On Wednesday, 5 February 2025, the Office for Youth hosted the National Youth Forum in Canberra at the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House. The forum was a key initiative under the Australian Government’s new youth engagement strategy, Engage!, which aims to actively involve young people in shaping national policies and decisions. 

MYAN was proud to bring three youth advocates to the forum, solidifying MYAN’s impact in shaping policy and advocacy for young multicultural Australians.  

A Platform for Youth Engagement 

The forum brought together young people from across Australia to share ideas, develop leadership skills, and directly engage with senior public servants and non-government representatives. The event was opened by the Minister for Youth, Hon Dr Anne Aly, who emphasized the importance of youth voices in government decision-making. Discussions were informed by insights from the 2023 National Youth Consultations, with additional guidance from the Youth Steering Committee and the Intergovernmental Coordination Committee for Youth. 

The 2025 forum placed a strong emphasis on challenges faced by young people in rural, regional, and remote (RRR) communities. A key highlight was the Policy Hackathon, where participants collaborated with government agencies to develop policy solutions on critical issues affecting these communities. 

Three Policy Hackathon streams were held concurrently, each focusing on a different aspect of rural and regional development: 

• Department of Education: Supporting RRR young people in accessing and aspiring to tertiary education. 
• Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries: Building social resilience in communities to support young people during droughts. 
• National Emergency Management Agency – NEMA: Enhancing youth involvement in disaster resilience and recovery efforts. 

To prepare participants, a design-thinking masterclass was conducted online by Capire Consulting Group on 22 February 2025, providing young people with problem-solving skills to effectively contribute to the hackathon. 

The forum also featured workshops aligned with the hackathon topics, where government agencies and external stakeholders presented key insights and facilitated discussions. Additionally, a Youth Panel provided an opportunity for members of the Youth Steering Committee and Youth Advisory Group to share their experiences and highlight opportunities available through the Office for Youth.

“The National Youth Forum 2025 was an incredible opportunity to collaborate with young leaders and policymakers on issues affecting rural, regional, and remote communities. Seeing government agencies actively engage with our proposals was encouraging and reinforced that meaningful youth policy must be rooted in the lived experiences of those it affects.” – Tess, MYAN YAG member 

The Office for Youth reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that the contributions made at the forum would have a tangible impact. A follow-up mechanism was established to keep attendees informed on how their ideas and proposals are being integrated into government decision-making. 

The National Youth Forum 2025 successfully empowered young Australians by giving them a direct voice in policy discussions, particularly on issues affecting rural, regional, and remote communities. By fostering collaboration between youth and government, the forum played a crucial role in shaping policies that reflect the needs and aspirations of Australia’s young people.