The Australian Government Office for Youth (The Office) builds on the Government's significant investment and effort for young people across all government agencies. The Office for Youth focuses on young people as an important and distinct population group, much like women, children and Indigenous Australians.
The Office for Youth works cooperatively with other government agencies to achieve the Government’s objectives which are that young people:
- reach their full potential;
- make effective transitions to adulthood as they continue to learn; start work; make decisions that support a healthy lifestyle; live independently and form relationships and families of their own; and
- participate in broader Australian society, including their local communities as active, healthy, informed, engaged and responsible citizens.
Because the Office will examine cross-cutting issues it will work in three ways. Most often it will be a partner, bringing a whole-of-youth perspective to the substantial, subject-specific work program managed by other agencies. On some occasions it may lead youth-specific issues where there is a real or perceived gap in Government action. Thirdly, the Office offers a ‘safety net’ to alert the Minister for Youth to Government issues and initiatives with major implications for young people.
The Minister will ask the Office to investigate issues young people raise with her. The Minister may want information so she can report back to young people about what the Government is doing in a particular area. The Minister may also look to assist the other Ministers in key areas.
The Work Plan
In the first instance, the Office will establish baseline data to support, assist and enable government agencies to achieve subject-specific outcomes for young people. The Office assists the Government to develop its new agenda for young people through:
Investing in Australia’s young people – will take stock of the Government’s significant investment in young people. It will capture policies and programs that are youth-specific and those that are not specific to youth but have a significant impact on young people. This process will present a comprehensive picture of efforts and resourcing being directed to youth affairs across the Government and assist to identify potential gaps and areas for future attention.
State of Australia’s Young People report – will describe how young people in Australia are faring and identify those who may need additional support to do well.
Effective Communication with young people – this generation of young people have communication methods unique to their generwork planation. The Office will investigate effective communication methods with this generation to be made available to other agencies.
The two initial issues the Minister is asking the Office to pursue are body image and civic engagement.
Body image was the top concern identified by 29,000 respondents in Mission Australia’s National survey of young Australians 2007 and in the Australian Democrats’ Youth Poll 2008, 54 per cent of respondents said they are concerned about body image. The Minister has announced her intention to develop a Voluntary National Media and Industry Code of Conduct on body image. Office for Youth is working in partnership with Departments of Health and Ageing and Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy on this issue.
Civic engagement and electoral participation emerged as a key issue through the Australia 2020 Youth Summit. The Office for Youth will work with the Australian Electoral Commission and the civics and citizenship education areas within DEEWR to advise the Minister on this issue.