The Wellspring

With only a 100 days to go before the UN Climate Change Conference will take place in Copenhagen, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the Danish Government yesterday endorsed PlanetCall.org, a website that aims to encourage 1 million youth to sign a declaration that calls for an ambitious new climate treaty. It also asks young people to share solutions and ideas for a better climate.

Domestically, the Australian Youth Climate Coalition and World Vision Australia are running a similar campaign called Youth Decide, which calls for young Australians aged 15-29 to vote on climate change plans.

In a video with Minister for Youth Kate Ellis (transcript), the Prime Minister has launched his new youth blog and kicked off consultations for a new National Strategy for Young Australians. In his first blog post, the PM remarked that ‘The Government is developing a plan for young Australians – with young Australians – so that all young Australians are safe, healthy, confident and resilient, with the skills and supports they need to build their own futures’. The PM canvassed a variety of health challenges facing young Australians – mental health, obesity, and street violence – and asked young people how they would:

• help our young people grow up safe, happy and resililient (sic)?
• give young people the skills they need to learn, work and fully engage in community life
• reduce the physical and mental health risks facing young Australians, including negative body image, anxiety and depression, obesity and alcohol-fuelled violence?
• enable young people to accept responsibility for their actions and their behaviours?
• help young people to negotiate the challenges of today’s society?

So far, very little detail has been released regarding the scope or development process of the announced National Strategy for Young Australians. Many youth organisations, including the Australian Youth Affairs Coalition, the national youth affairs peak, have been taken by surprise by the announcement.

The PM’s new Youth Blog can be found at http://www.pm.gov.au/PM_Connect/PMs_Blog/Youth_Blog.

Update (14 Sep 2009): Apparently, the Youth Blog will only run for two weeks, until 25 September 2009.

Update (15 Sep 2009): Bella Counihan delivers a damning assessment of the new youth blog over at The Age’s National Times: http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/politics/why-rudd-gets-an-f-for-yoof-20090914-fnk8.html, remarking that it is both condescending and elitist.

ActNow is on the lookout for its next Cash for Comments team.

The Cash for Comments team is a crew of young people (aged 16-25) commissioned to create written and multimedia content on current issues for the ActNow website.

Members of the Cash for Comments team will have the opportunity to:

• Receive face-to-face training in content development (writing, video and photography)
• Pitch ideas and create content for ActNow for a 4 month period
• Have their work published on the ActNow website
• Have their work syndicated in other media
• Get paid for their work.

To apply, send your application to actnow@inspire.org.au. It should consist of:

• A 300 word opinion piece;
• 1-2 minute video; OR
• A photo gallery with 3-5 images and a 100 word story attached

On the topic: “The biggest challenge that Australia faces is….”

Additionally, include a résumé and 200 words about yourself in any style.

For further information, see http://www.actnow.com.au/Action/Get_paid_to_create_content_for_ActNow.aspx.

Applications close Friday 18th September, 2009.

Vibewire Youth Inc. is offering individuals or organisations launching a creative project or social enterprise the opportunity to have a sponsored Residency at the Vibewire Enterprise Hub, in Ultimo (near Central Station) Sydney.

The Residency Program gives groups a desk, meeting space, internet access and printer in a shared office with like-minded people and projects.

The usual cost of $300/month will be covered by a sponsor who will also provide support and advice during the incubation period.

Current residents include:

• The Oaktree Foundation
• Frank Team
• Nomadic Hands
• Creative Political Action Network

Applicants must:

• Be aged 18 – 30
• Devote a minimum 10 hrs/week to develop the projects at the Enterprise Hub, for a minimum of 3 months
• Agree to meet with their sponsor once a month with progress updates
• Demonstrate focus and ability to sustainably develop their projects
• Have an entrepreneurial spirit and a strong passion for their project

For further information, see http://vibewire.org/residency-program/. To apply online, see http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dDU3aUZ6ODFhTWhyQmViUnJTeE1ZOXc6MA.

Applications close Wednesday, 23 September, 2009.

The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) is calling on young Australians to apply for the second Australian Youth Forum (AYF) Youth Engagement Steering Committee.

The AYF, launched in October 2008, is an Australian Government initiative that provides ongoing communication and engagement between the Government, young people and the youth sector. The AYF provides young people with opportunities to be actively involved in the decision-making processes of Government.

Young Australians aged 15-24 years are invited to nominate for the Steering Committee. Applications can be made on an individual basis or as a representative of a youth-led organisation.

The Steering Committee is made up of eleven young people, who advise the Government on the ongoing development of the AYF and specific AYF activities and events.

A position on the Steering Committee will provide the opportunity to contribute to the future direction of the Australian Youth Forum (AYF), gain an insight into the working of the government, promote the AYF at events and be involved in discussions that are important to young people. This role requires active participation in the Steering Committee: participating in meetings, developing and contributing to reports and acting as an AYF ambassador at events and within your community.

Taking part in the Steering Committee is a 12-month commitment from the date of appointment. There are two appointment periods: October 2009 to September 2010, and April 2010 to March 2011. Five new members will be appointed in each period.

Young people appointed to the AYF Steering Committee will have all accommodation, travel and related costs associated with their involvement in the AYF paid for by the Australian Government.

For further information and to download an application form, see http://www.youth.gov.au/ayf/pages/steeringCommittee_app.htm.

Applications close Friday, 2 October, 2009.

Australian Human Rights Commission is looking for human rights advocates to nominate themselves or others for this year’s Human Rights Medals and Awards.

“Hundreds and thousands of Australians are working persistently around the country year in, year out, to improve the human rights of others and to promote a fairer place for all of us,” President Catherine Branson QC said.

“The Australian Human Rights Commission has been recognising these efforts since 1987 by awarding the Human Rights Medal and Awards to these quiet achievers without whose efforts, our country would be the poorer.

“If you know anyone, anywhere around the country who has been actively trying to protect and promote the human rights of others, nominate them before Friday 2 October.”

Nominations are being called for the Human Rights Medal and Young People’s Human Rights Medal and seven award categories: Law, Community (Organisation), Community (Individual), Literature (non-fiction), Print Media, Television and Radio.

For further information and to download a nomination form, see http://www.humanrights.gov.au/hr_awards/.

Nominations close Friday, 2 October, 2009.

ABC Heywire is searching for 40 young creative leaders from rural and regional Australia to tell their stories on the ABC and take part in the Heywire 2010 Forum in Canberra.

The Heywire competition is open to young people aged 16 – 22 living outside of Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney, Adelaide or Perth. To enter, create a story in any media – text, audio or video – about life in Australia outside the major cities. Successful stories are presented on the ABC through ABC Radio, triple j and ABC.net.au and winners also attend the Heywire Forum – a week-long all-expenses-paid trip – in Canberra in February 2009.

Entries are judged in the ABC Local Radio regions and one winner is chosen from each region for the calendar year.

For further information, see http://heywire.abc.net.au/. For further information on how to enter, and to download an entry form, see http://blogs.abc.net.au/heywire/how-to-participate.html.

Entries close 9 October, 2009.

The Brightest Young Minds Summit is on once again. This year’s Summit will be held from 27 September – 2 October at the University of Sydney.

The organisers explain: “Each year, the Brightest Young Minds brings together 100 of Australia’s brightest young people between the ages of 18-28 to work together and develop new social entrepreneurship initiatives, receiving mentoring from some of the country’s most inspiring business and community leaders.”

Applications are open to all young Australians aged 18-28, and close Sunday 2 August.

For further information and to apply online (as in previous years, there is a $25 application fee – though organisers promise that successful applicants will not bear any further cost for their participation at the Summit), see http://www.bym.com.au/. The BYM Foundation have also produced a nifty YouTube video: