Welcome to the 2023 Report of the Australian Youth Representative to the United Nations. Throughout 2023, I have had the opportunity to listen to young people on a national Listening Tour across Australia’s communities to hear their hopes, challenges and perspectives on current domestic and international issues and opportunities. This report will aim to capture the diversity of these inputs, and demonstrate how multifaceted the views of young people in Australia are. The 2023 Listening Tour has demonstrated that young people are not homogenous, and are deeply shaped by their environment and context. It was difficult to determine a top issue young people care about, because every person, region, state and territory had their own trends, leading us to look at the whole picture, no matter how complicated. The Listening Tour produced some key points regarding what youth in Australia care about, the issues they’re facing and the changes they want to see. Issues of economics, cost of living, housing stability, genuine political representation, trust in governance, reliable and available mental health services, healthcare accessibility, tangible and transparent climate change action, discrimination, violence, and quality holistic education were identified across the nation among a much broader range of issues identified. It became apparent there was privilege in being able to worry about the future, issues such as climate change and the state of world governance and conflict. Instead, those who were more disadvantaged (typically regional, remote and minority young people) were at capacity trying to survive the challenges of the present. Privilege and wealth inequality were themes that continued to be raised amongst all presented issues, such as the cost of accessing healthcare or groceries, the disparities in the quality of education and professional opportunities from public to private, and the resources required in being able to escape discrimination and violence. Those who were able to adapt to current challenges had the ability to look ahead and worry about impending issues. This demonstrated a gap that is occurring between what policy makers assumed about youth issues and the youth they represent, and particularly a gap within the current generation of youth themselves. Progress has been made in youth representation since the Australian Youth Representative Program’s inception in 1999. Internationally, the United Nations Youth Envoy has developed into the new UN Youth Office, and the upcoming 2024 Summit of the Future will aim to put youth experience at the forefront of UN policy and problem solving regarding upcoming global issues. All of this is on top of the current long-standing UN Youth Delegate program (that we are a part of), overseen by UNDESA. In Australia, the Federal Government has established the Office for Youth and a designated Youth Minister, while various government departments have their own youth advisory groups or outreach programs on a state and federal level. Advisory groups also exist among the private and philanthropic sector, and many youth peak bodies now exist with their own iteration alongside the youth-led organisations in educational settings. All of these avenues allow for more youth voices to permeate decision-making, leading to more future-focused holistic solution-making. However, there is a lack of coordination and objectives between these initiatives that perpetuates youth voices to predetermined youth issues rather than treating young people as important stakeholders of every issue. Lastly, youth representation has a stark limitation in its (in)accessibility to young people, skewing most typically towards young people with access to financial support, non-government education, professional networks, or strong caregiver support. Highly engaged young people are often the only ones aware of these opportunities and supported to engage in them. Youth consultation, despite best intentions, currently captures similar and limited experiences of young people. It remains removed from the community or nuanced, intersectional ‘on-the-ground’ experiences. Not to mention, these youth consultation methods are often not designed or led by young people themselves, containing power imbalances in consultation that limit the scope of youth input and skew any outputs. It became apparent that privilege exists in youth advocacy across Australia and internationally at the United Nations. We should always be asking ourselves which voices in the room are missing. Meeting so many incredible young people this year within Australia and around the world made me realise that it’s not some young people that are exceptional, we all are, and all of our voices deserve to be valued and listened to. I want to extend my heartfelt thank you to every single young person who shared their stories and experiences with me, and every young person who volunteered to ensure that voices from young people in Australia are listened to, respected and valued at the United Nations. I hope young people continue to raise their voices louder, and make room for themselves to flourish and express their views in their own way, as the world and future will immensely benefit. I hope you enjoy reading the 2023 Australian Youth Representative report and gain insight into the key issues facing young people in Australia, and ensure they transcend into the rooms where decisions are being made. The world needs ‘unapologetically young’ young people, and we need you to listen to us. It’s time to value our voice. Imogen Kane 2023 Australian Youth Representative to the United Nations
Read the full report here: 2023 Youth Representative Report
“Different areas that are even right next to each other can have big wealth inequality” - 15yrs, NSW
Welcome to the 2023 Report of the Australian Youth Representative to the United Nations.
Read the full report here: 2023 Youth Representative Report
Throughout 2023, I have had the opportunity to listen to young people on a national Listening Tour across Australia’s communities to hear their hopes, challenges and perspectives on current domestic and international issues and opportunities.
This report will aim to capture the diversity of these inputs, and demonstrate how multifaceted the views of young people in Australia are. The 2023 Listening Tour has demonstrated that young people are not homogenous, and are deeply shaped by their environment and context. It was difficult to determine a top issue young people care about, because every person, region, state and territory had their own trends, leading us to look at the whole picture, no matter how complicated.
The Listening Tour produced some key points regarding what youth in Australia care about, the issues they’re facing and the changes they want to see. Issues of economics, cost of living, housing stability, genuine political representation, trust in governance, reliable and available mental health services, healthcare accessibility, tangible and transparent climate change action, discrimination, violence, and quality holistic education were identified across the nation among a much broader range of issues identified.
It became apparent there was privilege in being able to worry about the future, issues such as climate change and the state of world governance and conflict. Instead, those who were more disadvantaged (typically regional, remote and minority young people) were at capacity trying to survive the challenges of the present. Privilege and wealth inequality were themes that continued to be raised amongst all presented issues, such as the cost of accessing healthcare or groceries, the disparities in the quality of education and professional opportunities from public to private, and the resources required in being able to escape discrimination and violence. Those who were able to adapt to current challenges had the ability to look ahead and worry about impending issues. This demonstrated a gap that is occurring between what policy makers assumed about youth issues and the youth they represent, and particularly a gap within the current generation of youth themselves.
Progress has been made in youth representation since the Australian Youth Representative Program’s inception in 1999.
Internationally, the United Nations Youth Envoy has developed into the new UN Youth Office, and the upcoming 2024 Summit of the Future will aim to put youth experience at the forefront of UN policy and problem solving regarding upcoming global issues. All of this is on top of the current long-standing UN Youth Delegate program (that we are a part of), overseen by UNDESA.
In Australia, the Federal Government has established the Office for Youth and a designated Youth Minister, while various government departments have their own youth advisory groups or outreach programs on a state and federal level. Advisory groups also exist among the private and philanthropic sector, and many youth peak bodies now exist with their own iteration alongside the youth-led organisations in educational settings.
All of these avenues allow for more youth voices to permeate decision-making, leading to more future-focused holistic solution-making. However, there is a lack of coordination and objectives between these initiatives that perpetuates youth voices to predetermined youth issues rather than treating young people as important stakeholders of every issue.
Lastly, youth representation has a stark limitation in its (in)accessibility to young people, skewing most typically towards young people with access to financial support, non-government education, professional networks, or strong caregiver support. Highly engaged young people are often the only ones aware of these opportunities and supported to engage in them.
Youth consultation, despite best intentions, currently captures similar and limited experiences of young people. It remains removed from the community or nuanced, intersectional ‘on-the-ground’ experiences. Not to mention, these youth consultation methods are often not designed or led by young people themselves, containing power imbalances in consultation that limit the scope of youth input and skew any outputs.
It became apparent that privilege exists in youth advocacy across Australia and internationally at the United Nations. We should always be asking ourselves which voices in the room are missing.
Meeting so many incredible young people this year within Australia and around the world made me realise that it’s not some young people that are exceptional, we all are, and all of our voices deserve to be valued and listened to.
I want to extend my heartfelt thank you to every single young person who shared their stories and experiences with me, and every young person who volunteered to ensure that voices from young people in Australia are listened to, respected and valued at the United Nations.
I hope young people continue to raise their voices louder, and make room for themselves to flourish and express their views in their own way, as the world and future will immensely benefit. I hope you enjoy reading the 2023 Australian Youth Representative report and gain insight into the key issues facing young people in Australia, and ensure they transcend into the rooms where decisions are being made.
The world needs ‘unapologetically young’ young people, and we need you to listen to us. It’s time to value our voice.
Imogen Kane
2023 Australian Youth Representative to the United Nations
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About REP NET
Rep Net is the official blog run by the Australian Youth Representative to the United Nations, with UN Youth Australia.
This is a space where young people in Australia can connect with the Youth Rep, hear the latest news on the Program, and share their opinions and solutions on local and global issues affecting young people across Australia’s diverse communities and landscapes.
Young people 12 to 25 are welcome to contribute to our blog at any time!
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As Australia’s largest face-to-face consultation of young people aged 12 to 25, the Listening Tour brings together young people to share their visions, challenges, and perspectives on current domestic and international issues and opportunities.