‘A call to action’: Cook Government launches consultation for new Youth Action Plan

The Cook Labor Government has announced the development of a new Youth Action Plan, and is launching a consultation process to support its development. The Minister for Youth Simone McGurk is inviting individuals and organisations to get involved and have their say via a consultation paper that has been released to inform the new Youth Action Plan. In the development of a new Youth Action Plan, the State government hopes to show commitment to providing young people in the region with a voice on matters that relate to them, with young people making up 20 per cent of the Western Australian population and 19 per cent living in regional WA. Any individual or organisation will be able to make a submission or complete the survey in response to the consultation paper, and a series of forums will be planned to be held across WA this year. The Member for Warren-Blackwood Jane Kelsbie said the consultation was a call to action and a great opportunity for young people to express their ideas and help shape decisions and change. “The WA Youth Action plan consultation process is all about young people having a say in the future of our State,” she said. “This is a call to action — and I encourage young people in Warren-Blackwood to make their voices heard about the issues that are important to them.” Blackwood Youth Action CEO Sarah Youngson also encouraged young people in the region to speak up about issues that affect them and to have a say. “There are a lot of issues young people face in the regions, with our region being no exception, and through BYA, we have heard from young people and their concerns with ongoing issues,” she said. “The main ones we’ve heard from young people include climate anxiety, job security, social isolation, and those pressures leading to mental health problems and stress for them.” She also mentioned the economic downturn, the impacts of inflation and the cost of living crisis as other focal issues that had impacted young people in the region. “Young people are knowledgeable of the issues involving them through social media and we encourage them to to be brave about speaking out and use their voices to address issues that do involve them.” “There’s no point of adults making decisions without the consultation of young people and we want them to be aware of the power of their voice and their ability to make change happen. For more information, visit A new Action Plan for young people in Western Australia at www.wa.gov.au.