Thursday 31 October 2024 – for immediate release
Improving the lives of children and young people can only be achieved if we hear and act on their voices. This was a key theme of the annual report of the Commission for Children and Young People, tabled in the Parliament of Victoria today.
‘The voices, ideas, knowledge and experience of children and young people have been at the core of the Commission’s work this year, recognising there can be no effective solutions to the challenges they face without their say,’ said Liana Buchanan, Principal Commissioner for Children and Young People, today.
The recruitment of new youth project officers and new Youth Council members was integral in shaping and delivering the Commission’s work in 2023–24.
Children and young people were at the heart of the Commission’s inquiry work, not only as consultation participants but at each step of the process, from planning through to drafting recommendations. Youth Council members have gone on to share the inquiry findings alongside commissioners and gave evidence to a Victorian Parliament inquiry into the state education system as well as to the Yoorrook Justice Commission hearings.
More broadly, Youth Council members joined our commissioners in presenting and delivering speeches, and in calling for improvements to the education system recommended by the Commission’s Let us learn inquiry. As a result of this work, decision-makers and other leaders heard directly from children and young people on the issues affecting them.
‘This year it has been my privilege to listen to many Aboriginal children and young people on education and across the range of the Commission’s work. Their voices play a central role in fostering the self-determination that we know is a vital part of the solution to the challenges they face,’ said Meena Singh, Commissioner for Aboriginal Children and Young People, today.
The Commission’s work with the South Sudanese Australian Youth Justice Expert Working Group also continued to be guided this year by a Youth Advisory Group. Four youth forums were held to better understand the experiences of South Sudanese Australian young people, with their perspectives reflected in the first Youth Forums report published this year.
Youth project officers and Youth Council members were also active in shaping the monitoring of residential care, policy submissions and how the Commission promotes compliance with the Child Safe Standards.
‘We continue to translate our lived experience into expertise to support the Youth Council and enhance the Commission’s engagement with children,’ the Commission’s youth project officers Conor and Amelia said.
‘We are excited to continue our collective work to build upon our engagement with children and young people across Victoria.’
A new Youth Voices platform on the Commission’s website was among the expanded platforms the Commission developed to ensure the voices of young people are heard.
‘As the Commission strives to weave the voices and views of children and young people through the fabric of our work, we look forward to seeing governments and other organisations do the same. There can be no questions that our decisions, policies and services will be the better for it,’ Commissioner Buchanan concluded.
Download the Commission’s annual report.
For interview:
Liana Buchanan
Principal Commissioner for Children and Young People
Media contact:
Bree Furlong
0438 346 029