Invisible Leaders: How Multicultural Young People Served as Bridges and Brokers During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Victoria
This policy paper sheds light on the often-overlooked contributions of multicultural young people in Victoria during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite being unfairly portrayed as COVID-19 super-spreaders, these young people played vital roles in protecting and supporting their families, communities, and the broader community. They served as bridges to information and support, playing proactive brokering and support roles to ensure that their families and communities had access to help and resources.
The findings suggest that the burden on young people during the pandemic was greater due to the absence of proactive, effective, culturally responsive systems that partnered with and supported multicultural communities. However, these experiences offer valuable lessons for the future. By learning from the experiences of the “pandemic years,” we can create stronger, more supportive systems that ensure nobody is left behind.
Overall, this paper highlights the critical leadership role played by multicultural young people in Victoria during the COVID-19 pandemic and offers important insights into how we can build more resilient, inclusive communities for the future.