Victoria’s new five-year Youth Strategy promises a better future for young people
CMY welcomes the Victorian Government’s launch of ‘Our Promise, Your Future: Victoria’s youth strategy 2022-2027’, designed to make Victoria a better place for all young people to live.
CMY heartily congratulates the Minister for Youth, the Hon. Ros Spence MP, for releasing the Youth Strategy at a critical time when young people’s futures have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, and their issues and concerns should be at the forefront of our minds as the state recovers and rebuilds.
‘Our Promise, Your Future’ clearly reflects the voices of thousands of young people and the youth sector, who were part of extensive consultations which informed the development of the strategy.
Carmel Guerra, CEO of CMY, said “this strategy will help to ensure the priorities and actions of the Government and the youth sector are aligned with what young people are telling us is important to them.”
“It shows that, as a state, we truly value the diverse insights and experiences of our youth – and that we are listening, and acting on their concerns.”
‘Our Promise, Your Future’ encompasses six priority areas for the next five years:
1. Young people are healthy & well.
2. Young people are safe and secure.
3. Young people achieve their goals through education, training and employment.
4. Young people are respected and involved in decisions in their communities.
5. Young people are confident and strong in their identity and culture and are supported in their communities.
6. Services are coordinated, responsive and accessible.
These priority areas are underpinned by over 70 initiatives that the Government will action to bring the strategy to life. Some of the initiatives that multicultural young people will benefit from include:
- Work with employers and unions to tackle racism and systemic discrimination, unsafe work practices and exploitation of young people in the workplace;
- Increase the visibility of young people in the media, especially those who often miss out, including young people from multicultural and multi-faith communities.
The Youth Strategy recognises the experiences of multicultural young people and their need to feel proud of their cultural identity and welcomed in all parts of Victorian society.
Shivya Nath, CMY’s Policy Intern who attended the launch, said:
“It was incredible seeing the Government put forward a strategy that people like myself, of a multicultural background, can see themselves in.”
“I was particularly impressed by the Government’s dedication to the sustainability of the strategy through ensuring that it allowed the amplification of all youth voice across Victoria.”
An advisory group will be established with diverse membership from young people as well as youth sector partners to advise and guide the Government on the implementation of the Strategy.
“CMY looks forward to being involved and we’re keen to support multicultural young people to take up the opportunity to be part of the Government’s advisory group,” said Carmel Guerra.
“We will continue to create channels for multicultural young people across regional and metropolitan Victoria to have their say and provide feedback on the issues that matter most to them.”
Read more about Victoria’s new Youth Strategy: youthcentral.vic.gov.au/youthstrategy
For media enquiries, please contact:
Hannah Ford, Communications & Marketing Manager, CMY
T | 0429 592 860 E | hford@cmy.net.au