The future is young, let’s make it bright by Bri Hines
Victorian Youth Congress member Bri Hines and young journalist and former congress member Jack Nyhof recently came together – while 300km apart – with Minister for Youth, Ros Spence MP, to discuss the future for Victoria’s young people.
While we’ve all felt the impacts of being increasingly at home and behind our computer screens in recent months, our socially distanced world also provided us with the wonderful opportunity to virtually interview Minister Spence. Our discussion covered everything from priority issues for young people during these unprecedented times and her plans for the youth portfolio, to how her work is impacted by her own experiences.
A journey into politics
The story behind Minister Spence’s journey into politics will resonate with many young people. She grew up in Montmorency, in Melbourne’s outer north, and had no intention of becoming a politician.
“I don’t come from a political family… I wasn’t remotely interested in politics. In fact, I wouldn’t have even known what politics really was,” Minister Spence says.
When she graduated from Eltham High School in 1988 her ATAR score was not high enough to pursue her dream of a law degree, so she applied for an arts degree instead.
Yet, like so many other young people who find the transition to life after high school difficult, she felt that the structure at university did not suit her, opting to instead leave university and continue with part time work at her local Safeway (now Woolworths) deli.
Young people’s lives are full of experimenting and exploring different options and by 23, Minister Spence had married, moved to Tasmania and had her son. At 25 she found herself as a single parent, living away from her home state with no extended family support.
“That’s a pretty lonely and daunting place to be,” she admits.
With this new uncertainty came the realisation that returning to study would be the best way to improve her job prospects. Minister Spence returned as a mature aged student, commencing a Bachelor of Arts and Law and through friends at university, she started working as an electorate officer.
“I really enjoyed that work because you’re essentially helping other people who are having a variety of problems … I really enjoyed being able to assist them,” she says.
Looking back, Minister Spence reflects that falling into politics is not something you can script. For young people currently out there looking at a career in politics, she suggests thinking about why you want to get involved – “this isn’t like the movies”, she adds.
“I would really suggest taking the time to either intern at a Member of Parliament’s office… it doesn’t matter whether you’re on the blue team, the red team, the pink or the purple team ... or get involved by going and spending some time with your local Member of Parliament, figure out yourself why you want to do this.”
Focusing on our youth
Minister Spence is now in her second term as the Member for Yuroke. Her appointment as Minister for Youth, Multicultural Affairs and Community Sport earlier this year is her first to a Ministerial portfolio.
“Since being sworn in three months ago … I’ve really been focused on responding to the coronavirus pandemic,” she says.
“Youth have been a real top list priority for me... young people have been one of the cohorts that are most detrimentally affected by the crisis.”
The line that is often drawn between ‘youth issues’ and what impacts the rest of the population is not something she gives any merit to either.
“I think every issue is a youth issue because every issue does impact young people,” she says.
And sadly, almost every aspect of young people’s lives has been affected by this crisis, from study and family to work.
Minister Spence identified mental health and employment as her current key priorities. She is also well aware that for rural young people, these issues are further exacerbated by geographic isolation.
In addition, the ‘digital divide’ is both a geographic and socioeconomic form of disadvantage, and with study, communication and our social lives being moved partially or entirely online, those without access to these services are more marginalised than ever.
However, these changes have not been entirely negative. The forced transition to digital for what would have otherwise been in-person events has resulted in more rural and regional young people than ever being able to engage in government.
Youth voices for a youth crisis
Minister Spence noted the participation of rural and remote young people in the youth roundtable series on mental health and employment she has convened, one of several projects she is currently undertaking to hear from and support young people during this pandemic.
The Victorian Government is also committed to supporting young people, as the biggest occupiers of the casual workforce in industries such as hospitality, retail and the arts, who are particularly struggling at this time. Students, apprentices and international students all face similar, though unique, challenges in the face of this pandemic.
“Ultimately what I want to see is young people all across the state, regardless of what their postcode is, having access to life’s opportunities,” she says.
“Young people from multicultural backgrounds face enormous challenges. There’s a diversity of voices out there you can only hear if you’re out there listening to them,” she adds.
Going forward, Minister Spence will focus on shining a light on the gap in services where young multicultural people are unable to access what they need.
She also encourages young people from all backgrounds to continue to engage with the government, to share their stories, struggles, hopes and dreams.
Things may be tough right now, but with a Minister for Youth that has a genuine passion for the issues young people are facing, things are beginning to look a little brighter.