Jayden Delbridge from St Peters Catholic College, representing Wyong, has been elected Leader of the Opposition in the Upper House for the 2022 Y NSW Youth Parliament.
Jayden and more than 75 other young people from across NSW and the ACT gathered over the recent long weekend to train up for a “takeover” of the Legislative Council at NSW Parliament in July.
Other Central Coast representatives were Year 10 student Janine Southwell from Terrigal, who attends Central Coast Grammar School, and Year 11 student Matilda Halliday from Umina Beach, who attends Brisbane Water Secondary College.
The Y NSW Youth Parliament Training Camp is the first step in a political education journey for the teenagers who packed their overnight bags to be trained as members of the NSW Legislative Council.
The near year-long program for young people in years 10, 11 and 12 or of equivalent age throughout the state has been running for 20 years in 2022.
The students participating are drawn together by one common passion: they want their voices heard on issues that matter most to them and they are powerful advocates for their communities.
Jayden, who also did the program last year, said the rewards were great.
“It’s one thing to give youth a platform where they can share their ideas and their visions, but to actually see them practice and actually live it out, you just want to keep coming back again,” he said.
“It’s my last year this year and it’s a bit sad, but you know I’m motivated to help improve the lives of my fellow young people as much as I can.
“I think that the skills we learn and meeting the members of parliament and getting connections (can be taken) back to your community and (help) make programs that really make a difference.”
Jayden said improving the lives of school students who spend 13 years of their lives at school and the education system was at the top of my wish list this year.
“I think young people … get ignored way to often and so I think a debate just for young people, where young people are at the centre of politicians’ attention, is something really beneficial for all of us.”
YOUTH ACTION NSW CEO, Kate Munroe, said seeing the energy and insight of the young people, and their willingness to learn about an advocacy process and really engage with it, was exciting.
“I’m really glad that these young people are going to be the decision makers of the future who make decisions about me as I age,” she said.
“I’m very hopeful about what this group will do as they become future decision makers.”
Civic leaders who have emerged from Youth Parliament programs across Australia include NSW Fair Work commissioners and State Government Ministers including Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, the Arts and Regional Youth, Ben Franklin.
This was the first step in the program for the participants, who work on their Bills through a series of committee meetings.
They will receive ongoing mentoring from state politicians and other civic leaders and advocacy professionals and will come together in early July for a week-long residential camp.
Their hard work will culminate when they debate their Bills in a four-day sitting week in NSW Parliament.
Source:
Media release, May 1
Y NSW Youth Parliament