By Mikayla van Loon
EACH’s Youth and Family Team wants to give youth a voice in things that matter to them and are looking for young volunteers to join the small cohort of Your Voice Peer Leadership members.
Getting to be a voice for their peers at events, expos, at community events and within community groups, volunteers will be able to identify community needs, service gaps, educational needs, challenges, and opportunities.
EACH Youth and Family Counselling Team Leader Warren Turner said it is important for young people to inform their services to ensure evolving needs continue to be met.
“A young person’s lived experience can support us as professionals to respond to local young people facing a range of issues that can include concerns with mental health, managing relationships, bullying, grief and loss and self-esteem among other things,” he said.
“Previous Peer Leaders from the Your Voice Leadership program have seen huge benefit and value in peers influencing positive change and addressing timely issues that affect young people and their community at large.”
Knowing that young people can sometimes feel more comfortable sharing their ideas or opinions with their peers, Mr Turner said this is where the Your Voice approach comes in.
“Some of the most effective change we have seen in addressing trends and issues at a community level for young people have come about through passionate young people who have made a decision to stand together with their peers on an issue,” he said.
“This can be true with making change at a community level, with raising the awareness towards something important, or even celebrating all things wonderful about being young and youthful.”
Volunteers are trained in positive leadership, as well as more niche areas of engagement and it can be a way of networking with others in the industry or community.
Mr Turner said by being a part of the program, participants are guided to find their passion and potential career path in things like psychology, social work, journalism, marketing, the arts, teaching and media just to name a few.
“The Your Voice Leadership program can assist in career choice with young people getting involved in various aspects of project management, communication and marketing, along with the leadership roles that will assist story-telling and narrative interaction with others in various ways.”
Leveraging the opportunity to showcase this work on a resume or with a potential employer is something Mr Turner said has been beneficial for participants in the past.
“We have had previous Peer Leaders involved in a few of our programs that have gone on to paid positions in the sector, become leaders within these roles, all through volunteering with us at EACH.”
The opportunity to volunteer is open to young people aged 12 to 25 years old who live, work or study in the local government areas of the Yarra Ranges, Whitehorse, Knox and Maroondah.
Your Voice participants will need to be able to commit to six to 12 months with the program.
“We are in the early stages of seeing this program come together, we look forward to meeting the new participants that will join with us in the Your Voice Leadership program, to be an influential voice both to and for their peers.”
