Online Networking for Young Activists

A new website will connect youth-led organisations and leaders.

A networking and collaboration website connecting emerging youth-led organisations and leaders has been launched by the Australian Youth Affairs Coalition (AYAC).

Developed by AYAC with support from the Australian Youth Forum, youthled.org.au is described as a space for young people to connect, collaborate and learn from each other.

“The youth led movement is one valuable way young people are promoting social change,” AYAC’s Executive Director Andrew Cummings said.

“Young people’s participation in Australia’s public policy debates is vital to the future of our democracy. Young people need to be supported to make their contribution,” Cummings said.

The Left Right Think-Tank is one such youth-led organisation. Their Chief Policy Officer – and one of the promoters of the new site – Conrad Liveris said, “This is a liberating project for young people. Never has the youth-led sector had an opportunity to connect so many young entrepreneurs and leaders.

“As promoters of AYAC and the youth led movement, we want to see youthled.org.au connect and guide current and future leaders to achieve their goals.

“Young people’s ideas are powerful and this forum will give them an opportunity to discuss them with each other while learning and growing from each other’s experiences – irrespective of region or organisation,” Conrad said.

AYAC says many young people involved in youth led organisations are very busy with work and study, so youthled.org.au promises to help combat this by providing an online forum for young people to share resources and ideas.

Well known youth led organisations include the Australian Youth Climate Coalition, which boasts a membership of over 80,000 young Australians and the Oaktree Foundation, which empowers Australian young people to take action on poverty through projects such as “Live Below the Line”.

AYAC says there are at least 100 youth led organisations around the country that work on social justice initiatives, create media, operate charities and start up new social enterprises.

It says several youth led organisations have more members than any of the major political parties, with young people now creating their own space for political participation and social inclusion.