisory groups to government departments.
“As a whole-of-government strategy, it will ensure that every government department and agency can respond to the needs of young people from across the country… this strategy will push for clear and consistent communication between young people and the Government on the issues most important to us.”
National Youth Steering Committee
Engage! sets out three main priority areas for the Government, along with sub-actions designed in response to key findings in the report.
The Data
During 2023, the OFY conducted 58 consultations with approximately 4,600 young people. These included:
- 2,100 young people and youth sector members,
- 2,500 survey responses by young people, and,
- 34 responses to the discussion paper.
When engaging, the OFY focused on ensuring young people were informed, met where they congregated, and shared how their contributions had been used following consultations.
“The government should involve young people in decision-making because they are the future and the decisions that are made today affect the Australia of the future.”
Survey response from a young person
The Strategy heard that 78.9% of young people want to be included in government decision making processes. Additionally, they wanted to be informed on how to access government support services, opportunities, and updates on policy impact.
Important issues for young people included:
- 55.3% cost of living,
- 46.1% mental health,
- 34.7% climate change and the environment,
- 30.3% housing affordability, rent, and homeownership, and,
- 29.1% education and training.
Interestingly, 68.8% of young people prefer the government use social media to inform them of policy, over news sources (36.9%).
Actions
Engage! sets out a vision that sees ‘young people are empowered, valued, and contribute to government decision making’. It sets out three priority areas, with six corresponding actions.
The most significant of these actions are to establish an annual National Youth Forum to provide space to exchange ideas, build skills, and contribute to government, a National Youth Week, and a uniform digital Youth Hub, which will highlight information and resources to empower and support young people. The Strategy will also target First Nations young people, by offering grants to develop their cultural identity and leadership abilities.
The digital Youth Hub placed centre stage during the announcement. In idea, this would be a game changer for young people, who would have a go-to source to access information relating to:
- Accessing services and support,
- Opportunities for young people,
- Information on relevant topics,
- What the Australian Government is doing for young people, and,
- How to share ideas, and engage with the Government.
The Government will also organise a National Youth Survey, which will garner the top issues of the day for young people, and build the capacity of government departments in engaging youth via new resources and training materials which will include,
- Toolkits,
- Workshops,
- Checklists, and
- Training
Each of these actions will be measured on an annual basis.
Feedback
The Office for Commissioner for Children and Young People of South Australia were contacted for feedback, they stated:
“Children and young people have a right to have a say on all issues that affect them and for their views to be taken seriously. To do this effectively, governments need to take the time to tailor their consultations and feedback mechanisms to give young people meaningful ways to make their voices heard.”
CCYPSA
Impact
Engage! offers a strong set of actions aimed to recognise and empower young people, not just on a national basis, but also within their own communities and lives. Actions such as the implementation of a uniform digital Youth Hub, opportunities to build skills, advance First Nations youth cultural identity and leadership, and measure issues affecting young people; will ensure young people are being actively targeted by Government.
It is however early days, and many of these actions will depend on the outcomes of numerous events, such as the impending Federal election, assurances of other government departments, and following such ambition.
Ultimately, young people want action not words, and time will demonstrate how successful Engage! will be.
Zane Leblond, Cultural Trends Reporter