Latest / 360 with Katie Woolf / Youth Minister Lauren Moss and NT Youth Round Table participant Alex Storey highlight the value of the advisory group and explain how others can take part

Transcript

Youth Minister Lauren Moss and NT Youth Round Table participant Alex Storey highlight the value of the advisory group and explain how others can take part · 360 with Katie Woolf

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  Speaker 1: You might have heard of the Northern Territories Youth Roundtable.
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  Speaker 1: It's comprised of locals aged between fifteen and twenty five
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  Speaker 1: who act as an advisory body on youth matters, providing
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  Speaker 1: feedback to the Northern Territory government. And the latest round
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  Speaker 1: of participants are being sought. But joining me in the
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  Speaker 1: studio to tell us a little bit more about the
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  Speaker 1: Youth Roundtable. Well, the Minister for Youth, Lauren Moss, good
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  Speaker 1: morning to.
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  Speaker 2: You, Good morning Katie, and good morning to your listeners.
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  Speaker 1: And also a Roundtable participant Alex Story, Good morning to you, Alex.
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  Speaker 3: Good morning, Nicey, nice to be here.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, lovely to have you both in the studio with
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  Speaker 1: us this morning. Now, Minister, I might go to you first,
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  Speaker 1: what exactly is the Youth Roundtable.
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  Speaker 2: So the Youth round Tables, it's in its twenty fifth year,
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  Speaker 2: which is pretty amazing. So it's a program that's been
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  Speaker 2: in place for really long time to provide advice to
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  Speaker 2: government on a whole range of different policy matters. But
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  Speaker 2: the intent of it is that we shouldn't be making
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  Speaker 2: decisions about things that impact on young people without involving
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  Speaker 2: young people. So we have a group of between sixteen
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  Speaker 2: and eighteen, young people between fifteen and twenty five, and
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  Speaker 2: they provide advice on a whole range of different things,
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  Speaker 2: whether it's environment policy, or it might be mental health,
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  Speaker 2: it could be education. They provide that advice on a
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  Speaker 2: range of things that impact them and it's a fantastic program.
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  Speaker 1: And how seriously does the government take that advice that
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  Speaker 1: the Youth round Table is providing.
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  Speaker 2: I think a really good example of it was the
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  Speaker 2: Education Engagement Strategy that was launched last year. The Youth
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  Speaker 2: round Table were very, very involved in that particular policy.
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  Speaker 2: Twenty five percent of the feedback in that strategy came
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  Speaker 2: from young people and the Youth round Table are a
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  Speaker 2: big part of that. So we take it really seriously.
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  Speaker 2: At the end of the year, in just a couple
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  Speaker 2: of months time, in December, the current Youth round Table
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  Speaker 2: will have the opportunity to pitch to ministers and to
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  Speaker 2: see ease of departments on different issues that they're particularly
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  Speaker 2: passionate about. So they get that direct access to ministers
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  Speaker 2: and government departments and others throughout the year, but also
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  Speaker 2: at the end of the year two to make recommendations.
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  Speaker 2: So we take it really seriously. It's such a good opportunity,
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  Speaker 2: and not only to provide that input, but I'm sure
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  Speaker 2: Alex will talk about this in a moment, but for
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  Speaker 2: professional development and leadership development for young people as well.
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  Speaker 1: So, Alex, you've been on the Youth round Table for
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  Speaker 1: this year, haven't you.
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  Speaker 3: Yeah, it's been quite a while now, hasn't it. I'm
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  Speaker 3: getting old.
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  Speaker 1: How have you enjoyed it? How have you found how
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  Speaker 1: have you found the experience?
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  Speaker 3: It's honestly just been a lot of fun.
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  Speaker 4: They coach and train us to sort of get better
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  Speaker 4: at public speaking and being able to sort of liaisons
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  Speaker 4: with the ministers and cabinet.
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  Speaker 3: It's just been an amazing experience. Really.
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  Speaker 1: How many of you are on the Youth round Table?
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  Speaker 3: Oh, good for you. I wish I counted. I'm eighteen
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  Speaker 3: of you about eighteen? About eighteen, I believe. Yeah.
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  Speaker 1: And what's it like sort of all getting together and
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  Speaker 1: determining what, you know, what issues are, kind of the
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  Speaker 1: ones that you do need to speak to the government
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  Speaker 1: about or the ones that you feel quite passionately about.
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  Speaker 4: Well, you would have thought if there's a bunch of
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  Speaker 4: sort of young passionate people getting together in a very
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  Speaker 4: small room that we would all sort of start, you know,
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  Speaker 4: bickering and fighting, but I've honestly seen it. It's just
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  Speaker 4: very very well directed by the Office of Youth Fairs
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  Speaker 4: that runs. It just sort of flows and everyone's very
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  Speaker 4: supportive with the issues that are brought because a lot
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  Speaker 4: of the issues are affecting multiple different youths.
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  Speaker 1: And it's like I always think it's quite interesting for
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  Speaker 1: us as people that are getting a little bit older.
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  Speaker 1: I mean, I don't like to tell myself getting older.
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  Speaker 1: You know, we quite often want to have opinions on
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  Speaker 1: different things that do relate to younger people. And that's
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  Speaker 1: all fine and good, But I always think if you
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  Speaker 1: want to find out how younger people are thinking.
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  Speaker 3: Well, you've got to actually speak to them.
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  Speaker 1: And that's where I think that this roundtable's really important
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  Speaker 1: in terms of them being able to, you know, to
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  Speaker 1: lobby the government or speak to the government about the
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  Speaker 1: concerns that you guys have got.
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  Speaker 3: What have been some of the.
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  Speaker 1: Major sort of issues that you plan either planning to
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  Speaker 1: take forward to the government or that you all have
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  Speaker 1: as a result of those meetings.
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  Speaker 4: Yeah, and like you said, a big issue with the
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  Speaker 4: sort of the sort of that youth faces that although
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  Speaker 4: we have quite a few, we have very low amounts
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  Speaker 4: of power at least to sort of willed against government typically.
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  Speaker 4: So the issues that we've sort of been bringing up is,
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  Speaker 4: honestly it's focusing around largely issues of youth crime, sort
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  Speaker 4: of focusing very heavily on the environment we've seen, and
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  Speaker 4: also a very sort of sizable group in the roundtable
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  Speaker 4: focusing on education because we have a teacher in there
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  Speaker 4: as well.
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  Speaker 1: Awesome, And have you found that what you have spoken
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  Speaker 1: then to the government about has there been sort of
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  Speaker 1: have those concerns or you know, has there been some
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  Speaker 1: movement I suppose, or have you felt as though it's
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  Speaker 1: been listened to.
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  Speaker 4: I feel like we've specifically with speaking to ministers, it's
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  Speaker 4: a matter of sort of gaining knowledge as to why
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  Speaker 4: issues are occurring and bringing it to their attention.
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  Speaker 3: And so for us, a lot of environmental.
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  Speaker 4: Issues, we've found out certain policies that we actually weren't
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  Speaker 4: initially aware of leaning towards certain things.
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  Speaker 3: For example, we.
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  Speaker 4: Had issues of various sort of people being a bit
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  Speaker 4: upset at the sort of growth of weeds in various
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  Speaker 4: regions or cotton farms being funded, and it just comes
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  Speaker 4: down to allowing us to understand why issues are occurring
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  Speaker 4: and then allowing us to sort of partition ministers to
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  Speaker 4: move forward and we'll find out about you know, sort
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  Speaker 4: of our traction with ministers later on in the year
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  Speaker 4: when we'll be speaking before Parliament.
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  Speaker 1: It's an incredible opportunity for you guys like is you know,
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  Speaker 1: to have access then two ministers and you know, executives
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  Speaker 1: from within the departments and be able to raise those
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  Speaker 1: different concerns or to just speak about issues that are
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  Speaker 1: impacting youth as well. It's an incredible opportunity. How have
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  Speaker 1: you found it over the last you know, throughout the year,
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  Speaker 1: has it been something that you've really enjoyed?
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  Speaker 4: It has honestly been just one of the most amazing
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  Speaker 4: experiences I've had in the territory. I've been a local
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  Speaker 4: my entire life, and it's just you really really sort
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  Speaker 4: of get invested in the idea when you're a young
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  Speaker 4: person that it's you're just you do not have any
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  Speaker 4: sort of power representation well in our democracy. And just
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  Speaker 4: the fact that I've been involved in a process like
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  Speaker 4: this and so involved with so many different ministers, it's
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  Speaker 4: honestly just changed my outlook of how at least our
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  Speaker 4: system in the territory functions.
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  Speaker 3: And it's also been a lot of fun.
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  Speaker 1: Now I know that you're on the lookout now for
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  Speaker 1: the Youth round Table for next year. How many young
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  Speaker 1: Territorians or you know, youthful Territorians are you looking for.
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  Speaker 2: So it usually sits at around sixteen members. Ye, And
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  Speaker 2: so the applications will close on the sixth of November,
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  Speaker 2: So there's about a week or a roundabouts a week
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  Speaker 2: to get your applications in. But we're looking for young
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  Speaker 2: people from right across the Northern Territory. We're looking for
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  Speaker 2: diverse young people. And I've been on it myself. I
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  Speaker 2: was the chair in twenty ten and I can say
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  Speaker 2: I didn't know really that it was an opportunity for
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  Speaker 2: young people like me at that time. I was quite reserved,
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  Speaker 2: and you know, you can think that those opportunities are
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  Speaker 2: for people who are already out there debating issues and
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  Speaker 2: already quite out there. I would really encourage all young people,
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  Speaker 2: if you are passionate about your community, if there are
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  Speaker 2: things that you can see that you want to change,
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  Speaker 2: put your application in because the Youth Round Table will
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  Speaker 2: help you do the rest. In terms of the development
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  Speaker 2: of yourself and your skills.
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  Speaker 3: You just can't stress that enough. It's not the.
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  Speaker 4: Sort of exemplary sort of A plus students that is
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  Speaker 4: like solely elected to the Roundtawn. We have some ap plus.
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  Speaker 4: You know, I'm good on them, but I'm not. It's
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  Speaker 4: just not what you would expect. And because at the
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  Speaker 4: end of the day, it's a representative body, they're trying
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  Speaker 4: to be representatives. If you are again, if you're passionate
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  Speaker 4: about your region, then put your name up.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah. I think it's a great thing to do. And
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  Speaker 1: I think it's wonderful, you know, for young Territorians to
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  Speaker 1: be able to be involved in Lauren. Where can people
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  Speaker 1: find some more info If they are listening this morning
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  Speaker 1: and they're thinking, do you know what, I know the
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  Speaker 1: perfect person or I am the perfect person to be involved.
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  Speaker 2: So if they look up the youth if your Google
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  Speaker 2: Youth Anti Government, you'll come up with the Youth Ante
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  Speaker 2: page and you'll be able to stick your application in
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  Speaker 2: through there. And I think really important as well. We're
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  Speaker 2: also looking for Anti Youth Week ambassadors, so they are
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  Speaker 2: that's a separate program but also connected and do a
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  Speaker 2: lot with the Youth round Table. They'll be promoting everything
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  Speaker 2: that's on offer around Youth Week in April next year
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  Speaker 2: and have that opportunity to be part of the planning
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  Speaker 2: around that as well. So we have fabulous ambassadors this
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  Speaker 2: year as well. So there's plenty of opportunities for young people.
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  Speaker 2: Just do that little google on our very user friendly,
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  Speaker 2: fantastic anti government website and the Youth and I'll be
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  Speaker 2: certainly promoting that through my platforms and channels as well,
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  Speaker 2: but there's also a Territory, Families, Communities and Local Government
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  Speaker 2: Facebook page where we'll be pushing that out as well.
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  Speaker 1: Alex, before I let you go, I mean, what would
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  Speaker 1: you say to other young people that are thinking about
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  Speaker 1: joining the Youth round Table.
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  Speaker 4: I would say, and I understand the general view of
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  Speaker 4: young people, right, you know, to a proportion, it's how
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  Speaker 4: does this actually benefit me? And I mean that in
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  Speaker 4: the best way. It's because you know, you're young, You've
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  Speaker 4: just got out of school, you're still in school, and
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  Speaker 4: it's a complete it is it's a bit of a
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  Speaker 4: time sink. And that's not necessarily wrong for young people.
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  Speaker 4: I've found that it is just the opportunities that present
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  Speaker 4: themselves by being a part of a representative body, being
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  Speaker 4: able to meet amazing people, and we meet various organizations
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  Speaker 4: that are committed and want to know.
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  Speaker 3: The opinions of youth.
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  Speaker 4: It's honestly a spectacular experience and currently sort of one
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  Speaker 4: of the best that I have in the territory.
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  Speaker 3: Oh good stuff.
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  Speaker 1: Well, wonderful to speak to you both this morning, Minister
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  Speaker 1: Lauren Moss and Alex Story. Thank you both so much
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  Speaker 1: for your time.
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  Speaker 3: Nice thank you here