Future Proof Youth-led Projects

Youth in the Indigo Future Proof Action group at the Spring Ditch Festival in Stanley

The project ‘Future Proof: Young People, Disaster Recovery and (Re)building Communities’, brings together eight local Councils and partners, two Aboriginal CCOs, Victoria University, two Local Learning Employment Networks and YACVic, to develop and enhance local recovery outcomes and resilience for fire-affected young people and communities in Eastern Victoria.

The project, led by Youth Affairs Council Victoria (YACVic), has received a two-year Australian Government Black Summer Bushfire Recovery grant and aims to drive youth-led disaster risk reduction outcomes for fire-affected young people and communities across Eastern Victoria. 

Future Proof is place-based and uses youth work principles to engage, support, train and connect young people. It ultimately involves young people in youth-led projects and community decision-making. 

Youth Advisory Group

Our Future Proof Advisory Group was established in January 2023 and consists of 10 young people aged 12-19, living, studying or working in Indigo Shire. 

Members of the group are meeting fortnightly to provide advice and participate in meetings and events that promote resilience-building in bushfire affected communities. Members are receiving access to free training in project management, emergency preparedness, public speaking, governance processes, leadership, peer facilitation and other relevant community activation expertise.

Participating young people are also being renumerated for their time and expertise, with a base rate of $35 per hour. 

We will be sharing our members bios and headshots shortly so you can get to know our recovery champions and congratulate them for their work. Watch this space to learn more about them and what they are up to. 

This group is part of the Future Proof project, a partnership between Indigo Shire Council and the Youth Affairs Council Victoria and is fully funded through a grant from the Australian Government.   

Indigo Future Proof members working together on a project   Young people meeting around table

 

 

"Rising up with Future Proof" Podcast

"Rising Up with Future Proof" is a podcast created by young people, for young people.

It has come to life through the Future Proof project, which aims to upskill and connect young people from rural and regional disaster-affected communities.

In the first episode, Peer work 101: what does it mean to be a youth peer worker? Ella Cheeseman, our Youth Resilience Peer worker interviews her colleagues and friends, Chloe and Lara, Youth Peer Workers from Albury Wodonga Aboriginal Health Service (AWAHS) and Alpine Shire Council, to talk about Future Proof and peer work. Ella, Lara and Chloe talk about what youth peer work is, and the benefits and challenges of being in a full-time position as a young person. 

Click to listen "Peer work 101: what does it mean to be a youth peer worker?"  on Spotify. 

Episodes will also be available via Podomatic and Indigo FM.

three young people with mic and headphones