OUR WORK WITH YOUNG PEOPLE
MYAN engages young people from around Australia, inclusive of regional areas, through state/territory youth advisory structures. We support young people to represent the rights and interests of young people from refugee and migrant backgrounds nationally and internationally. We do this by appointing and supporting the National Youth Ambassadors Network and hosting the national multicultural youth leadership summit, FUSE.
YOUTH AMBASSADORS NETWORK
The YAN to MYAN Australia was established in 2015 as a key mechanism for young people from across Australia to engage directly with, inform the work of the MYAN and promote positive change in the lives of young people from refugee and migrant backgrounds across Australia. Appointed through a selection process, the YAN are young leaders working within their state or territory and in the national arena through MYAN Australia. The YAN meet regularly through online platforms and annually in person. The YAN also plays a central role in planning and delivering FUSE (MYAN’s bi-annual national multicultural youth summit).
Supported through MYAN Australia and our state and territory partners, YAN members are active advocates and actors working to influence the national agenda for young people from refugee and migrant backgrounds.
The YAN are not representatives of all refugee and migrant young people in their state or territory, but provide a perspective of young refugee and migrant Australians to MYAN Australia. They also work on practical activities within their state or territory and serve as advocates, amplifying the voice of others, in a range of national and state/territory forums.
I am thrilled and humbled to be a part of the YAN representing NSW. I am honoured to learn from diverse young people and ensure their voices are heard and taken seriously. I have had wonderful opportunities to volunteer for MYAN and Bankstown Intensive English Centre, and for RacetoRaise fundraising for a Sri Lankan village. I have also been selected to attend the University Scholarships leadership Symposium and the Peace Summit at the United Nations. I am eager to grow in this role and hopefully create a meaningful, sustainable impact with the YAN cohort.
New South Wales
22 | South Indian
“When I dare to be powerful, to use my strength in the service of my vision,
then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.” - Audre Lorde
I am a proud Samoan/Chinese-Fijian passionate about the power of storytelling in creating social change. During my studies, I played a key role in establishing The University of Queensland’s first ever South Pacific Islander Association (UQSPIA) and was the first female to be elected president of the Asia Pacific Youth Parliament for Water, held in South Korea in 2017. Since attending FUSE 2019 I have joined the Multicultural Youth Queensland Council advocating for young people from migrant and refugee backgrounds.
Today I am serving as the Brisbane Coordinator for a group of young community leaders known as the Pacific Climate Warriors. By elevating the stories of those on the front-lines of the climate crisis, we are shifting the power to First Nations people and changing the narrative of Pasifika people from mere victims of climate change to warriors of the Pacific.
Queensland
25 | Samoan/Chinese-Fijian
“Love anyway. Love even though. Love just because.” - Anon
I’ve been finishing year 12 this year whilst doing a Certificate II in construction training, and after I graduate my aim is to gain an apprenticeship to be a boilermaker. As part of the National Youth Week Film competition 2017, I was one of five young people invited to Melbourne for a filmmaking workshop. There I produced a short film about my life story and my passion for music and this was aired on SBS VICELAND and NITV. I really value staying positive and believe that you should never let someone else put you down. Being part of the YAN is an amazing opportunity for me, because I get to learn about leadership and advocating for young people whose voices are never heard enough in the community. I will help to empower them and stand by them so their voices can be heard.
Northern Territory
21 | Congolese
“Negativity may knock at your door, but that doesn’t mean you have to
let it in.” - Anonymous
I am currently studying a double degree in Law and Journalism, hoping to work in the human rights and refugee field. After watching my parents struggle with the repercussions of their journeys settling into Australia, I am adamant in working to ensure that immigrants and refugees are given the same opportunities as everyone else to exponentially grow. I am currently a part of the Global Youth Task Force with United Nations Women, where I represent Australia in the fight for gender equality across the globe. I further work with the Youth Affairs Council of WA as a Shout Out Speaker and as a youth consultant, delivering trainings to young leaders from refugee and migrant backgrounds to help them develop leadership skills.
Western Australia
19 | Muslim Palestinian Iraqi
“Happiness can be found in the darkest of times, if one only remembers
to turn on the light” – Albus Dumbledore
I am of Afghan Hazara Ethnicity and I am currently studying a Diploma of University Studies in Science at the University of Tasmania. I am passionate about volunteering and helping others, which led me to be a volunteer at the Migrant Resource Centre (MRC) North as an interpreter and helping drop-ins. I am a member of the Youth Advisory Network in MRC North and a MYAN member, as well as a member of Get Outside with Community Leaders program. Recently, I initiated a youth group Afghan Youth Association Network (AYAN) for young people in my community. I organise and plan events and recreation activities for them, such as International Women’s Day and Girl’s Day events, Sport tournaments and a Kite Festival. I am also a sporty person and play in a local futsal competition every Sunday night. Other hobbies of mine include travel, swimming and camping.
Tasmania
19 | Afghani
“Good thoughts, good words, good deeds” -Zoroaster
I’m in my second year of nursing and my third year of psychology and criminology at two different universities. I'm passionate about giving back to the community. I understand the struggle of coming from a refugee background and moving from a whole new country where everything is different. I am most proud about opening up a conversation within my community around the issue of racism. A big part of this has been through E-raced, which has been a steppingstone into turning an unmentionable issue such as racism into an everyday conversation through its aims to minimise racism one story at a time.
South Australia
22 | Congolese
I’m a very confident person and I want to instill confidence in other young people as well through the events and programs at MYAN. I also want to bring my facilitation skills and public speaking skills gained through my previous role as a UN Youth Facilitator and my roles in the AMRC’s (Australian Migrant Resource Centre) Youth Leadership program as a YAN representative as well. It is not often that organisations get young people from different states to work with each other so I’m looking forward to working with the YAN to deliver national youth events such as FUSE. I also want to share the issues that need to be heard in the “mainstream” society and work on actions to resolving them.
South Australia
26 | FIlipino/Iraqi
YAN2020
Get in touch with the YAN at myanprojects@myan.org.au
Follow the YAN’s activities on social media
Hosted by MYAN, FUSE is Australia’s bi-annual national multicultural youth leadership summit. With the themes Connect, Ignite and Trailblaze, FUSE is a unique and transformative opportunity for young Australians from refugee, migrant and asylum-seeking backgrounds to build and apply leadership and advocacy skills, expand their networks, and connect with peers from across Australia.
Over 3 days, delegates participate in skills-building workshops, hear from experienced advocates working in diverse sectors, explore key issues and solutions facing young people from refugee and migrant backgrounds, and engage with decision-makers and MPs from the state and federal level.
FUSE is designed to equip delegates with the skills, confidence, knowledge and networks to engage in creating changes in their local communities, and at the state and national levels. Post FUSE, delegates are supported to apply their skills and knowledge at the state and local levels through MYAN’s partners. Many have gone on to be leaders in their state/territory and have joined MYAN’s Youth Ambassador Network (YAN).
Join our Space4Youth
MYAN Space for Youth is an online group that is part of the Multicultural Youth Advocacy Network (Australia) – the national peak body on multicultural youth issues – Australia’s voice representing the needs and interests of young people from refugee and migrant backgrounds.
This group is for young people to connect with MYAN Australia for opportunities, relevant news and networks with other young people.
Subscribe to our youth-specific mailing list to keep updated on news, events and opportunities for young people!
LIFE IN AUSTRALIA: CELEBRATING YOUNG PEOPLE FROM REFUGEE AND MIGRANT BACKGROUNDS
MYAN’s short film series was launched at the MYAN conference in November 2017. The short films capture young people’s stories and experiences of settling in Australia. Produced in partnership with Dr David Corlett, acclaimed filmmaker and host of SBS’ Go Back To Where You Came From, the 9 films feature young people from refugee and migrant backgrounds talking about leaving their country, arriving in Australia, what helped them settle in Australia, belonging, identity and aspirations for the future. These films are part of MYAN’s resources supporting the National Youth Settlement Framework.
