Young people from the Goulburn Valley who are keen to have their voices heard by people in power are encouraged to apply for the 2022 Victorian Youth Congress.
Applications are open to people aged 12 to 25 from across the state.
Successful applicants will form an advisory group and work with Victorian Youth Minister Ros Spence, putting young people's ideas and experiences at the centre of government decision-making.
Ms Spence said joining the Youth Congress was a "life-changing experience" and a great opportunity for young Victorians to build leadership skills and gain an understanding of how government worked.
“With young people around the world facing the unprecedented challenges of the pandemic, there has never been a more important time for government to listen to young people’s voices,” she said.
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The 2022 Victorian Youth Congress will be directly involved in the implementation of Victoria's new youth strategy, set to be released later this year.
The strategy is intended to set a long-term vision to make Victoria "the best place to be for all young people", according to the Victorian Government.
Shepparton's own outgoing Youth Congress member Tom Saxton worked directly on the soon-to-be-released strategy and said taking part in the program was the highlight of his year.
“Something I’ve seen in Shepparton is that it can be so hard for these kinds of opportunities to actually reach young people,” he said.
“It’s really important that people in Shepparton apply so we can have our voices heard.”
Mr Saxton said he didn’t have a clear understanding of what taking part in the Youth Congress would be like when he applied, and it surpassed his expectations.
“Getting involved in it was really good because it wasn’t just basic issues (we were working on), it was really complicated issues,” he said.
He said his peers in the congress were from a wide variety of backgrounds and ages, and anyone who felt strongly about improving outcomes for young people should apply.
“As long as you're passionate about learning, or passionate about our society, our country, our state, or at least feel passionate about speaking up,” he said.
His top tips for those going through the application process were to be honest about their skills and emphasise their passions.
Applicants do not need previous experience working with government.
Successful applicants will gain valuable knowledge about the workings of government, how policies are made and what individuals can do to influence the process.
Applications close on September 13. To apply or for more information, visit youthcentral.vic.gov.au