The Y Australia

With a lot going on in the world right now – global conflicts, climate change and disinformation to name a few – young Australians deserve more security and less uncertainty from our political leaders.      They deserve a future that has more hope and more opportunity than the one they are set to inherit.    That’s why the Y is calling is on all political parties to commit to making investments that will grow young peoples’ minds and bodies, connect them with community and increase, rather than limit, their opportunities.    Our Federal Election Action Plan makes the needs and desires of children and young people a priority –     🪪 To keep them safe   🧠 To increase access to early childhood education and care   🤸♀️ To keep them active   ✍️ To keep them connected and engaged in school   📣 And to give them a platform to have their voices heard and be the change they want to see in the world.    But to do that, we need your help. Can you call on our political leaders to invest in children and young people and sign our Action Plan today? View our Action Plan and sign your name to show your support for children and young people | https://lnkd.in/gQapX8js

With a lot going on in the world right now – global conflicts, climate change and disinformation to name a few – young Australians deserve more security and less uncertainty from our political leaders.      They deserve a future that has more hope and more opportunity than the one they are set to inherit.    That’s why the Y is calling is on all political parties to commit to making investments that will grow young peoples’ minds and bodies, connect them with community and increase, rather than limit, their opportunities.    Our Federal Election Action Plan makes the needs and desires of children and young people a priority –     🪪 To keep them safe   🧠 To increase access to early childhood education and care   🤸♀️ To keep them active   ✍️ To keep them connected and engaged in school   📣 And to give them a platform to have their voices heard and be the change they want to see in the world.    But to do that, we need your help. Can you call on our political leaders to invest in children and young people and sign our Action Plan today? View our Action Plan and sign your name to show your support for children and young people | https://lnkd.in/gQapX8js

Are you passionate about policy and positive social change?     Feel driven to elevate the voice of young people?     Want to work for a national organisation with global reach?    We're #hiring a Senior Advisor - Advocacy and Policy.     Join us for the opportunity to build a better world, with and for children and young people, through advocacy and public policy. 

The Y Canberra Region’s Bush Kinder program at Gungahlin Early Learning Centre empowers children to explore the natural world by engaging their natural curiosity and creativity outside the walls of a traditional classroom.     The Bush kinder program is:    🌱 Encouraging children’s social, emotional, and cognitive development through outdoor experiences.    ❤️ Respectfully incorporating First Nations culture into the curriculum, promoting respect, connection and understanding of Country.    🌳 Encouraging children to care for the environment and their community, participating in initiatives like Clean Up Australia Day.    It’s how Y Canberra Region are playing their part in #Vision2030, by progressing Sustainability and Community Wellbeing. Through fostering a connection to the natural world in future generations – we're building a better world, with and for young people.

This International Women’s Day the United Nations is asking all people to March Forward #forallwomenandgirls. Marching forward means taking decisive, deliberate actions to change the circumstances that are holding women and girls back from their full potential. So, ask not what women can do for you – ask what you can do for women. YOU can make a difference this year – https://lnkd.in/e3HPv8w6 Here at the Y, we’re focused on making a difference through Vision 2030, for which our goals are aligned to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The fulfilment of our goals such as Just World and Meaningful Work, will contribute to achieving global gender equality. But we’re not just doing the work in our communities, schools and centres.  At Y Australia we’re proud to be led by two women in our President Amelia Shaw and CEO Alexandra Ash GAICD. And of our diverse and inclusive team at Y Australia, almost 80% are women. As always, there is more work to do. So we’ll continue to #marchforward and keep taking steps to ensure all women and girls are equal. #internationalwomensday #marchforward #womenofyaustralia #forallwomenandgirls United Nations Association of Australia

The Y has always been a place where people feel a sense of safety, belonging and community. On Saturday, we were proud to celebrate that by marching in the 2025 Sydney Mardi Gras.    🏳️🌈 🏳️⚧️ Our entry to the march focused on empowerment and belonging through the theme of ‘A Freer Future: Why Not Be Me? Queer Young People Are Powerful!”.     🩷 We had 76 Y people from across Australia join us and we were led by eight amazing superheroes, each with their own proud and powerful superpowers.     ⚡ Our commitment to fostering a diverse and welcoming environment for our employees is our superpower.     As our CEO Alexandra Ash GAICD puts it, “Y Australia is unwavering in our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. We support all young people to be free to be themselves.”    Hopefully we’ll see Sydney again at Mardi Gras next year! For now – some of our favourite snaps of our wonderful staff, volunteers and members. Y Careers The Y NSW The Y WA The Y Whittlesea YMCA Victoria YMCA South Australia YMCA Queensland The Y Ballarat The Y Canberra Region Y Services Pty Ltd

The countdown is on! In just two days, eighty Y members, volunteers and staff from across Australia will meet in Sydney to march in the 2025 Mardi Gras. Our march is led by superheroes whose superpowers help young, queer people be free to be themselves. From Western Australia to Whittlesea your Y superheroes and staff are marching to champion inclusion, diversity and equity. Because we believe in a better world, with and for young people. We'll see you on Saturday! #freetobe #mardigras

Meet our President, Amelia Shaw Amelia is a senior leader in the global Movement of YMCAs and has been Y Australia’s President for just over a year now. She also holds the position of Vice President of the Asia Pacific Alliance of YMCAs.    With a breadth of experience in strategy development, marketing and governance – she has cultivated a strong set of values throughout her life and work, and she brings these to her role at the Y.    Her journey at the Y began in 2008 as a Youth Parliamentarian – then progressing to the role of Youth Development Coordinator for Y Queensland – before expanding her skillset in membership-based organisations and private business.    ‘The Y is a sandbox - a place where children and young people can explore, take risks and ultimately grow. In a world that often demands perfection and does not allow for mistakes, we need spaces where we can experiment and build resilience. It’s an honour to lead an organisation that truly lives its values and makes a difference every day in the lives of children and young people right across Australia’    Amelia believes that through service, empowerment of one’s peers and shared values, the Y can only grow in reach and impact.

Recently the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters’ inquiry into civics education, engagement, and participation in Australia released its final report. We’re proud to have advocated for young people’s civic participation in this report.    Our submission highlighted the need to: 🔴 Ensure young people have trusted, age-appropriate sources of quality information to inform civic decision-making and discern disinformation. 🔴 Invest in community-based civic engagement programs to support their sustainability and growth. 🔴 Capitalise on the strengths of state and territory Youth Parliament programs and fund a National Youth Parliament. The Y welcomes the Committee’s recommendations, including: 🔴 The Australian Government work with youth organisations to explore more appropriate and appealing opportunities to engage a wider community of diverse young people in leadership programs that build understanding of democracy and active citizenship. 🔴 Increasing funding for the Parliamentary Education Office 🔴 Developing guidance, resources, and tools for media and digital literacy education. 🔴 Enhancing civics and citizenship in the education curriculum. We thank the Committee for the opportunity to both provide a submission and give evidence at a hearing on this important topic. We also thank the Youth Voice Steering Group whose insights shaped our submission. Links to the full report and our submission are in the comments below.   WhyNot Australian Media Literacy Alliance  #youthvoice #medialiteracy #civicseducation #youthparliament #parliamentaryeducationoffice. 

Across our amazing country, the Y’s Youth Parliament programs have been giving young Australians opportunities to experience democracy in action for forty years. Youth Parliaments benefit young people with personal development, a stronger understanding of government and appreciation of the strengths and values of our democracy. Youth Parliaments are early adopters of important social issues and policy reforms. Many of the issues first debated in Youth Parliaments, such as road side drug testing, later entered state and territory parliaments and became law. Annual Youth Parliaments are run in every state and territory with one exception, Canberra. That’s why a National Youth Parliament has been a priority in our submissions into the Federal Budget and our Federal Election Action Plan, and why we are seeking to establish an ACT program. So, we are delighted with the announcement by the Speaker, the Honourable Milton Dick MP of a National Youth Parliament for high school students. We look forward to supporting this initiative with the decades of expertise we’ve accumulated delivering youth parliaments for thousands of young Australians. We know young people are the future of a better world and safeguarding our democracy is critical to all Australians, so we are seeking matching commitments from other major and minor parties. We look forward to working with governments everywhere to expand opportunities for young Australians through Youth Parliaments and strengthen our democracy.  Anthony Albanese The Hon. Peter Dutton MP Adam Bandt MP The Hon. David Littleproud MP Rebekha Sharkie Dr. Anne Aly Angie Bell Kate Thwaites Sam Lim MP Sam Birrell Allegra Spender Libby Coker MP Jerome Laxale MP Zoe McKenzie MP Melissa Price MP