YAG Camp 2025
On Friday 14 February, CMY’s Youth Participation team set off for a three-day adventure at YMCA Camp Manyung, Mt Eliza. With 38 young people from across CMY’s youth programs, we braved unpredictable weather (think six seasons in one day) and made the most of an incredible weekend filled with community, connection, and fun.
Aged between 14 and 25+, the group was a vibrant mix of young people from all over Victoria—some familiar faces, some brand new to the CMY community. Representatives from the Youth Advisory Groups (YAGs) of Metropolitan Melbourne, Ballarat, and Gippsland attended, as well as young leaders from the Le Mana Pasifika Project, Community Support Group (CSG) in Melton, and the Western Young People’s Independent Network (WYPIN).
This year’s camp put a strong focus on creating opportunities for young people to make new friends, learn about each other’s work, and most importantly—have fun!
“The 2025 YAG camp was the biggest and most diverse one yet with the participation of almost all of CMY youth groups. It was wonderful to see young people supporting each other, learning from one another and having a blast! What we heard after the camp is that we need to create more opportunities for CMY groups and young people to collaborate. We are excited to continue to build on the momentum of the camp and see all the amazing things we can achieve together!” – Julia Rovery, Team Leader, Youth Participation
Each YAG group brought their own unique touch to the camp by running special activities:
- WYPIN: A fast-paced basketball rally
- Le Mana: Whakawhanaungatanga—building relationships
- Gippsland: A battle of wits in trivia
- CSG: Human knots—a test of teamwork and patience
- Ballarat: The numbers game
- Metro YAG: A dramatic game of Mafia
Our hosts at Camp Manyung took us through three thrilling outdoor activities—treetops, the giant swing, and archery. The activities provided an opportunity to face fears and encourage each other.
“We had a whole weekend of exciting back-to-back activities and experiences, both held by the camp and our own amazing YAG members! It goes without saying that catching up on sleep on the way back was a non-negotiable, both for me and many of our attendees!” – Marie Eitel, Youth Intern
YAG Camp is always a special experience—not just for the young people but for CMY staff as well. After weeks of planning, coordinating, and very little sleep in the dorms, the post-camp recovery is always worth it.
“As the camp brought together six different youth groups, we had people from different backgrounds, cultures and ages all hanging out. Our goal was for participants to connect, break down barriers and realise that they share the same values and concerns. We succeeded in this, as they fed back that they loved linking with new people, doing activities together and are keen to meet again in the future to explore how they can get together to address issues affecting multicultural youth.” – Daniel Dadich, Team Leader, Youth Participation
To wrap up an incredible weekend, our Youth Intern Marie led a reflection activity, giving everyone a chance to share their highlights. Here’s what they had to say:
💬 Dae, Le Mana: “It was so special to connect with such a diverse group of people, we don’t get to do this much.”
💬 Puhan, Ballarat YAG: “Everyone was so nice and supportive, it was a really special experience.”
💬 Shiraz, Metro YAG: “My highlights were killing it in Mafia and making new friends!”
YAG Camp isn’t just about games and activities—it’s about young people coming together, sharing their cultures, stories, and perspectives, and giving us a glimpse of the bright future 2025 holds. We can’t wait to do it all again next year!
Until next time, YAG Camp!