Previous years video highlights

NSW Youth Week 2021 is an opportunity for you to safely come together as thousands of young people, all across the state, gather for local community events, festivals and more. NSW Youth Week runs from the 16th to the 24th of April. So to find out what’s happening near you, visit youthweek.nsw.gov.au.

NSW Youth Week 2020 is almost here. The theme of Youth Week this year is speak up, be involved, get connected and have fun. It is the single largest celebration for young people across NSW aged 12-24. Get involved in the events happening in your area from the 1st to 9th April. Thousands of young people, just like you, from all across the state, come together to participate in local community activities, festivals, events, exhibits, workshops, forums and more. Youth Week is a great opportunity to express your views and ideas. It’s top increase awareness of issues that are important to you and participate in decisions that affect your life and the lives of other young people. Register online today to receive updates about Youth Week, and to see what’s near you visit youthweek.nsw.gov.au

We are here representing all children and young people in New South Wales and to give our honest feedback directly to the NSW Government departments so that they may work to design programs and deliver services to improve the lives of all children and young people in NSW. 
The Hon Bronnie Taylor, MLC: You can do anything as long as you have a voice and that’s what we really want to hear from you, because we can all come up with policies and different directions that we think are really good for our youth but unless they’re driven by you and unless you believe in them they’re not going to work. 

Caption: The young people heard about some youth-led programs and initiatives and undertook advocacy training with Andrew Johnson, the Advocate for Children and Young People. 

Andrew Johnson, Advocate for Children and Young People: With all of the work that you’ll do this afternoon that’s going to go straight into decision making. We’re very keen to ensure that when you’re engaged it’s a meaningful engagement.
Caption: Participants then worked in groups to respond to questions provided by NSW Government departments concerning children and young people. 

Caption: NSW Department of Education

Question 1: How can all students be heard and influence decisions about their learning and their school? (Including Aboriginal students, students with disabilities, students at risk of disengagement).

Question 2: What do you think non-Aboriginal people can do to progress reconciliation with Aboriginal people?

Young person speaker 1: We need kind of more encouragement for the students to indigenous students to, you know, speak with more fundamental respect into education, so like, teaching them the importance that, look, we’re all equal and we should be treated that way. 

Caption: NSW Department of Education

Question 3: How can schools, both staff and students, better support and include students with disability?

Question 4: What more could students do to address student bullying in their schools?

Young person speaker 2: For all four questions we’ve talked a lot about educating and promoting inclusiveness as well as sympathy and empathy. Are we just giving an open space for young people and making it open for them to talk and share their opinions and also for there to be no judgement.

Question 5: What do you think are the key elements to make an organisation safer for children and young people?

Question 6: What do you think would make children and young people feel comfortable to speak up and share their opinions about and organisation or report when something wrong happens?

Question 7: How do you think children and young people would like to be involved in monitoring and making organisations safe for them?
Young person speaker: Have more welfare officers and make the actual physical environment more comfortable.

Caption: NSW Department of Justice

Question 8: What do you think the Justice System (NSW Police, Courts, and Juvenile Justice) does well when it interacts with young people? What improvements could be made?

Question 9: How are children and young people learning about the Justice System and organisations than can help them?
Young person speaker: If the police officer is aggressive towards them it makes them more inclined to do it again because they just don’t feel like they’re being treated properly and that sort of thing. 

Caption: NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet

Question 10: Do you think you can have a better future in a big city or a regional town?

Question 11: What do you need to make a place the best place to live, work, and have a family?

Young person speaker 3: The sense of community that’s offered by regional Australia is much better for growing up, where opportunities in the city are much better for a future. 

Caption: NSW Health

Question 12: What do you most want healthcare providers and services to know about you or other young people that will help them provide great healthcare for young people?

Young person speaker 4: There’s organisations all over the place but a lot of people just don’t know that they exist or don’t know how to access them. 

Caption: Women NSW

Question 13: If a young person was having a negative experience online, where would they go for help?

Question 14: If they searched for information online, what sort of information do you think they would search for, and what search terms would they be most likely to use?

Young person speaker 5: Like, literally, putting their problems in, you know, the search bar. Although, yeah, headlines will really do the job. 

Caption: NSW Public Service Commission

Question 15: What should organisations be thinking about for the future of work for your generation and the next generation?

Young person speaker 6: That we also care about flexible work hours, family commitments and upskilling for opportunities later on in life as well. 

Caption: NSW Department of Family and Community Services

Question 16: What would support young people to feel like they belong in their community?

Question 17: What does volunteering mean to young people? Why do young people want to volunteer their time?

Young person speaker 7: Young people volunteer in things that they care about. Any things that they think will benefit them and their community.

Caption: NSW Department of Finance, Services and Innovation

Question 18: If you were elected Premier of NSW, what you change to make NSW the world leader in providing services for children and young people?

Young person speaker 8: Making things more affordable, like cheaper or free public transport for young people. Also, like, maybe, affordable housing and things like that. 

Caption: Also as a part of the day, Minister Taylor presented the winners of the NSW Youth Week Design Competition.

Event speaker: For us it’s incredibly important that everything is youth-led, so young people came up with the concept, young people came up with the designs. So the first winner is 15 year old Anna from Penrith selective high school. We have 19 year old Brody Fleming. We very much congratulate principal Mark Long for the great investment in new projects. 
 

Image slideshow features Youth Week celebrations around NSW including performances, team activities and sports.

Image slideshow features Youth Week celebrations around NSW including competitions, activities and sports.