Program

Browse this year’s conference program and learn how you can get involved by having meaningful conversations and collaborative solutions to support the successful settlement and active participation of young people from refugee and migrant backgrounds.

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Monday 27th November: Joint Reception MYAN x Social Policy Group

Hotel Realm- National Ballroom 2
17.30 – 18.00	Attendance
18:30 – 19.00	Welcome to Country By Aunty Violet Sheridan, Ngunnawal Elder
19.00 – 19.15	Artist Performance By MCKY
19:15 – 19.45	Reception Opening Remarks By Hon Andrew Giles MP and Dr Anne Aly MP
19.45 – 20.15	Shaping the Future of Australian Multiculturalism: Realising Potential Through Multicultural Youth Participation Panelists Dr Bulent Hass Dellal AO – Executive Director, Australian Multicultural Foundation Ms Christine Castley – Chief Executive Officer, Multicultural Australia Ms Nyadol Nyuon OAM – Chair, Harmony Alliance and Director, Sir Zelman Cowen Centre Moderator – Kate Yeung
20.15 – 21:00	Networking
21:00	Reception Concludes

Tuesday 28th November: MYAN National Multicultural Youth Conference

Old Parliament House – Members Dining Room 2 & 3
9.00 – 9.30	Registration and Morning Tea
9.30 – 9.50	Welcome to Country By Aunty Violet Sheridan, Ngunnawal Elder
9.50 – 10.05	Welcome By Carmel Guerra OAM Director and Chief Executive Officer, Centre for Multicultural Youth and Chair, Multicultural Youth Advocacy Network
10.05 – 10.25	Keynote: Complementary Refugee Pathways – Education and Employment Samah Shda – Refugee Education Researcher & Refugee Engagement Expert UNSWModerator – Kenny Duke
10.25 – 11.05	Panel 1: Resilience beyond borders: Fostering Multicultural Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing Emily Unity – Mental Health Advocate, Lived Experience Lead, The Royal Children’s Hospital Jason Trethowan – Chief Executive Officer, Headspace Matthew Short – Assistant Secretary of Mental Health Services Branch, Department of Health and Aged Care Moderators – Alia Haider & Grace Edward
11.05 – 11.15	Artist Performance By Momposina Colombian Dance Group
11.15 – 11.35	Opening Remarks By Hon Andrew Giles MP
11.35 – 12.15	Panel 2: Youth Shaping Tomorrow – Empowering Global Engagement Adrian Edwards – UNHCR Regional Representative – Australia, NZ, PNG & Pacific Island States Noor Azizah – Co-founder and Director of Advocacy, International Relations, and Women’s Leadership at the Rohingya Maìyafuìnor Collaborative Network Andrew Kiley – First Assistant Secretary, Refugee, Humanitarian and Settlement Division Department of Home Affairs Moderators – Khushal Shah & Hanienah Husna
12.15 – 13.00	Lunch Break

	Members Dining Room 2	Members Dining Room 3
13:00 – 13:45	Panel 3A: Navigating education pathways for success Dr Sally Baker – Associate Professor of Migration and Education, Australian National University Ben Rimmer – Deputy Secretary Higher Education, Research and International Group, Department of Education Soo-Lin Quek – Executive Manager, Policy, Sector & Business Development, Centre for Multicultural Youth Dr. Teresa De Fazio OAM – Chairperson, Adult Community and Further Education (ACFE), Director, Intersect Global Partners Moderators – Fatima Raza & Ajar Sana	Panel 3B: Nurturing belonging, fostering connection, and inspiring active participation Zakia Patel – Regional Managing Director, Multicultural Hub Canberra & Regional NSW Sandy Mckiernan – Chief Executive Officer, Youth Affairs Council of Western Australia Sally Thompson – Executive Manager, Migrant Resource Centre Tasmania Carmel Guerra OAM – Director and Chief Executive Officer, Centre for Multicultural Youth Selam Kumlachew – Seat at the Table Youth Trainee, YACWA Moderator – Etabez Donato
13:45 – 14:30	Panel 4A: Breaking barriers: Navigating Intersectionality in Access to Essential Services Mohamed Al Abri -Board Director, Forcibly Displaced People Network (FDPN) Shabnam Safa -Community Development Training Lead, Community Refugee Sponsorship Australia Sandra Elhelw Wright – Chief Executive Officer, The Settlement Council of Australia (SCoA) Kwame Selormey – Director, Melaleuca Australia Moderators – Mac Zamani & Cindy Liu	Panel 4B: Empowering futures: navigating employment pathways Osmond Chiu – Senior Policy & Research Officer, Community and Public Sector Union (PSU Group) Caitlin Figueiredo – Co-Chair, Australian Youth Affairs Coalition, founder and Chief Executive Officer, Jasiri Australia Louna Ghawi – Australia and New Zealand Director of Operations, Talent Beyond Boundaries Joseph Youhana – Country Director, Host International Moderators – Sadeqa Sarvari & Nayonika Bhattacharya
14.30 – 15:00	Tea Break

Members Dining Room 2 & 3
15.00 – 15.30	Keynote: AI Influence in Education and Employment Carla Wilshire – Chief Executive Officer, The Social Policy GroupModerator – Nayonika Battacharya
15:30 – 16:00	Visual Artist Presentation Luke Fox – Bondi Advertising
16.00 – 16.30	Closing Remarks Rana Ebrahimi – National Manager, Multicultural Youth Advocacy Network (MYAN)
16.30 – 17.00	Conference Concludes