Case study: Speak OUT youth events 2022
Speak OUT events are an open forum for young people to tell government what they want for a better Queensland. Speak OUTs are open to all young people aged 15–25 years.
Speak OUTs have been hosted throughout Queensland including Brisbane, Gold Coast, Mossman Gorge, Mount Isa, Logan, Caloundra, Ipswich and Rockhampton, and at the Queensland Indigenous Youth Leadership Program (QIYLP). Climate Change action is high on the agenda—in all consultations held, climate change action has been in the top three issues raised.
This passion was on display at the QIYLP Speak OUT event in July 2022 where young people expressed desire to see traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander land management practices used more frequently by government.
The Gold Coast event during Youth Week 2022 also created some great discussions, and an overarching theme was that young people want to see more corporate responsibility and action. The attendees were adamant that individual responsibility—such as reducing food wastage—must also be met with climate action commitments from the corporate sector (particularly large industry emitters).
Some other key suggestions included better long-term planning for severe weather events, increased ‘greening’ of our built environments, and combatting fast fashion with more sustainable supply chains.
We were encouraged by attendee recognition of some current Queensland Government’s climate action activities including stronger adaptation and mitigation strategies, law reform, and robust change management to support weather-impacted communities.
There was also firm agreement that understanding First Nations’ voices and cultural wisdom was key and that it was important to continue incorporating indigenous teachings and climate education into core curriculum in Queensland’s schools.
Find further information on Speak OUT events in Queensland.
Find out more about how the Queensland Government is supporting young people.
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Graphic recording of ‘Speak Out’ Gold Coast’s youth discussion.
Photo credit: Rachel Apelt