NYW 2007 Young Members
At the national level, nine young people from across Australia are selected to sit on the NYW national planning group. These young people are referred to as Young Members. For the first time this year, a Young Member was also chosen to represent NYW nationally.
The Young Members help shape NYW and help ensure its success.
Introducing the NYW 2007 Young Members | Ogy Simic (Roundtable Representative) | Dianna Ni (ACT) | Rebecca Fowles (NSW) | Aaron Watson (NT) | Lori Saldana (QLD) | Gemmie Alliston (SA) | Karlee Foster (TAS) | Jamie McConnachie (VIC) |Kate-Anna Williams (WA)
Introducing the NYW 2007 Young Members
Ogy Simic (Australian Government Representative 2007)
NYW is a time for us to celebrate the importance of young people living in our communities. It is also a time where young people have the opportunity to participate, contribute and learn from each other. Young people are vibrant and passionate and want to be real players in their communities. NYW is a great opportunity for them to further their passions.
What activities have you been involved in on the National Planning Group?
I have been involved with all of the activities so far. I attended the first meeting in Canberra and the media training in Melbourne. I also participated in the filming of the CSA in Melbourne - was great fun! As well as that I have not yet missed any of the teleconferences!
What has been the best thing about being on the National Planning Group?
Having the opportunity to influence the planning of National Youth Week. Personally I am very passionate about seeing NYW grow and develop. Being part of the National Planning Group (NPG) has meant that I have had the opportunity to directly impact the decisions which were and are being made. I have also had the opportunity to meet some great people - especially the other Young Members!
What National Youth Week event are you most looking forward to?
The National Launch. Its always exciting seeing all the hard work that people put into National Youth Week come to life.
What other youth activities are you involved in?
In the past few years I have been involved with the National Youth Roundtable, the United Nations Youth Association of Australia and the Campbelltown City Council Youth Advisory Committee as well as a few other committees and organisations from time to time.
What are your hobbies/interests?
I love a good holiday but have not had one for a long time. I am passionate about seeing other young people getting involved in our community so I often try and help provide opportunities for young people to get involved in meaningfull ways. I am also interested in learning more about the strange world we live in so I often find myself reading things just to expand my knowledge on various issues. Strange, I know…
What would you like to tell other young people about National Youth Week?
NYW is an opportunity for young people to speak out and be heard as well as to participate in their community. I encourage all of you to get involved and help celebrate being young!
Diana Ni (ACT)
NYW is a celebration and a way for better understanding between adults and young people. It provides the opportunity for young people to showcase their talents.
What activities have you been involved in on the National Planning Group?
I have attended a three day workshop, media training in Melbourne and I was involved in the filming of the CSA. It was the first time I mowed a lawn.
What has been the best thing about being on the National Planning Group?
Having the opportunity to organise NYW at a national level. Working with people from different States and Territories and seeing NYW going from strength to strength. I also enjoy participating in the decision making process.
What National Youth Week event are you most looking forward to?
I look forward to all the events that are happening in the ACT.
What other youth activities are you involved in?
I have been on the ACT Ministers' Youth Council since September 2005 and am the Young Tourism Ambassador for Tourism Australia.
What are your hobbies/interests?
I enjoy shopping, going to the movies and reading magazines.
What would you like to tell other young people about National Youth Week?
It is a celebration of young people and an avenue for young people to express their views.
Rebecca Fowles (NSW)
NYW is an excellent platform for young people to not only get their voices heard but showcase their talents to their communities. It’s all about young people organising events for young people – through sharing, networking, talking, learning, raising issues and having fun.
Aaron Watson (NT)
NYW is the one week of the year where the focus is on celebrating young people and the role we play in our communities. People often say that we are the future, and NYW gives us a chance to talk, sing, shout, and be ourselves, and others have the chance to listen.
NYW gives young people an opportunity to raise issues that affect our lives. Today’s world is complex and constantly changing. Young people are adaptive to change but also need to be able to share our feelings and thoughts about the world we live in. We need to be able to talk about and be listened to on issues we feel passionately about, and we need to play an active part in shaping our future and the solutions to many of the issues that young people face today.
What activities have you been involved in on the National Planning Group?
It’s great that young people have the opportunity to provide input in all areas of the planning for NYW. We helped come up with a slogan and the ‘look and feel’ for NYW posters and TV commercials, and we decided what promotional items would be given out at events. Young people have lots of experience about what appeals to other young people so it has been good to be treated as equals by government decision makers.
What has been the best thing about being on the National Planning Group?
I actually have the three best things. 1. The other Yung Members- they are so involved in youth and community activities and give me inspiration. 2. Insight into how TV commercials are made. 3. Getting trained in how to work with the media.
What National Youth Week event are you most looking forward to?
Well, young people are so creative, so I am looking forward to events that allow young people to show off their talents. There were some really great young bands last year so I am looking forward to seeing the rising stars of 2007. Also events where young people get to speak up about important issues.
What other youth activities are you involved in?
Red Cross youth activities, and some work related youth stuff which aims to increase the opportunities for young people working in the Darwin area. I also hang out with some cool Congolese kids who have only been in Oz for a few months.
What are your hobbies/interests?
I like a bit of social sport, plus am quite involved in community activities. I like keeping up with news and a current affairs, everything from global to local events - it allows me to know what is happening around me, and I can check out activities that interest me.
What would you like to tell other young people about National Youth Week?
Make the most of it by showing everyone the positive things that young people do in their communities. Tell your friends about it, get to as many events as possible, and most of all, HAVE FUN!
Lori Saldana (QLD)
NYW is a platform for positive opportunities. It is these opportunities that enable young people to come together to share their ideas, views and concerns; accomplish something out of the ordinary and to make friends with people who have similar interests.
NYW provides more opportunities for the community to engage with young people and vice versa, and acknowledge all the great achievements of young people all over the country. NYW offers a safe environment where young people can simply celebrate being young and not feel the tensions of everyday life.
Gemmie Alliston (SA)
NYW is all about celebrating young people through a variety of means. Celebration can just be young people getting together for a Battle of the Bands to have a great time but it can also be about young people having their voices heard and getting people to really sit up and listen to what we have to say.
What activities have you been involved in on the National Planning Group?
Attending the face to face meeting in Canberra as well as participating in teleconferences. Also, communicating over email to contribute to decision making regarding the CSA and promo materials.
What has been the best thing about being on the National Planning Group?
Meeting the other young people.
What National Youth Week event are you most looking forward to?
To be honest, I am not sure yet. There are going to be so many great events happening in SA that I am only just starting to learn about so it is difficult to say what I am most looking forward to!
What other youth activities are you involved in?
City of Norwood, Payneham and St Peters Youth I-Network, Youth representative on board of Volunteering SA, young writer for YACSA's publication Generate.
What are your hobbies/interests?
I enjoy writing, movies and reading.
What would you like to tell other young people about National Youth Week?
That although a lot of work goes into NYW (from the NPG,
from state governments and from local councils, and especially from young people) it is a great
chance to celebrate what we do and the contribution we make to the community. Have fun!
Karlee Foster (TAS)
What activities have you been involved in on the National Planning Group?
I got involved with NYW on a local level a couple of years ago, then on to the State group and now the NPG. I work on the motivation of ‘you have to be in it to make a difference’. I’m an emerging artist/graphic designer, so I was keen to have input in the national marketing strategies at the Canberra meeting last year.
What has been the best thing about being on the National Planning Group?
The best thing about the NPG is meeting the other young members! Sometimes as young people, we feel like we’re swimming upstream and it’s really good to get young peeps together from different states and discover we’re coming up against some of the same issues, and then being able to work through those issues as a national group.
What National Youth Week event are you most looking forward to?
I’m involved in planning a couple of local events. The one I’m most looking forward to is a Dj/Vjing workshop and gig at our local artist run initiative space called Arts Alive. It’s a groovy little space young people often use for events. Blank brick walls and a concrete floor… perfect blank canvas!!! On the gallery walls will be an exhibition from three young contemporary male artists from Manic Productions here in Launie and we’ll deck the space out with couches and comfy stuff. Should be a good night for all!
What other youth activities are you involved in?
Whoa… ok. I work for Tasmanian Regional Arts as their Youth Communications Officer, so quite a few…lots of youthy, arty, community projects right across the state. I’m also a member of the Tasmanian Youth Consultative Committee and we do all sorts as well.
What are your hobbies/interests?
I’m an aspiring visual artist/graphic designer/new media/community cultural development worker… So my work and personal lives overlap quite a bit! Through my role at TRA, I drive around the state quite a bit… but for my next holidays, I want to jump on the boat to Melbourne with my car and just drive! I love roughing it and checking out tiny little communities that have big surprises!
What would you like to tell other young people about National Youth Week?
Get out there and support some of your local events!!! And if you feel like there’s nothing out there for you, let us know what you’d like to see event-wise for 2008! NYW is the biggest celebration of young people and their contribution to the community in OZ so let’s use all this media attention to shout out and have ourselves heard!
Jamie McConnachie (VIC)
What activities have you been involved in on the National Planning Group?
Coming up with the slogan, concepts, CSA & media training.
What has been the best thing about being on the National Planning Group?
Everything! You get to meet so many awesome people who are passionate about youth issues and who have similar interests. You also learn how Government works. I'm loving it sick!
What National Youth Week event are you most looking forward to?
Probably seeing some of the events funded by the grants that I was privileged to go through.
What other youth activities are you involved in?
I am on an indigenous youth council, youth radio & numerous volunteer work when it pops up!
What are your hobbies/interests?
Hanging out with my partner, the youth council I am on and satisfying my unhealthy addiction to Parliament Question Time. But just enjoying life really!!!
What would you like to tell other young people about National Youth Week?
Go to as many events as you can, we are all so excited to see your talents and hear what you have to say! Woo hoo!
Kate-Anna Williams (WA)
What activities have you been involved in on the National Planning Group?
An initial conference in Canberra, as well as media training and the filming of CSA's in Melbourne. Also monthly teleconferences.
What has been the best thing about being on the National Planning Group?
The opportunity to meet other young and passionate people from around the country. I have learnt so much from the other members on the NPG, and every member, Young Members in particular continue to motivate and inspire me.
What National Youth Week event are you most looking forward to?
The state launch of National Youth Week in Western Australia. It will be amazing to see all of our hard work pay off and feed back into local young and talented people.
What other youth activities are you involved in?
I currently chair a committee of young people within WA committed to running music events with the overall outcome of raising money for charity. I also sit as a young member of the City of Melville multicultural committee, and try and immerse myself in their activities as much as possible.
What are your hobbies/interests?
I love art and illustration. I study fine art and produce work for sale. I am also quite passionate about literature, and of course about music. I spent most of my free time soaking up this kind of culture.
What would you like to tell other young people about National Youth Week?
National Youth Week is for every young person across this great land - do not be afraid to get involved!