Youth Programs
Did you know that 42% of our staff are under 25?
The Y’s of Australia are guided by a belief in the power of inspired young people and our local vision is for “Children and Young People thriving in a connected community”. A significant way in which we support young people in our region is through careers at the Y. As of March 2021, of the 414 staff employed by the Y Canberra, 172 are under the age of 25. These staff are employed across all areas of the organisation as shown by this chart. In addition to providing our young people with careers there are a number of youth services and programs available both locally and nationally explained below.
Local and national youth programs at the Y
Space Squad
Space Squad is Australia’s only residential holiday program for students in years 2 through to 12 who love all things space!
The program has been designed as a spark of inspiration for attendees to pursue careers in STEM, robotics, and other space-related fields. Through our camps, our cadets learn all about space exploration and science, as well as meet engineers, astronomers, astrophysicists, and space scientists.
National Youth Programs
The Office for Young People and Community Impact commenced in January 2019 at Y Australia to focus on the voice of young people, intergenerational leadership and community impact, with a collective leadership model to ensure that the deliverables and outcomes are driven by an approach to leadership that optimises the skills and expertise across the Movement. Y Canberra has supported a number of young people in past years to participate in national initiatives of the office including Young CEO and the National Youth Retreat.
Youth Space
The Youth Space @ Civic was a collaboration between the Y Canberra and Anglicare NSW South, NSW West and ACT, offering a drop-in service and individualised support to young people on three afternoons each week. Community building was an important part of Youth Space’s work, and we wanted the Youth Space and its participants to be part of a broader network that offers new experiences, increases access to resources and opportunities to contribute. During 2020, we had to make the difficult decision to close The Youth Space. While currently in hibernation, the Y has no intention of abandoning the needs of youth, in fact it’s the opposite. Youth needs are on the rise, and we will be assessing new and different impactful ways of providing connections, community and an environment to support youth in the coming year.
We would like to thank all of the amazing Youth Space supporters, but in particular our collaborating partner, Anglicare, without which the success of the Youth Space would not have been possible.
Canberra’s Young CEO
The Young CEO Movement, delivered across Australia, is an expression of the Y’s belief in the power of inspired young people, and reflects our commitment to empowering and listening to our young staff and volunteers.
Due to COVID-19, we were unable to run this program in 2020, and look forward to its return in 2021.
Youth Representative Group
The Youth Representative Group (YRG) is focused on ensuring that the Y Canberra Region delivers on its strategic plan with a particular focus on children and young people.
Our strategic pillars are centred on providing the best start in life for children and young people, and giving young people a voice and leadership opportunities. The YRG provides feedback directly to the CEO and Senior Leadership Team, and asks key questions to ensure that children and young people are consulted, considered and engaged in all areas of the Y Canberra Region.