Reshape Our Future: 2021 Youth Sector Conference

Reshape Our Future

Reshape Our Future is a 2-day youth sector conference, presented by YACVic from 11 – 12 August. Today’s generation of young people are facing uncertainty, inequity and unprecedented challenges. We need to take action now and Reshape Our Future.

Reshape Our Future was originally a hybrid event which would run both in-person and online at the same time across multiple locations, but due to COVID-19 restrictions, for the health and well-being of attendees, speakers, staff and the wider community, we have decided that the best way forward is to run Reshape Our Future’s 2-Day Youth Sector Conference as a 100% online event.

The online Reshape Our Future Youth Sector Conference will be delivered in an engaging and interactive way that facilitates connection and discussion in these difficult times, and allows for plenty of screen breaks.

With the feedback of young people, the Youth Forum will be postponed until COVID-19 restrictions allow us to run a safe in-person event. In the meantime, we will be running a free online event, 'Chill Out and Check In', on Friday 13 August from 11am to 1pm.

View our final program

We've put together an incredible line-up of speakers featuring young people, global experts on youth participation, digital youth work and also the Minister for Youth Ros Spence.

View our full program!

Download an accessible Word document version of the program

Location

Online - using HopIn

Youth Sector Conference - happening online!

The Youth Sector Conference brings together workers who support young people, policy-makers and thought leaders from multiple sectors, including young people, to discuss and address key challenges, build connections, and showcase the cutting-edge of youth work practice.

Youth Forum - postponed

The Youth Forum is entirely youth-led and youth-designed. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, we reached out to the young people registered and other young people to gather their preferences and ideas on how the event should be adjusted, and have determined that we should run it in-person at a later date.

However, we understand that the latest lockdown has been difficult and many young people wanted to connect, so we will be running a free online event, Chill Out and Check In, on Friday 13 August from 11am to 1pm. Have engaging conversations, play interactive games, catch some music performances and make new friends across the state!

Book Your Tickets Now

If you become a YACVic Member, you'll save 30% on tickets! Group tickets of six or more people will also save 20%.

Book your ticket to the Sector Conference

Become a YACVic member to save on your ticket

Stand united with young people as we strive for justice and champion young people’s rights. We support young people and workers who support young people with advocacy, training and resources to help you make a difference.

If you’re not a YACVic member yet, you’ll save money by becoming a member and purchasing a member-priced ticket.

Become a YACVic Member here

Free Tickets and Support

If you are someone who often misses out on these events due to financial hardship, work, cultural safety, transport or other barriers, we want you to come to Reshape Our Future and we encourage you to apply for a free ticket to attend.

We are committed to ensuring a diverse group of young people and youth workers attend Reshape Our Future, and recognise the barriers that some communities face such as the ticket cost, event access, or cultural safety.

That's why we are offering free tickets to cover your ticket, transport and any other costs we can cover to make the event inclusive and safe for you.

To apply for a free ticket, simply fill out this form.

If you have any questions, contact us at support@yacvic.org.au

Accessibility

YACVic takes access and inclusion seriously. We are committed to making every event as accessible as possible for all members of our community.

When you book your ticket, there is a list of accessibility needs which you can tick to ensure your needs are met. If you have an accessibility need that isn't listed, you can contact support@yacvic.org.au

If you have access needs, please let us know by 4 August 2021 to allow us enough time to book in the appropriate supports.

Download an accessible Word document version of the program

Download an access key for the online event

Acknowledgement of Country and Cultural Safety

We are committed to respecting this lore and creating a culturally safe event space.

Reshape Our Future will take place across the lands of the Aboriginal nations within Victoria and we pay our respects to Elders past and present. Bunjil’s lore states that those who walk on this land must care for the Country and waterways as well as for the children and young people. This always was and always will be Aboriginal land.

Code of Conduct

All participants, including attendees, speakers, staff and supervisors are expected to abide by our Code of Conduct during the event.

Contact Us

If you need further information, please contact support@yacvic.org.au

Commitment to Child Safety

YACVic is a child safe organisation. By attending these events, you agree to join us in our commitment to child safety.

Meet Our Sponsors

Reshape Our Future is made possible thanks to the generous support of our partners and sponsors.

Principal Partner

Regional and Session Partners

Youth Partners

Richmond black

Media Partners

Youth Forum Program

Friday 3 June
Deakin University, Warrnambool Campus - Brother Fox
9:30am
Arrival/Registration Open
10am - Welcome
- Welcome to Country - Brett Clarke (he/him) - local Indigenous Cultural Custodian of the Gunditjmara nation, Kirrae Whurrung tribe
- Young MC to set the scene - Dylan Bermingham (he/him) - residential care worker, psychology student and deep thinker
- Welcome from Warrnambool City Mayor - Vicki Jellie AM (she/her)
10:20am - We are the Leaders of Today and Tomorrow!
We will hear from amazing young people as to why empowering young people as leaders is so important for their communities and society as a whole.
Speakers:
- Aaron Morgan (he/him) - proud Gunditjmara man, Traditional Dancer and muso caring for Country and Culture
- Michael Killen (he/him) - environmental justice advocate, Youth Parliamentarian and Councillor
- Tess Lourey (she/her) - Youth Mayor of Corangamite Shire
- Moderator: Cassandra Prigg (she/her) - activist, writer and student
11:40am - Lunch and Vibes
Fully catered lunch with a live music performance by Grace Moloney.
12:10pm - Where's your head at?: Addressing Mental Health and Stigma
Mental health conversations often only cover general things, and don’t get deep. Join us for a chat about intersectional experiences, the stigma around mental health and more.
Speakers:
- Charlie Bassett (she/her) - Live4Life ambassador and trainee journalist
- Kyle Hayes (he/him) - Live4Life facilitator, worker at batyr, orygen youth health, peer advocate
- Melis Layik (she/her) - Centre for Multicultural Youth, mental health advocate
- Alex Dalton (he/him) - ABC Takeover Melbourne winner, LGBTIQA+ and mental health advocate
- Moderator: Jen Rowan (she/her) - mental health advocate and facilitator
1:00pm - Pathways to Power
Young people are underrepresented in all levels of government, with the average age of an MP in Federal Government being 51. Young people are leading the way on social change, whether its calls for action on climate change, mental health, consent and so much more. We will explore how young people's voices and perspectives can be heard, and how we can build your pathways to power.
Speakers:
- Alex Dyson (he/him) - media personality, 2022 federal independent candidate for Wannon
- Cassandra Prigg (she/her) - activist, writer and student
- Sienna Gladstone (she/her) - student, activist, VicSRC Executive
- Moderator: Rachel Wilks (she/her) - youth worker
2:00pm - Close
Wrap-up and close for the day!

Friday 10 June
Melbourne Museum, Melbourne
9:30am
Arrival/Registration Open
10:00am - Welcome
- Welcome to Country - Uncle Tony Garvey (he/him) - Wurundjeri Elder
- Young MCs to set the scene - Natarsha Bamblett (she/her) - Yorta Yorta/Bangerang, Warlpiri, Wuradjeri and Kurnai woman, multi-business owner, mum, facilitator, speaker, performer, mentor, and Jacob Gamble (they/them) - YACVic young peer facilitator, 3CR radio hostess, youth advocate
10:20am - We are the Leaders of Today and Tomorrow!
We will hear from amazing young people as to why empowering young people as leaders is so important for their communities and society as a whole.
Speakers:
- Linh, Aakriti, Tiffany and Joseph - VicSRC representatives
- Divergent Fel (she/her) - Youth Disability Advocacy Service Young Leader graduate
- Berat Kaya (he/him) - Hume City Council Young Citizen of the Year
11:00am - Morning Tea
Break time + making new friends
11:15am - Pathways to Power
Young people are underrepresented in all levels of government, with the average age of an MP in Federal Government being 51. Young people are leading the way on social change, whether its calls for action on climate change, mental health, consent and so much more. We will explore how young people's voices and perspectives can be heard, and how we can build your pathways to power.
Speakers:
- Katie Hall MP (she/her) - Parliamentary Secretary for Youth, Parliamentary Secretary for Multicultural Affairs
- Ashleigh Streeter-Jones (she/her) - thought leader, writer and activist
- Arya Banerjee (he/him) - Victorian Youth Congress
- Luke Hall (he/him) - Run For It lead workshop coordinator, The Bicycle Network data analyst
12:20pm - Lunch
Fully catered lunch
1pm - Ally as a verb: How to Be a Better Ally
This workshop will explore what true allyship is, why it is important and how we can all be better allies and ensure that we keep allyship at the heart of all our actions. We will explore tangible steps to improve your allyship and ways to harness being an ally to make change and not just noise.
Speakers:
- Elsa Tuet-Rosenberg (she/her) - co-founder of antiracism organisation Hue, educator, facilitator, activist, organiser and performer
- Krushnadevsinh (Kano) Ravalji (he/him) - youth and multiculturalism advocate
- Jessi Hooper (she/her) - Youth Disability Advocacy Service Young Leader graduate, VicHealth FutureHealthy community champion, Youth Parliamentarian
2:00pm - Close
Wrap-up and close for the day!

Tuesday 14 June
Wangaratta Performing Arts Centre
9:30am
Arrival/Registration Open
10am - Welcome
- Welcome to Country - Darren Atkinson (Uncle Dozer) - Local Bpangerang leader
- Young MCs to set the scene - Steph Grant (she/her) - high school student and advocate; Riya Rajesh (she/her) - YACVic young peer facilitator
10:20am - We are the Leaders of Today and Tomorrow!
This is an interactive session which will explore the theme of youth leadership and what it looks like. We’ll discuss topics like what we need to do to make leadership more accessible, inclusive and available for young people locally.
YACVic Young Peer Facilitators will lead this session at each table.
11:00am - Morning Tea
Break time + making new friends
11:20am - Nothing about us, without us!: Disability Justice and Inclusiveness in Education
Accessing education as disabled young people can be complicated. Join our amazing guest speakers as they share their experiences, and how the disability justice movement is fighting for inclusiveness.
Speakers:
- Tim Chan (he/him) - adult autistic non-speaker and advocate for access, participation and inclusion for people with disability
- Mac Zamani (he/him) - 18-year-old queer and disabled youth advocate currently undertaking year 12
- Srishti Chatterjee (they/them) - Sociology and Media & Communications researcher at the University of Melbourne, disability advocate
- Moderator: Is Hay (they/them) - facilitator and advocate
12:05pm - Lunch/Music Performance
Enjoy a fully catered lunch.
1:00pm - Pathways to Power
Young people are underrepresented in all levels of government, with the average age of an MP in Federal Government being 51. Young people are leading the way on social change, whether its calls for action on climate change, mental health, consent and so much more. We will explore how young people's voices and perspectives can be heard, and how we can build your pathways to power.
Speakers:
- Eli Davern (he/him) - former Albury Youth Mayor, 2022 Young Citizen of the Year, youngest 2022 federal election candidate (seat of Farrer)
2:00pm - Close
Wrap-up and close for the day!

Wednesday 22 June
Robinvale Leisure Centre, Robinvale
9:30am
Arrival/Registration Opens
10am - Welcome
- Welcome to Country and smoking ceremony
- Young MC to set the scene - Conor Pall (he/him) - 2022 Victorian Young Achiever of the Year, domestic violence victim/survivor advocate
10:20am - We are the Leaders of Today and Tomorrow!
We will hear from amazing young people as to why empowering young people as leaders is so important for their communities and society as a whole.
Speakers:
- Stephanie Hartshorn (she/her) - Youthrive Rural Youth Network youth engagement leader
- Bayden Clayton (he/him) - Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service client services officer
- Milla Devlin (she/her) - Youth Ball founder
11:00am - Morning Tea
Break time + making new friends
11:20am - I'm down if you're down…: Sexual Health and Healthy Relationships
This is a safe space for young people to talk about their experiences navigating intersectional sexual health, consent, sex education and relationships.
Speakers:
- Anne-Marie Kelly (she/her) - Centre for Excellence in Rural Sexual Health senior health promotion manager
- Will Burns (he/him) - Swan Hill Rural City Council youth support officer, young person involved in Sexy & Safe (rural sexual health program)
- Meagan McGregor (she/her) - Salvation Army youth AOD worker
12pm - Lunch/Music Performance
Fully catered lunch, with a live performance!
1:00pm - Pathways to Power
Young people are underrepresented in all levels of government, with the average age of an MP in Federal Government being 51. Young people are leading the way on social change, whether its calls for action on climate change, mental health, consent and so much more. We will explore how young people's voices and perspectives can be heard, and how we can build your pathways to power.
Speakers:
- Conor Pall (he/him) – 2022 Victorian Young Achiever of the Year, domestic violence victim/survivor advocate
- Laura Crozier (she/her) – VicSRC project officer, co-creator of Growing Up Clueless podcast
2:00pm - Close
Wrap-up and close for the day!

Friday 24 June
Forge Theatre & Arts Hub, Bairnsdale
9:30am
Arrival/Registration Open
10am - Welcome
- Welcome to Country
- Young MC to set the scene - Brodie Pyle (he/him) - comedian and creator of Gippsland Promotions
10:20am - We are the Leaders of Today and Tomorrow!
We will hear from amazing young people as to why empowering young people as leaders is so important for their communities and society as a whole.
Speakers:
- James Bush (he/him)
- Brodie Pyle (he/him)
- Kaitlin Woolford
11:00am - Morning Tea
Break time + making new friends
11:20am - Work in Progress: Meaningful Work for Young People
Let’s explore our rights, and what it means to be a young person in the workplace! We will work through things like peer work, lived experience, ensuring our rights as young workers are protected, and creating a safe space to share experiences.
Speakers:
- Jes John (she/her) - Gippsland East Local Learning & Employment Network
- Riley Legg (he/him) - Gippsland East Local Learning & Employment Network
12pm - Lunch/Music Performance
Fully catered lunch, with a live music performance by Olivia Lay (she/her).
1:00pm - Pathways to Power
Young people are underrepresented in all levels of government, with the average age of an MP in Federal Government being 51. Young people are leading the way on social change, whether its calls for action on climate change, mental health, consent and so much more. We will explore how young people's voices and perspectives can be heard, and how we can build your pathways to power.
Speakers:
- Kirsten Van Diggle (she/her)
2:00pm - Close
Wrap-up and close for the day!

Reshape Our Future: Meet Some of Our Speakers

Minister Ros Spence (she/her)

Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Community Sport and Youth

Liana Buchanan (she/her)

Principal Commissioner for Children and Young People

Tim Lo Surdo (he/him)

Founder and National Director of Democracy in Colour

Natarsha Napanagka Bamblett (she/her)

Dreamtime Association Founder, Facilitator, Speaker and Mentor