Speaking Up: Young people influencing change

Today, young people have opportunities to participate in community life and politics in many different ways. But it hasn’t always been like this.

This Game Changers Conversation will delve into the issues close to young people’s hearts, and explore the ways that they get their voices and messages heard.

We'll examine the questions:

• How are young people finding their voice within the current political system?
• How has the digital age impacted youth participation?
• How effective are new communication methods in influencing change?

Speakers

Hear from community activists and leaders:

• Lorraine Ngwenya (moderator), Founder/Director of Useful Link
  Lorraine is a speaker, advocate and entrepreneur, and founder of Useful Link, an organisation that seeks to empower young people in areas of employment, personal development and leadership. 
• Nevena Spirovska, Feminist and Online activist
  Nevena is a political and social change campaigner based in Melbourne. Her activism is centred around drug-law reform, gender equality, and homelessness advocacy. Nevena is involved with the National Homeless Collective, Unharm!, Victorian Aids Council Committee and the Melbourne Period Project.
• Bobuq Sayed, Youth Peer Leader at Drummond Street Services
  Bobuq is a writer, multidisciplinary artist and community organiser of the Afghan diaspora. He co-edits Archer Magazine and founded the QTPoC activist collective, Colour Tongues. Bobuq's work has appeared in Kill Your Darlings, Black Girl Dangerous, Overland, Lifted Brow, Peril and Vice Australia.
• Tarneen Onus-Williams, Member of Warriors of the Aboriginal Resistance
  Tarneen is a blak queer women who lives on the stolen land of the Wurundjeri people here in Narrm. She has been a driving force behind rallies, including Stop the Forced Closures of Aboriginal Communities in WA, Justice for Elijah and Invasion Day.

Register

This event is free and open to the whole community.

Register now

About the Game Changers Conversation Series

The Game Changers Conversation series presents pivotal ideas, personalities and moments in Australia's evolving story for public discussion and debate.

It is a project of the Footscray University Town initiative – a partnership between Maribyrnong City Council and Victoria University that sees education, jobs, creativity and opportunity at the heart of the future of Footscray.