Young people between 15 and 24 can advocate for children’s rights and issues necessary to young people in Australia through the UNICEF Australia Young Ambassador program. Participants selected nationwide will get leadership, advocacy, media and communications, and meaningful engagement with other children and young people training.
With opportunities to apply firsthand knowledge to assist important campaigns, this 18-month volunteer program will particularly emphasise UNICEF Australia’s Domestic Policy and Advocacy Priorities Areas of Climate Change & Disasters, First Nations Social Justice, and Digital Safety and well-being.
Every year, after hearing from kids and teens in their neighbourhoods, Young Ambassadors bring up these issues with our country’s top decision-makers. As spokespersons at gatherings and occasions like the ICC T20 World Cup, they also promote other significant facets of UNICEF Australia’s work.
The suitable applicants will be passionate about youth voice, have firsthand knowledge of issues affecting young people, enjoy working independently and in a team environment, and support social justice for vulnerable children and teenagers.
Also, they will be able to dedicate three to five hours each month, with higher participation at different times of the year, and participate in an in-person Induction Week in June or July (dependent on the availability of Young Ambassadors).
The Young Ambassadors presented the Shaping the Future report to Ministers and MPs at Parliament House in Canberra in November 2022. This report is the result of a year’s worth of effort on policy formulation, including input from 2000 young Australians.
Over a year, the surveys gathered the opinions of 4,078 young people from around the country, ranging in age from seven to twenty. In Canberra, these results were given to the country’s top officials.
