Steering the future of Australia's youth

A pioneering Australian Government initiative has appointed two students from The Australian National University (ANU) College of Business and Economics (CBE).

The Youth Steering Committee supports the establishment and implementation of the Youth Engagement Model under the direction of the Minister for Youth: the Honourable Dr Anne Aly MP. The Committee consists of 14 members aged 13–24, who represent a diverse body of young people across Australia.

The Committee also provides advice on government policies and programs that impact young people.

The two CBE students also happen to be the only representatives from Canberra: Eve Currie – studying a double degree in a Bachelor of Political Science and a Bachelor of Business Administration – and Anargya (Eggy) Djatikusumo who is also studying a double degree, in a Bachelor of Economics and Bachelor of International Relations.

For Eggy, representing his contemporaries is an important step in ensuring they remain visible to government.

“One of the main reasons that prompted me to join was the opportunity to have my voice and the voices of the young people I represent be heard by Australian policymakers, and to see through the actions that are being taken on issues that matter to us,” he says.

Eve, who was raised on Wiradjuri Country in Bathurst, was motivated by the unique experience of rural life.

“I am passionate about championing rural Australia and the strengths and leadership potential of rural young people. Being on the Committee allows me to advocate for better representation of rural young people in the government’s decision-making process,” she says.

Of all the work they have been doing, the students are most proud of the newly launched Youth Engagement Strategy.

“The strategy itself provides an outline of the issues that are most pressing for young people, as well as a guideline to how government can engage more meaningfully with young people in their policy design,” says Eggy.

Emphasising Eggy’s point, Eve explains:

“The Committee consulted with over 4,600 diverse young people from across Australia – through cities, and through rural and remote Australia. We also worked with the Office for Youth to design consultations that were safe and accessible for young people and incorporated what we heard into the strategy.”

Notably, the Youth Steering Committee has been involved in discussions into the Review to Inform a Better and Fairer Education System, discussions with the Minister for Health on vaping and smoking, and met with the Office for Women on the development of the National Strategy to Achieve Gender Equality.

Though Eve and Eggy’s focus has been on empowering change for youth, their work with the Committee has undeniably had a positive impact on their career aspirations.

Eggy aspires to work in the field of international economic development, where he can utilise his economic skills to develop policies that help reduce the levels of global extreme poverty whilst also using his international relations skills to understand the geopolitical context around which the policy is designed.

“Being on the Committee has definitely helped me in moving closer to this, as I’ve learned the importance of stakeholder consultations prior to policy development, as well as the ability to engage with a diverse group of people meaningfully,” he says.

For Eve, who is also interested in pursuing a career in policy development, the experience with the Committee has been vital.

“I’m interested in how decisions made in Canberra intersect and impact peoples’ lives every day, so a career that involves evidence-based policy and connecting people with lived experience to government decision making excites me,” she says.

“Being on the Youth Steering Committee has enabled me to participate in a range of government consultations and shown me how good policy can be created when the people it impacts are included in the process.”