Youth Advisory

Chairperson Welcome

Welcome to the Youth Thrive National Summit. It’s an honour to join you as Chairperson and to be surrounded by a national community of changemakers—young people, supporters, and allies—who are committed to creating a more equitable and empowering future for youth across Australia.

This summit is more than an event—it is a moment of national significance, where your ideas, lived experiences, and leadership can shape the future of youth services and drive systems change across Australia.

We know that real impact happens when young people are not only heard but empowered as co-designers and decision-makers. The strength and vision in this room are a powerful reminder that the solutions to our biggest challenges already exist within our communities—they just need the platform to shine.

As we come together over the coming days, I encourage you to connect deeply, challenge boldly, and imagine freely. The voices gathered here can redefine what it means to support, engage, and walk alongside young people. Let this summit ignite new collaborations, spark ambitious ideas, and remind us all that thriving youth are the foundation of a thriving nation .

Thanks,

Dr Renae Jones is the Chief Executive Officer of Young Change Agents, a national movement empowering young people to solve real-world

Chief Executive Officer

Young Change Agents

Empowering Young Voices in Collaboration with
BackTrack Youth Works

We are proud to have partnered with BackTrack Youth Works and their dedicated youth-led voice group to co-design the THRIVE National Youth Summit program. Through a series of meetings, workshops and open discussions with the committee and other young voices, we have developed an agenda that centers on the key challenges, ideas and solutions identified by young people themselves. Their lived experiences have been the guiding force throughout this process — shaping everything from the structure of conversations to the selection of speakers and topics.

This partnership ensured that the voices of young people are at the heart of this summit, guiding the discussions and solutions we explore. By actively engaging youth in every step of the planning process, we are creating a platform that is not only for young people but truly shaped by them. Together with BackTrack Youth Works, we are committed to creating a summit that amplifies the real concerns of youth, while inspiring action and positive change across critical areas like homelessness, mental health, drug and alcohol, crime and safety and employment.

We would like to thank all the young members involved, as well as the broader BackTrack youth-led voice group:
Zac, Dan, Tyron, Jordan, Steph, Loretta, Chenara, Chris, Jaleel, Blissy and Brady and other BackTrack staff, Scott and Maeve.