Youth Bulletin
Issue 9, May 2007
Welcome to the May edition of the source Youth Bulletin.
This month's edition contains the following articles:
- Design competition for National Youth Week 2008 now open
- National Youth Table member passionate about the APEC region
- Cadets don’t simulate it – they live it
- Mission Australia’s 2007 National Survey of Young Australians
- Dukes Youth Forum 2007
Design competition for National Youth Week 2008 now open
thesource.gov.au website is running a design competition, with awesome cash prizes up for grabs and a chance for the winner’s design to gain national exposure by being used on National Youth Week (NYW) collateral such as the NYW website, postcards, posters, t-shirts, flyers and temporary tattoos.
The winning entry receives $2,000 and the runner up will receive $1,000.
The competition is open to all young people aged 12-25. It is being run to discover a suitable fresh design look for NYW 2008 which is designed for youth, by youth.
NYW is the largest celebration of young people in Australia. Thousands of young people aged 12-25 years get involved in NYW each year through organising, running and attending NYW events and participating in a variety of NYW competitions, online polls and discussion forums. High schools, universities and TAFEs also take part in the celebrations. NYW 2007 was a great success with hundreds of live events held across Australia.
For more information about the design competition, please visit the homepage of thesource website, email the National Youth Week Team or call the NYW hotline number on 1300 663 500.
National Youth Table member passionate about the APEC region
Do you speak a second language, love Vietnamese food or yearn to travel and work around our dynamic region? If you do, you have much in common with one of this year’s National Youth Roundtable members, Thuy Van Nguyen. Thuy is from a Vietnamese background and she’s passionate the Asia Pacific region.
As Australia is hosting APEC in 2007, she thinks it’s time for young Australians to learn more about APEC and its role. ‘Since APEC is coming to town, it’s a very important time to educate young Australians about APEC's significance and contributions to the Asia-Pacific region in regards to promoting trade and investment liberalisation’, Thuy said.
At the launch of the APEC education resource – 'APEC: Strengthening our Community, Building a Sustainable Future' – Thuy told an audience that included Foreign Minister Alexander Downer that she, like him, believes it’s crucial to establish friendly ties with other APEC economies. ‘One avenue is to look towards educating young Australians about the organisation so they can continue the work of APEC and be active global leaders’, Thuy said.
If you want to learn more about APEC or the Asia Pacific region speak to your teacher, contact your careers advisor, visit the APEC education website or the APEC 2007 website.
Cadets don’t simulate it – they live it
Who needs an X-Box or reality TV when you’ve got the Chief of the Defence Force Cadet Challenge?
For one week in April, thirty 15-20 year old Australian Defence Force Cadets got the chance to rescue an injured downed helicopter survivor, navigate a rope obstacle course three metres above a pool and survive in the bush as they contested the challenge title.
Most of the cadets had not met before, so for them the event was as much about building a team as a test of their mental and physical endurance.
‘I enjoyed the over-the-water obstacle course. It was really hard but I completed it and that was a highlight,’ said Leading Seaman Joe Cannon from Training Ship Tyalgum.
So who won?
The Navy cadets – which was a surprise for everyone!
‘We were the underdogs,’ said Leading Seaman Cannon.
‘When we found out we won we had such a sense of relief – and excitement. Our strength was that we enjoyed the event, we didn’t take it too seriously, and we worked really well as a team,’ he said.
The Australian Defence Force Cadets is a youth development organisation where 12 and a half to 20 year olds take part in adventurous, military-like activities, while learning about leadership, team building and themselves.
For further information visit www.cadetnet.gov.au
Mission Australia’s 2007 National Survey of Young Australians
Mission Australia is conducting its sixth survey of young Australians aged between 11-24 years. Its primary purpose is to identify and clarify the key and emerging issues for young people. It asks young people about what they value; their concerns; sources of advice and support; involvement in community activities, whether they identify as Indigenous and if they live in or outside a capital city. In 2006, 14,700 young people responded to the survey.
The survey publicly affirms that young people and their views are valued by the community and is a valuable resource for:
- young people themselves
- those working with young people, in helping to evaluate and improve their programs and policies
- those involved in youth issues, including youth organisations, researchers, employers, politicians
- anyone concerned about the wellbeing of young people.
The survey can be completed online, or you can contact Kathryn Di Nicola on (02) 9219 2022 for copies to be sent to you.
The closing date for the survey is 29th June for all states and the ACT and 27th July for the Northern Territory.
Copies of the report of the survey findings will be available late in 2007 and broadly distributed.
Dukes Youth Forum 2007
This week long leadership camp run by young people involved in the Duke of Edinbrugh's Award is an opportunity not to be missed.
Get involved in a leadership program, outdoor activities, cultural activities and have your say about issues affecting young people. Participants and staff are coming from Holland, India, Ghana, Canada and the UK as well as all around Australia.
This event is open to all young people aged 15 to 26 and is a fantastic opportunity to meet passionate and inspired young people from all over the world.
When: 7th to 14th July 2007 (second week of school holidays)
Where: Lyrebird Park, Yellingbo (about 1 hour from Melbourne CBD)
For more information please visit the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award site and click on the Youth Forum link. Applications are due at the end of May.
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