Inspiring Young People To Join Victorian Youth Congress

Young people from across Victoria will make their voices heard as members of the first Victorian Youth Congress.

At the induction of the Youth Congress, Minister for Youth Affairs Jenny Mikakos said members would have opportunities to meet with Ministers in 2018 about issues that matter to them.

Members of the Youth Congress are aged between 12 and 25 years old and come from metropolitan and rural areas, including Melbourne, Ballarat, Geelong, Nagambie, Ararat, and Gippsland.

Youth congress includes Aboriginal young people, LGBTI young people, young people living with a disability and young people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

At the Youth Summit earlier this year, hundreds of young Victorians came together to identify priority issues for young people, including mental health, education, housing and homelessness, and employment.

These issues will shape the direction of the Youth Congress during its first term.

Through the Victorian Youth Congress, the Andrews Labor Government is highlighting the voices of young people and ensuring their involvement in decisions that impact on them – a key commitment of the Youth Policy: Building Stronger Youth Engagement in Victoria.

Alongside the Youth Policy, the Labor Government is implementing a range of programs that support vulnerable young people to strengthen their health and wellbeing, engage with their community and improve opportunities in education, training and employment.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Youth Affairs Jenny Mikakos

“I congratulate all of the members of the new Youth Congress for bringing about change and making a positive impact on young people’s lives.”

“We’re making Youth Congress fair by giving young people from all walks of life the chance to voice their opinions and to help shape government reforms.”