Policy Advocates

What is it?

The Commissioner has partnered with YMCA’s Youth Parliament Program to build a platform for young people who are interested in advocacy and policy creation.

Program participants experience meaningful opportunities to be directly involved in the advocacy and policy work of the Commissioner. They will develop advocacy plans for bills they worked on during their time with YMCA’s Youth Parliament Program, and will contribute to the broader agenda of empowering and supporting young people to influence the social policy direction of the State.

The Policy Advocates program provides young people with an opportunity to learn about the different ways there are to affect change, both within and outside our political system. It will demonstrate the important role technology can play in future policy direction, creation and governance, and will develop the skills required for young people to effectively represent their peers in an advocacy role.

Policy Advocates will build on the skills and knowledge they developed while they were in Youth Parliament, deepening their capabilities in an advocacy and campaign space. They will also strengthen their negotiation and teamwork skills as they learn to apply ‘new power’ skills and ‘design thinking’ to problem solving.

Participants will be required to formally apply for a program place, and will need to have completed YMCA’s Youth Parliament Program to be considered.

Project Aims & Outputs

1. To provide a genuine and authentic hands on experience that takes each participant a proposal from idea to reality.
2. To understand aspects of the Australian democratic process that lie outside the parliamentary system and how to achieve change within it.
3. To directly involve young people in the advocacy and policy work of the Commissioner.
4. To provide young people with exposure to new ways of thinking and mobilizing young people to be involved in the democratic policy procedures.
5. To provide young people with an opportunity to achieve individual aspirations and goals and fulfil personal development plans that lead to a  formal certification upon completion.