Community Engagement is Nothing Without Young People

De Tassanyi EM¹*

1. Young person, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Increasingly youth are being included on government representative bodies, forums and committees. Young people bring an energy and innovative viewpoint that is invaluable in decision making. This paper will address the practical benefit to both government and communities in increasing the involvement of young people in a broad range of community representative bodies.

Firstly, I will explore the Queensland government initiative of Ministerial Regional Forums from a personal participant perspective. Secondly, I will highlight other opportunities, from the personal perspective of a young person, that I have utilized to heighten my engagement with my community and public representatives.

Throughout my presentation I will highlight the importance of appointing young people, up to the age of 25. I will be expressing the importance of appointing young people not as token representatives, but as valuable members of the community who have the capacity to contribute and engage in a meaningful manner. I will demonstrate the long-term benefits such engagement has for decision makers, the wider community and individuals involved in such community engagement.