Youth advisory group is shaping the future of children and young people

The First Nations Youth Advisory Group met for the first time in Canberra last week.

The group is made up of eight First Nations people aged 16 to 24 from around the country. The Group is one of five Youth Advisory Groups, selected from more than 930 applications from across Australia.

Their ideas and perspectives will help shape First Nations early years and education policies and programs.

Gomeroi man Noah Smith was inspired by the meeting. 

‘We are all from different parts of the country, but all from the same country,’ he said. 

‘We want to see change and we want things to be better for young people.’ 

Fellow member Georgia Jaques is studying a Bachelor of Social Work. She applied because she wants to work with Aboriginal youth. 

‘I thought this was a good way to get involved with how youth were being thought about,’ she explained.

‘For me, to be working with Indigenous communities, it means working with my own people. Being able to empower them and have my own personal learning at the same time is a two-way process.’

For Noah, this work is about empowering voices, ensuring that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities are seen and heard.

‘Where I live, it’s a small but strong community. I want to elevate those communities so they can be seen by Australia,’ he said.

I want us to get to a place where we feel comfortable, we have a seat at the table and a place where we can be ourselves.’ 

Georgia is hopeful about the advisory group’s impact , ‘I’m really excited to see where this goes, see what kind of advice we can bring to NIAA,’ she said.

The First Nations Youth Advisory Group members are:

Sophia Markham, Noah Smith, Sienna Willmett, Shanaya McAdam-Bray, Georgie Jaques, Rhea Waia, Victory Arnold-Rendell, Jonathon Garlett and Aloyiscois Hayes.