Youth Meets Parliament Week is an invaluable opportunity for members of the Youth Steering Committee and Youth Advisory Groups to meet with Members of Parliament and other government officials.
Each committee and group comprises of young people aged 12 to 25 and 16 to 25 respectively from each state and territory, to represent the diversity of Australian communities.
Over 4 days, from 23 March 2026, members participated in tailored activities designed to provide a safe setting to share ideas and experiences about policies and programs impacting young people, strengthening skills in policy engagement and advocacy in the process.
Key events over the week included:
- A Welcome Event at Australian Parliament House, attended by various Members of Parliament and hosted by the Minister for Youth, Senator the Hon Dr Jess Walsh.
- In-person meetings with the Minister for Youth and other Members of Parliament working with the relevant portfolios of our Youth Advisory Groups' partner agencies. This was a great opportunity for young people to ask questions about policies and programs affecting young people around the country and discuss a range of topics, such as social media minimum age restrictions and international relations.
- A First Nations Youth Network Day for First Nations members across all advisory groups. Participants undertook a tour of the Aboriginal Institute for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) - a working partner of the First Nations Youth Advisory Group - and participated in two workshops. They also met with Ms Sue Hunter, a proud Wurundjeri and Ngurai Illum Wurrung woman and the new National Commissioner for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People.
- A breakfast in the Speaker of the House of Representative's courtyard, hosted by the Minister for Youth, Senator the Hon Dr Jess Walsh and Senator Charlotte Walker. Participants were able to connect with Members of Parliament, including the Speaker of the House, the Hon Milton Dick MP, where they could informally connect and ask questions about government.
- Workshops led by partner departments and agencies to build participant's policy capability.
The Office for Youth also hosted their third National Youth Forum on Wednesday 25 March.
Members participated in a policy hackathon, where small groups worked together to generate ideas and solutions for specific issues relating to youth mental health, arts and culture, and the National Environmental Science Program.
Attendees also heard from the Minister for Youth and a Youth Panel, facilitated by Meg Brighton, Deputy Secretary of Schools and Youth in the Department of Education. The panel shared their experiences working with local, state and federal governments, providing advice for young people in the room to help build on their advocacy skills.
Minister for Youth, Senator the Hon Dr Jess Walsh said,
"...this is such a wonderful opportunity for Members and Senators to meet and engage with our 2025 and 2026 Youth Advisory Group and Youth Steering Committee members, and for these young Australians to get to know us, too. They're bringing their lived experiences, their passion to Canberra - to make a difference on issues that matter to them. Young people have so much to contribute when it comes to shaping the future. It is their future."
You can find out more about the week by checking out our socials!
You can read about the upcoming commitments and focus of the Office for Youth members via the Digital Youth Hub.
Read the Minister's Youth Meets Parliament Week welcome speech
