Getting involved in your local community

Your thoughts, opinions and experiences matter. Joining a youth advisory, advocacy, or other youth-focused group is a great way to share your ideas and make a difference.

What opportunities are there for me to get involved?

Some of the ways to get involved include:

• Youth advisory groups: provide advice, typically to government – like a local government – on issues affecting young people.
• Youth advocacy groups: typically outside of government, created by a group of people or an organisation, interested in affecting change on a specific issue through coordinated activities.
• Youth clubs, programs and events: provide opportunities to connect with other young people in a community, share common interests, learn new skills and gain experience.

What are the benefits of joining a youth advisory group?

Joining a youth advisory group is a commitment, but it is also a great way to influence decisions in your local community and beyond. Young people provide unique and valuable perspectives that others may not have considered or thought of.

By joining a youth advisory group you can:

• help your community by having a say on important issues
• gain useful skills such as communication, leadership and teamwork
• learn how organisations, government or other groups create policies and make decisions
• receive recognition (such as a certificate) of your participation, which may be useful to include in applications and on your resume
• meet like-minded people
• share your ideas on ways to help young people with those that can directly influence change
• organise events targeted towards young people.

Although advisory groups are sometimes volunteering opportunities, there may also be paid opportunities (this usually depends on the kind of work involved).

Are you interested in joining a youth advisory group?

For more information, head to your local government’s website to see if there is an opportunity in your area. You can find out what local government area (LGA) you live in here.

Go to VicCouncils for information about opportunities for young people in your area.

What to expect from joining a youth advisory group?

Here are some of the things you can expect from joining a youth advisory group:

Age range: Most youth advisory groups consist of members that are 12-25 years old

What will you be involved in? Most groups have regular meetings, and you might also get to be involved in individual or group tasks such as projects, campaigns or reports

In person vs online: Meetings and tasks can be in person or online, it really depends on the group! Sometimes, there’ll be a mix of both

Workload: Workloads will vary depending on the group, but you might expect:

• Meetings - With advisory group leaders (e.g. local councillors or local government staff), usually scheduled monthly, well in advance and usually for around 2-3 hours long
• Consultations - Usually 1-3 hours where you will be asked for your thoughts on a specific initiative, plan or issue
• Outside of meetings – work to do in your own time, which could be about 4-5 hours each month (may increase to about 8-10 hours a month during busy periods)

What to expect in meetings: What the meetings will be like depends on the group, but you might expect:

• To meet people with similar interests as you
• To brainstorm ideas with other group members
• To share your thoughts and opinions on different topics and issues in the community
• Some youth advisory groups will provide meals and refreshments during meetings

Overall, you can expect to have an opportunity to have your say on things that matter to young people!

Experience required: Usually NONE! In most cases, your lived experience as a young person is all you need.

What are some other opportunities to get involved?

Some of the other ways to get involved include:

• Amplify committees (formerly known as FReeZA committees) - Groups that help young people organise live music and cultural events that are drug, alcohol and smoke free. No prior experience is required and it’s a great way to build valuable skills while also supporting local artists and young people.
• Youth Affairs Council Victoria (YACVic) - YACVic is an organisation that advocates for young people and supports the youth sector in Victoria It offers a variety of opportunities for young people to get involved, build valuable skills, and make a difference. To hear more about opportunities or to get involved, sign up to become a YACVic member (free for people under 26 years) or check out YACVic’s Youth Engagement Resource Platform (YERP).
• Centre for Multicultural Youth (CMY) – CMY provides support to young people from migrant and refugee backgrounds in a variety of settings, including schools, sport and recreation centres, TAFEs and community hubs. If you're in Melbourne, Ballarat, or Gippsland, you can also join one of CMY’s youth advisory groups to meet others, share your ideas, and learn how to be a leader and speak up for your community.
• Interact Clubs - A way for young people to get involved in their community. Led by Rotary Clubs, these groups help young people develop life-long leadership skills while also serving their community.
• Koorie Youth Council (KYC) – KYC are Victoria’s representative policy and advocacy body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people can get involved in KYC through their state-wide network, working groups and their annual Koorie Youth Summit by visiting the Koorie Youth Council website.

You can also:

• Visit your local government’s website to find information on upcoming forums and events, and even Local Youth Councils you can apply to join!
• Visit a local community centre or youth hub and speak to a member of staff.
• Visit Volunteering Victoria to find out about volunteering opportunities.
• Visit Youth Central, Victoria’s one stop shop for young people that features opportunities to get involved in youth programs, advocacy, politics and initiatives.
• Go to VicCouncils to learn more about opportunities for young people in your local government area.