youth committee for the hunter

WhAT is the Youth Committee for the HunteR?

The Youth Committee for the Hunter was established in 2021 to provide a unified voice for young people living in the Hunter.

As a diverse group of highly motivated young people and with representation crossing the Lower and Upper Hunter and a range of communities, the Youth Committee is fast becoming the go to for advice on youth matters in the region.

We are seeking partners who can help achieve the full potential of the Youth Committee, by providing annual sponsorship for 2023/24. There are a range of sponsorship options we can explore aligned to your organisation’s values, priorities and budgets. These include funding linked to a particular activity, a donation to deliver across the annual program, or pro bono support for the signature research publication.

Now is the time to get behind the young people of the Hunter, help raise awareness of the issues that matter and get their priorities to the centre of decisions. Imagine what the Youth Committee can achieve for the region and our young leaders of tomorrow with more support and resources.

Please refer to the Youth Sponsorship Prospectus for more information.

Current members:

  • Dylan Shoesmith – Lake Macquarie
  • Joel Mackaway – Singleton
  • Claire Bertholli – Newcastle
  • Isaac Conway – Maitland
  • Melanie Gibson – Maitland
  • Kelsey Gray – Lake Macquarie
  • Shaun Guilfoyle – Cessnock City Council
  • Myles Egan – Singleton

YOUTH VOICE HUNTER

YOUTH VOICE 2022 SURVEY REPORT

In 2020 the Youth Committee launched the Youth Voice Hunter survey, to better understand the aspirations, perspectives and ideas of young people. The survey was open to youth across the ten local government areas of the Hunter of Cessnock, Dungog, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, MidCoast, Muswellbrook, Newcastle, Port Stephens, Singleton, and Upper Hunter.
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We are pleased to share the results with government, regional leaders, stakeholders and communities to help give young people a louder voice and a bigger role in shaping the Hunter’s future.

December 2021: Media Release – #youthvoicehunter

15 December 2021: Media Release – #youthvoicehunter

The Youth Committee for the Hunter is excited to launch the ‘Youth Voice Hunter’ campaign, the Hunter’s largest youth online survey which will collect the perspectives, ambitions and aspirations of people aged 15-29 across the Hunter.

The online survey will run from 13 December to 23 January and will provide a clear youth voice in the upcoming federal and state elections. Prizes will be on offer for participants who complete the survey.

“The Hunter has found itself at a crossroads,” said Dylan Shoesmith, a member of the Youth Committee for the Hunter.

“It is crucial that we make the case now of what needs to be done so that the Hunter can enjoy continued growth and prosperity into the future. It will be young people in the Hunter who will either reap the benefits or suffer the consequences of the decisions governments make today.”

Alice Thompson, CEO of the Committee for the Hunter, welcomed the opportunity to facilitate the Youth Committee’s advocacy campaign.

“As a future-focused organisation, it is vital that the Committee engages with young people across the region and advocates for the issues that matter to them. We must try harder as a region to help their voices to be heard and give them a role in shaping our region’s bright future.” said Ms Thompson.

The survey available on the Committee for the Hunter’s website on the youth committee page, and is open to young people across the ten Hunter local government areas of Cessnock, Dungog, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Mid Coast, Muswellbrook, Newcastle, Port Stephens, Singleton, and Upper Hunter.

The results of the survey will help to inform advocacy programs and government submissions by the Committee for the Hunter.

Media contact:
Alice Thompson
CEO
Committee for the Hunter
0490 688 125
ceo@hunter.org.au

May 2021: Media Release – Youth Committee for the Hunter

May 2021: Media Release – Youth Committee for the Hunter

Following a successful recruitment drive across the whole of the Hunter region, the Committee for the Hunter has appointed the first nine members of its inaugural Youth Committee for the Hunter.

The Youth Committee delivers on the Committee for the Hunter’s commitment to expand opportunities for young people and provide them with a voice on regional priorities.

The Youth Committee is a diverse group of motivated young people who are engaged in the issues affecting young people and the region and are committed to working collaboratively to do something about these.

The Committee for the Hunter is pleased to introduce the 2021 Youth Committee members:

  • Lauren Armstrong – Newcastle
  • Claire Bertholli – Newcastle
  • Isaac Conway – Port Stephens
  • Melanie Gibson – Maitland
  • Kelsey Gray Lake – Macquarie
  • Shaun Guilfoyle – Cessnock City Council
  • Ryan Maginnity – Lake Macquarie
  • Gabriella Maughan – Newcastle
  • Dylan Shoesmith – Lake Macquarie

Selection panel member, Wayne Johnson, ARTC Group Executive Hunter Valley Network, Hunter Valley, said that the announcement of the members of the Youth Committee for the Hunter is a positive and exciting step toward ensuring the youth in the region can impact our future initiatives.

“I applaud the enthusiasm and commitment the inaugural members of the Youth Committee bring to this important platform. ARTC sees this as a powerful opportunity for the young people of the community to help shape the future,” said Mr Johnson.

The group will convene its first meeting in May, where it will agree its terms of reference and nominate a representative to serve as a director of the Committee for the Hunter, giving young people a voice on the board.

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Media contact:

Alice Thompson
CEO
Committee for the Hunter
0490 688 125
ceo at hunter dot org dot au