Project summary

The Shaping Local Civic Youth Leaders project has empowered young people to engage with local government and drive positive change.

Over 12 months, the initiative was able to reach over 800 young people aged 12–25, through several activities.

The project successfully increased understanding of local government roles and inspired action in young people. The Electoral Commission of SA reported that youth aged 18–24 increased in voter registration and engagement by 2.4% over the last 18 months.

The Changemakers Toolkit provided practical guidance that lead to tangible outcomes, such as a participant successfully presenting a deputation on reef protection.

Through partnership with the Local Government Youth Development Network (LGYDN) and the Youth Affairs Council of SA (YACSA) the  project was able to receive input from staff and young people across 18 councils.

Outcomes

The Shaping Local Civic Youth Leaders project aimed to:

• connect and engage young people
• showcase diverse avenues for effecting positive changes in local government.

The project was delivered through three key activities:

• Community Changemakers Toolkit
• Community Changemaker Summit
• Love the Journey

Participants actively utilised the toolkit and engaged with the ‘Love the Journey’ collateral, resulting in a notable increase in their understanding of local government roles and the tangible benefits of active involvement.

The project successfully achieved its primary goals of empowering and educating young individuals about opportunities in local government and fostering community engagement and advocacy.

Qualitative feedback showed:

• There was a 39% increase in the number of participants who responded to the statement, ‘I know what opportunities are available for me in local government.’
• By the end of the summit, 93% of participants either ‘strongly agreed’ or ‘agreed’ to the statement ‘I understand the role of local government’.

Community Changemakers Toolkit

The toolkit is accessible to both young people and staff/volunteers who work with young people. It is a great starting point for any young person who wants to make a difference or learn more about their local community.

This initiative extends the project’s impact beyond the immediate summit by providing a resource accessible to a broader audience, including those unable to attend and educators across the state. By offering the toolkit online via practical worksheets and ‘how to’ videos that cover vital summit components (such as making a council deputation by a local climate and youth activist or starting an awareness campaign), the toolkit ensures the project's enduring value.

Positive feedback regarding the toolkit

• At the City of Burnside, we heard young people advocate for a dedicated youth development officer and have been successful.
• A young person from the City of Onkaparinga used the toolkit to make a deputation on local environmental issues and is now working closely with the council to devise a solution.
• A young person from Onkaparinga has joined forces with the commissioner’s SRC to raise awareness about period poverty—this was an outcome of networking at the Summit.
• Young people from Yorke Peninsula Council and the City of Marion are using the toolkit to kickstart a school climate change-related project.

Community Changemaker Summit

Over 25 young people across South Australia were involved in planning the Community Changemakers Summit, which 88 young participants from 18 councils attended.

The Changemaker workshops were brainstormed and selected by our youth working group – they guided participants through activities such as:

• ‘Harness opportunities and getting your voice heard’
• ‘Starting an environmental project at your school’
• ‘How to run an effective awareness campaign’.

The summit attendees gave feedback showcasing an increase in their knowledge of the role of local government. A significant number of attendees reported feeling confident about making an impact in their local community.