The Y Canberra Region
2024-2025 Impact Report
Youth
Giving youth a seat at the table
Youth
Early Learning is different at the Y. We recognise that the first 1,000 days of a child’s life is critical, and we understand the crucial role that learning, a nurturing community and home environment play in setting a child up for success.
We create real-world environments that allow children to have true experiences. We encourage children to explore and be adaptable to their environment, and we promote community connections and sustainable practices as a core value.
The Y Canberra Region operates 5 Early Learning Centres and 11 Outside Hours School Care Programs, and we have been running children’s programs since the 1970’s.
On this page
Youth Representative Group
This year our Youth Representative Group has had a refresh. With a new structure to advise on the strategic development of the Y Canberra Region.
With a focus on a grass roots approach in an opportunity for young people to learn the workings of a board while also building a sense of community.
We have embedded the YRG in to our constitution as a step towards intergenerational fairness, with a group of young people with fresh ideas and personal experience the Y Canberra Region continues to embed young voices in every conversation.
Members have already had opportunities to attend events and summits such as the Volunteer Week Reception at Government House with her Excellency Governor General Sam Mostyn, speak to media around youth initiatives, attend events at Parliament House and the Legislative assembly, youth forums and collaborate with senior leadership and board members to advise on the youth perspective on contemporary topics.
We look forward to what the continuing efforts our young people contribute to the organisation and community.
Youth Parliament
This year the Y Canberra Region campaigned for a Youth Parliament for the ACT that will bring 25 Youth Members to the Legislative Assembly in 2026.
Youth Parliament is a civics program that runs in every state and territory around Australia. Each year around 400 young people take part in the Y’s flagship program, re-enacting parliamentary processes, leadership roles, formulating bills, understanding civic participation and forming connections to each other and their community.
Youth Parliament is a program that allows young people to form a better understanding of the systems in place that govern our territory and community.
Youth Parliament is not a word for word re-enactment of the Legislative Assembly, but a structured community program for young people to build an understanding of how systems in place enact change and serve our community.
With the support of the Snow Foundation and Hands Across Canberra, the Y Canberra Region will be able to deliver Youth Parliament for the next 3 years in Canberra.
- Snow foundation
- Community
- Excitement for program
- Youth Parliament National
The Y Canberra Region is proud to partner with The Y Australia and The Department of the House of Representatives and our friends at the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House to deliver next year’s National Youth Parliament in August 2026. This follows the amazing announcement of our own ACT Y Youth Parliament to be held in July 2026.
We were so excited to attend the launch at Parliament House in Canberra, alongside Speaker Milton Dick MP and fellow MPs, and The Y Australia leaders Amelia Shaw and Alexandra Ash GAICD. A big congratulations to Jarrod Dobson, Emily Greco for their dedication in making this happen!
We see across the world Democracy is a very fragile creation and we must care for it with great intentionality and pass those skills and the practice of civics to a new generation, to safeguard a just future for all our children.