To contact Heywire or any of the groups, please contact: Heywire Regional Dan Hirst, Executive Producer, Heywire, ABC Radio, GPO Box 9994 Melbourne 3001 Phone 03 9626 1861 Youth Summit Email [email protected] 2012 Facebook facebook.com/abcheywire Twitter @heywire At this year’s summit, 35 Heywirers presented nine ideas for improving regional Australia for young people. Table of Contents About Heywire 1 About Heywire ABC Radio’s Heywire Regional Youth During the week, participants It is the ABC’s partnership with the Summit has been held annually in undertake leadership and community Australian Government that makes 2 Introduction Canberra since 1998, in partnership building activities, and meet with Heywire possible. The Heywire Proposals with the Australian Government. It is members of parliament, Government Government partners are: the the culmination of the Heywire and community leaders. The Rural Industries Research and competition – open to people aged Heywirers share their views about Development Corporation; the 4 Alcohol and Youth Violence Group D.A.Y.V. (Drugs Alcohol Youth Violence) 16-22, living in regional or rural the issues that matter to them, and Department of Agriculture, Fisheries Australia, and designed to involve them work together to develop creative and Forestry; the Department of 6 Indigenous Heritage and Education Group Blacktracker in a national conversation. Heywire project ideas to improve the lives of Education, Employment and encourages young people to tell stories young people in regional Australia. Workplace Relations; the 8 Impact of Mining on Regional Australia Group about life outside the major cities in Department of Health and Ageing; Fly In - Stay In Highlights for the Summit text, photo, video or audio format. Over participants include: and the Department of Regional Education in Regional Schools Group the past 14 years more than 7,000 young Australia, Local Government 10 > Morning tea at Parliament House Helping teachers to help students Australians have taken part. Arts and Sport. to meet their local members 12 Immigration, Inclusion and Regional Communities Group Every year each ABC regional station > Meeting the Minister for Agriculture, Building Community Connections chooses a winning entry to represent Fisheries and Forestry their region. The winning stories are 14 Small Town Survival Group > The opportunity to sit in on Student Swap professionally produced by the ABC Question Time and featured on ABC Local Radio, Opportunities in Agriculture Group > Visits to ABC Canberra and the 16 triplej, Radio National, Radio Australia, AGRI-gate Australian War Memorial ABC TV and abc.net.au. Transport, Driving and Regional Roads Group > The opportunity to be part 18 The 35 winners are invited to take part National Learning Requirements of a live-to-air forum on in the Heywire Regional Youth Summit, ABC Radio National 20 Mental Health Group held each February in Canberra. The Opening Minds > The chance to pitch project proposals goal of the Summit is to give young to an esteemed audience people the skills to have their voices heard, not just on the ABC, but also in their communities and in Canberra. 1 Dividing into nine groups we were able abl Several groups have already entered TheThe 2012 HHeywire i RRegional i l to tackle what we believe are some intointo discussions with government of the most pressing issues: alcohol departments, NGOs, the ABC and majorm and youth violence; Indigenous heritage; corporationsti about b t getting tti these th ideas id YouthYou Summit provided 35 education in regional schools; young off the ground. drivers; immigration and inclusion; This demonstrates the vast potential the survival of small towns; mental that has been captured in this booklet. health; the impacts of mining and youngyou Australians with the If you have further questions or are opportunities in agriculture. interested in seeing these proposals In one of our first pitch rehearsals, become a reality, please contact us. chancecha to inspire change. the Indigenous Heritage group said, It is our hope that we will see these “I could tell you my story, or I could issues come to the forefront of the show you!” In FebruaryFebruar we travelled to Canberra to Every Heywire winner has a compelling national psyche and see change that This statement perfectly sums up the meetmeet our fellow Heywire winners from story and a unique perspective, and by improves the lives of young people in message of the Heywire Summit. across thethe nation, but we were unaware giving us the opportunity to ‘tell it like it regional Australia. of the whirlwindwhi week of innovation that is,’ we have been able to create solutions People do not want to be told what to lay aheadahead of us. to issues that affect thousands of young do, they want to see how it will work and understand why it is a good idea. Some ofof usu had driven for a few hours, people in regional Australia. from placesplac like Merimbula, NSW; We journeyed to Canberra with a series The proposals in this booklet are others hadha caught multiple flights and of issues to discuss, issues we felt not just ideas; we believe they are Melody Pedler travelled thousands of kilometres, from passionately about, and a desire to practical solutions. Jondaryan, Queensland. AnnaAnna PlainsPla Station in the Kimberley or see change in our communities. Southern Queensland Heywire winner Hodgson Downs in the Top End. On behalf of all 2012 Heywire winners 2 3 “I have seen way too many of my friends GROUP MEMBERS either end up in accidents, or do things Alpha Capaque Darwin NT they come to regret because of drugs Michael Lam and alcohol...” Townsville Qld Courtney Muller, Merimbula NSW James Grills Ballarat Vic Brian Allen Chiltern Vic Courtney Muller Merimbula NSW Alcohol and Youth Violence Group Personal Accounts Proposal: D.A.Y.V. (Drugs Alcohol Youth Violence) Youth violence. Young people The Department of Health The DAYV youth ambassadors will tour and Aging, during the 2008 – 2010 schools around Australia and engage in juvenile detention centres. National Binge Drinking Campaign, their peers through interactive Sexual assault. Vandalism. reported: workshops and forums. This will give Community outrage. > Four Australians under 25 die due them the chance to connect with young people and target those who need Nightmares after a night out to alcohol related injuries in an average week. guidance the most. A website that will goes wrong. In this group alone, > One in two Australians aged 15-17 be set up will also serve as an online support network to foster relationships we have seen all of these issues who get drunk will do something When I was 14, someone I’ve I have seen way too many of my I am sick and tired of being they regret. between the DAYV youth ambassadors occur as a direct result of drug and young people. grown up with was sexually friends either end up in accidents, hassled to have a ‘drink’. I am 17 and alcohol use by our friends > 70 Australians under 25 will be assaulted after a night of drinking or do things they come to regret years old and I love playing sport hospitalised due to alcohol-related We believe that this peer-to-peer with some “friends”. This has because of drugs and alcohol and and keeping fit. I don’t want to and peers. It’s alarming but it’s assault in an average week. strategy will be more effective in shaped my attitude towards I realised there was no reason for ‘drink’ but I do want to go to > On average, 1 in 4 hospitalisations influencing and motivating young the reality in Australia. alcohol and I have never been them or myself to be drinking it in parties with my friends and enjoy of people aged 15-24 happen people to make informed choices because of alcohol. when it comes to drinking alcohol - afraid to hold my hand up and the first place, especially since we being young. There is alcohol at and to make the right ones. say “No” since. I hope to share aren’t of the legal age yet. most young people’s parties and It’s time for a change. Be bold. Be brave. Support DAYV. this strength with other young Courtney Muller, Merimbula NSW I get offered ‘drinks’ all night. Our proposal is an online people to remind them that Peer pressure makes it extremely competition called DAYV (Drugs, they have a choice, because a hard to say, “No.” Alcohol, Youth Violence). The Next steps competition will invite young people single mistake has the potential Brian Allen, Chiltern Vic The Northern Territory Early Intervention to leave a permanent scar in from all over Australia to share Pilot Program (NTEIPP) and the Indigo someone’s life. their stories about their experiences Shire have expressed interest in the with alcohol and drugs. project. We will pursue these contacts Alpha Capaque, Darwin NT While many stories can be negative, and hope to work with them in we also want to encourage stories developing and promoting the that show the positive outcomes of competition and website. Other not drinking or using drugs. These organisations and campaigns we are positive stories will show young seeking to partner with include Hello people that there is an alternative to Sunday Morning. drinking and drug use. Winners from each state and territory will be chosen every year and will be given a week long residential training. Through the training, they will be empowered with the appropriate skills to become youth ambassadors who take a stand 4 against using these substances. 5 “I come from a small community 250km GROUP MEMBERS east of Katherine called Hodgson Downs Lance Ashley Hodgson Downs NT or Miniyeri.