Yuwa Nyinda Youth Summit

From listening to leadership

Since October 2024, Learning the Macleay, Dhina Durriti Aboriginal Corporation, and Buthikarrung have worked together to support young people across the Macleay Valley to have a voice in the decisions that affect their lives.

This work forms part of the Closing the Gap initiative and focuses on listening to young people in a culturally safe and respectful way.

The first phase, held in April 2025, brought together young people alongside local service providers, schools, government and non-government agencies, and philanthropists. This gathering created a space for honest conversation and shared learning, where young people could speak about the issues that matter most to them. From these discussions, eight key themes emerged, highlighting the priorities of the community:

Community and social support
Education and school environment
Recreational and youth spaces
Mental health and wellbeing
Safety and accessibility
Cost of living and affordability
Youth empowerment and leadership
Environmental and social responsibility

This approach ensured that the voices of young people guided the conversation from the very beginning, forming the foundation for the next phases of the strategy.

The Re-Engagement phase, held on 20 October 2025, brought together primary and high school students from across the Macleay Valley. This session was an opportunity to share the insights gathered during the Initial Engagement and check that the voices of young people had been accurately captured. It also allowed participants to raise any new ideas or priorities that had emerged since the first meeting.With the help of the young people, the eight initial themes were refined and focused into six key areas that now guide the work of the strategy:

Community, support, and belonging
School experience
Leadership, culture, and voice
Mental health and wellbeing
Safety and accessibility
Cost of living and essentials

This phase ensured that the strategy remained grounded in the perspectives of young people, reflecting both their experiences and their priorities for change.

On 20, 21 and 30 October 2025, focus group forums were held with primary and high school students across the Macleay Valley, bringing 45 student leaders together to explore solutions to issues raised during the Yuwa Nyinda Summit. Primary students highlighted the importance of safe, inclusive spaces, hands-on learning, cultural opportunities, and support from adults. High school students expanded this to leadership pathways, cultural engagement, access to essentials, safe transport, and mentoring younger students.

Across both groups, young people emphasised wellbeing, belonging, and the need for adults to listen and act. These discussions provided practical guidance for the next stage, the Youth Action Plan Co-Design Day ,ensuring the plan reflects a shared vision for youth empowerment, cultural connection, and community wellbeing.

On 16 October 2025, eleven local principals from primary and high schools gathered at the Country Universities Centre (CUC) Macleay Valley to reflect on insights from the Yuwa Nyinda Youth Summit. They explored how student priorities align with school and community objectives, emphasising programs that foster belonging, student voice, and cultural connection, such as AECGs, SRCs, mentoring, and cultural camps.

Principals also highlighted gaps in mental health support, particularly for younger students, and the need for trauma-informed training and accessible counselling. Practical initiatives addressing access to essentials, leadership opportunities, and engagement with Elders were noted as vital. Across all discussions, principals recognised that collaboration between schools, families, and community organisations is key to creating safe, inclusive, and supportive learning environments that reflect the aspirations of young people.

On 1 December 2025, students and principals came together for the Youth Action Plan Co-Design Day, collaborating to develop practical solutions across the priority areas identified in earlier phases. This day provided a space for young people to share ideas directly with school leaders, ensuring their voices informed decisions on wellbeing, leadership, cultural engagement, access to essentials, and safe, inclusive learning environments. The collaborative process strengthened connections between schools, families, and the wider community, and laid the foundation for a Youth Action Plan that reflects a shared vision for youth empowerment, cultural connection, and community-led solutions across the Macleay Valley.

Next Steps: Implementation

The Youth Action Plan will move into its implementation stage in August 2026, putting the co-designed solutions into action to support youth wellbeing, leadership, cultural connection, and community engagement across the Macleay Valley.