YLab. Youth Forum
It’s Time
On the evening of Wednesday September 6th, the young people in our community will have a fantastic opportunity to have a say on issues that matter to them: at the Mirboo North Youth Forum.
This is one of two workshops to be held in South Gippsland with the aim of developing the Shire’s first Youth Strategy. The MN & District Community Foundation will be co-hosting the Mirboo North workshop as it too is very interested in understanding how it may better support young people in our area.
This promises to be an interactive session as it is being run by YLab, a youth led design service which has been launched by the Foundation for Young Australians (see http://ylab.global). The aim of YLab is to bring young people together to redesign systems that shape their world and influence issues that relate directly to them. More specifically, our young people will be discussing their experiences and challenges; the obstacles they see which stop them from getting engaged with their community or local government; and then the session will finish with them co-designing ways in which they would like to participate and have some influence over the issues that matter to them.
As a community foundation, the Mirboo North & District Community Foundation seeks to empower its community to develop and implement local solutions for local problems.
“The Community Foundation sees this as a great opportunity not only to encourage our young people to take stock of the issues that are important to them, but also to come up with ideas of how they would like to participate within our communities” said Ruth Rogan, its Executive Officer. “This might even lead on to some young people applying for a Community Grants to implement some of their co-designed ideas”, she noted.
This Forum does cast a wide net, defining young people as everyone from 12 to 25 years. The experienced facilitators at YLab will be adept at managing this but we are also anticipating that the younger age group might attend from 4pm – 6pm, while the older (working) age group could attend from 5.30/6pm – 7.30pm. As an inducement, free pizza will be provided on the night!
This is not just for the residents of South Gippsland Shire; we are very keen to have young people who live in the catchment of the Community Foundation, which reaches into three Shires, and to hear any particular issues for the young people of the Thorpdale, Yinnar, Boolarra areas as well.
Getting caught up in our busy lives we can forget to sit back and reflect on how things could be improved in our community. If you think this would be a good opportunity for a young person you know who is brimful of ideas, make sure you tap them on the shoulder.
Got something to say but don’t want to go to a workshop?
Just make a video and post it to FB (SG Youth Strategy), Instagram (#SGYS2017) or send to us by email (ruth.rogan@mirboodistrictfoundation.org.au). It should be two minutes max and cover what matters to you, what obstacles you see, and outline your ideas for improving your participation in the community and local government. There are four $100 gift-cards up for grabs (i-tunes or google play).
