Ms SPENCE (Yuroke): My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Youth, and the action I seek is for the minister to join with me and members of the Yuroke Youth Advisory Council to hear about their work throughout this year. In 2019 members of the Yuroke Youth Advisory Council have chosen to focus on mental health. They have run a community survey, receiving hundreds of responses, designed and developed a wellness zine and even put together their own playlist of upbeat, positive music. In recent years Yuroke Youth Advisory Council members have benefited greatly from meeting with the minister’s predecessor in the youth portfolio. This year’s council are rightly proud of the fantastic work they have all done, and I am sure they would appreciate any time that the minister may be able to spare to hear from them firsthand.

Response:

I thank the Member for Yuroke for her question and I also acknowledge her work amplifying the voice of young people in her electorate through the Yuroke Youth Advisory Council.

I am pleased to report that I joined the Member for Yuroke and the Minister for Mental Health on 26 November 2019 to meet with members of the Yuroke Youth Advisory Council to discuss their achievements for the year and their work identifying local issues of importance.

The Victorian Government is committed to providing genuine mechanisms for young Victorians to communicate directly with our Government. Initiatives such the Victorian Youth Congress and the Victoria Youth Summit give young people a voice in shaping decisions that directly affect them. Likewise, the Yuroke Youth Council provides an opportunity for young people in Yuroke to identify local issues of importance and discuss possible solutions.

The young people from the Yuroke Youth Council discussed with me their consultations and research into mental health and the impact this is having on young people in Yuroke. I was impressed to hear about their creative solutions to help support their peers, including a wellness zine and their own Spotify play list sharing positive music.

Mental health is a priority issue for young people in Victoria, with one in four young Victorians reporting to have a current mental health concern. A person will also more likely develop a mental health issue between the ages of 12 and 25. I would like to commend these young people of Yuroke, who through their work are making a direct contribution to improving mental health outcomes in their community.

The Victorian Government is also committed to improving mental health outcomes for young people and is currently considering the interim report of the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System, including the impact of recommendations of young people.

The 10 Year Mental Health Plan also commits the Victorian Government to early intervention and prevention measures for young people and families experiencing mental health issues. This includes a new Orygen Youth Mental Health Care and Research Centre at Parkville, as a part of a commitment to world-leading practice and research in mental health treatment for young people.

I congratulate the Member for Yuroke for convening the 2019 Yuroke Youth Advisory Council as a platform for young people living in Yuroke to represent their peers and express their views on issues that matter to young people in their local community.  I would also like to thank the impressive young people from the Yuroke Youth Advisory Council for meeting with me and for their contribution to improving mental health outcomes in their community.

Gabrielle Williams MP
Minister for Youth