CEO message: May
Reconciliation Week is underway (27 May – 3 June) and this year’s theme of ‘Now more than ever’ is a reminder that our individual and collective efforts towards reconciliation for First Nations people are more important than ever. At CMY, we’ve begun the process of developing our new Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). Our goal is to deepen our commitment and understanding of reconciliation as an organisation. Learn more about our reconciliation journey.
Earlier this month, we saw the release of both the State and Federal Budgets for 2024-2025. In Victoria, despite a difficult budget with a strong focus on addressing cost-of-living pressures, the Government sustained a range of critical programs, while making important investments in anti-racism initiatives and improving educational outcomes for multicultural young people. For the highlights on key areas of investment for young people, families and communities, read our release.
The 2024 Federal Budget included several beneficial measures, such as the continued funding of Youth Transition Support Services, a revised approach to the indexation of student loans, and more rental support. However, the Budget unfortunately missed a crucial chance to offer more than a piecemeal response to the broader, cross-cutting issues currently facing young migrants. In the context of a worsening housing, mental health, and cost-of-living crisis for young people from refugee and migrant backgrounds, we share MYAN Australia’s concerns around the inequity in this year’s budget. Read their response to the Federal Budget here.
This month, we also celebrated National Volunteer Week (20-26 May), acknowledging the passions, lived experience and commitment our volunteers bring to supporting multicultural young people. CMY has a community of almost 500 volunteers from diverse backgrounds supporting a range of programs. Some of our volunteers have shared their reflections on volunteering here. Their contributions help to shape young people’s experiences of their community and Australian society more broadly, and for that we are so thankful.
Carmel Guerra OAM
CEO CMY