From Listening to Leading: young people in decision making

ChangeFest Lunch & Learns return for 2026 with the story of Cairns South Together and their journey towards accountability to young people. Cairns South Together will share how they have sought to truly hear the voices of young people in their community through co-design of a youth voice framework. Like many communities, Cairns South Together are now seeking to take the next steps – to move from hearing the voice of young people, to having young people in the decision making.

Fresh from being part of a session on accountability to young people at ChangeFest25, Cairns South Together are keen to share their experiences, and together with the movement, explore the following questions.

How can we change the hearts and minds of adults to see young people not as the beneficiaries of our work, but as partners?

How can we share leadership with young people for a better future for our community?