National Youth Roundtable 2002 Member Profiles

Helena, 16, attends Maroondah Secondary College where she has been involved in peer support programs and as a camp leader.

She is a committee member of the Youth Centre Drop In Programme and participated in the Maroondah City Council Young Leaders’ Programme in 2000.

Helena was also a youth representative on the State Government Drug Policy Expert Committee in 2000.

Helena wants to challenge generalised and stereotyped public perceptions of young people.

She feels that young people are seen in a negative light because they gather in public places like shops, car parks and railway stations, when instead the community should be recognising and celebrating young people's achievements and contributions to their communities.

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Twenty two year old Lauren is a youth worker who specialises in drama and dance.

She has been an integral player in the establishment of several youth initiatives in her local area. She participated in the South Australian Youth Parliament in 2000 and 2001 and performed at the Paralympics.

Lauren's goal is to develop and create opportunities in performing arts for young offenders or those at risk of offending as a form of crime prevention.

She feels this is important in building confidence, leadership potential, social skills and developing initiative.

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Andrew is 17 years old and currently attending St Patricks College where he is a member of the Student Representative Council.

Andrew has experienced ways in which cultural diversity can enhance the community. Much of his community involvement centres on his work with people with disabilities and those who are socially disadvantaged.

Andrew wants to inform Government about 'Safe Space'.

Safe Space provides a non-threatening environment in which a person can fully reach their potential. He wants to challenge community thought processes and opinions about young people and their environments.

He is particularly concerned with this issue because he has felt unsafe in his educational space.

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Jonathan, 23, is a third year community management student at the University of Technology in Sydney and in his honour year for fine arts at the University of NSW.

He is an Indigenous artist and works as an independent curator. Since 1996 he has worked on a number of community and arts projects.

Jonathan is critically investigating and promoting the realities and contexts of contemporary urban Indigenous youth cultures.

He is achieving this through a poster exhibition that profiles the work of young contemporary urban Indigenous visual artists across a variety of mediums.

His project seeks to challenge preconceived notions in the broader community by highlighting and strengthening the diversity of urban Aboriginality and creating role models for young and emerging contemporary Indigenous visual artists.

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Karolina, 15, has just completed Year 10 at Freeman Catholic College at Bonnyrigg Heights.

Karolina is involved with the City of Liverpool’s Youth Council and is a member of the Liverpool youth media team where she recently covered the YAPA conference.

Karolina is working towards breaking down barriers between the media and young people.

She is working on setting up a radio station in her high school, where young people would be able to speak of their experiences first hand.

Karolina feels that by getting involved in media, young people can better communicate their ideas to their communities.

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Twenty four year old Ana has a Bachelor of Arts (Social Sciences) and works as a caseworker for the Department of Community Services (DoCS).

Ana is a member of the Griffith Multicultural Council. Ana is also involved in the management committee of the Griffith Multicultural Resource and Information Centre.

Ana is currently involved with the Griffith Domestic Violence committee and in the past has been involved in the Griffith Adult Learning Association and Griffith Suicide Prevention team.

Ana’s interests and involvement in the Griffith community extends to participating in facilitating and coordinating community events with the purpose of promoting cultural diversity and harmony.

Ana is developing a program that will provide feedback and recommendations from young people to youth service providers about their activities and interaction with young people.

She is also developing a workshop addressing self-esteem, peer pressure and drug and alcohol education.

She is interested in these issues because she believes young people should be empowered to contribute to programs aimed at them.

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Twenty three year old Chelsea recently graduated with Honours from the University of Queensland and is employed full-time as an associate lecturer in Indigenous Health at the University of Queensland.

She has initiated a number of projects and programs in Dalby and is on a number of committees.

Chelsea was recently married.Chelsea is focusing on producing a resource that will explore, validate and promote the notion of culture and identity for urban Aboriginal young people amongst both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities in Brisbane.

This issue stems from Chelsea's own experience as an Aboriginal/South Sea Islander and young Australian.

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Nineteen year old Waverley is currently working part-time at the Yarrabah Aboriginal Council.

He has been involved in a number of organisations and programs including the National Youth Reconciliation Convention, the Aboriginal Co-ordinating Council and the Aboriginal and Islander Tertiary Aspirations Program and is attempting to set up a youth advisory group for the local council.

Waverley is passionate about Indigenous education issues, which he believes are more sensitive than mainstream educational issues due to cultural barriers, language barriers, teaching methods and access within the students' own communities.

He is creating more opportunities for young Indigenous Australians through a mentoring program and a youth quiz night, which will provide a non-threatening environment in which to raise issues about Indigenous education.

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