Young Mayors Reference Group
Have your say. Shape the future of Young Mayors
We’re looking for 10 passionate young people who have previously engaged with the Young Mayors Program in Cairns, Horsham, Hume, Mackay and Wollongong to join the Young Mayors Reference Group. This is your opportunity to bring your ideas, experiences and perspectives to the table and help influence how the Young Mayors Program is designed and delivered.
What is the Reference Group?
The Reference Group is a group of young people who are interested in helping shape the future of the Young Mayors Program. As a member, you will work alongside other young people and the Young Mayors team to:
- Share your experience and insights
- Provide feedback on new ideas and initiatives
- Ensure young people’s voices remain at the centre of decision making
- Represent the perspectives of young people in your community
This reference group will run from August to November 2026.
What’s in it for you?
- Make an impact. Help shape the future of the Young Mayors Program and influence decisions that affect young people.
- Build your skills. Develop your leadership, teamwork, communication, advocacy and decision-making skills.
- Connect with other young people. Work alongside passionate young people from different communities across Australia.
- Be recognised for your expertise. Your lived experience matters. Participants will receive an honorarium in recognition of their time and contribution.
Application details
The Young Mayors reference group is open to any young person that has previously or is currently engaged with the Young Mayors program. This also includes candidates that did not go on to join youth councils – we want to hear from you too!
We’re looking for young people who:
- Are passionate about making a difference in their community
- Want to help improve opportunities for future young people
- Are willing to actively participate in meetings and discussions
- Bring diverse experiences and perspectives
We encourage young people with a diversity of lived experience to nominate, including First Nations people, LGBTQIA+ people, disabled people / people with disability, women and non-binary people, young people from low-income households, people from diverse cultural backgrounds and people of colour.
Applications will close Sunday 9 August. Expect to hear back from us by early August on how your application is progressing.
FAQs
How much influence will the Reference Group have?
The Reference Group will have genuine opportunities to influence the Young Mayors Program. While not every recommendation can be implemented, the program team will actively consider all feedback and provide updates on how recommendations have informed decisions.
How many people will be selected onto the Reference Group?
The Reference Group will be made up of 10 young people. To make sure every member has a meaningful opportunity to contribute, the group has been intentionally designed as a smaller working group. It is strongly encouraged that members will gather feedback from their local networks and help bring a broader range of young people’s perspectives into discussions. This allows the group to be both manageable and representative
Will members of the Reference group be paid?
Yes. We recognise the value of young people’s lived experience and expertise. Members of the Reference Group will be paid $100 for every two hour session they attend.
What’s the time commitment of the Reference Group?
The Reference Group meetings will be held every two weeks between August and November with a commitment to eight meetings in that period. Meetings are expected to run for approximately two hours, from 4pm to 6pm.
What topics will the Reference group be discussing?
The reference group may be invited to co-design or consult on the following topics:
- Session 1: Getting to know you
Embedding Youth Voice in the Young Mayors Program part 1 - Session 2: The Young Mayors Program Theory of Change
How young people should be involved in the governance of the Young Mayors Program - Session 3: Understanding Consent-based decision making
- Session 4: Civic Education part 1
- Session 5: Civic Education part 2
- Session 6: Exploring the Young Mayors alumni model
- Session 7: Exploring the Young Mayors alumni model part 2
- Session 8: Embedding Youth Voice in the Young Mayors Program part 2
Each session will be two hours long. Please note that the above topics may change or be altered. You will, however, be informed of topics well in advance to help you prepare for the sessions.
Are meetings held online or in person?
Most meetings will likely be held online to make participation accessible across different locations.
Members may get support in developing skills in:
- Leadership
- Teamwork and collaboration
- Communication
- Advocacy
- Strategic thinking
- Community engagement
- Decision making and governance
What support is available if I’m nervous about participating?
We want all young people to feel comfortable participating. Support may include:
- Clear meeting information and agendas
- Accessible meeting formats
- Support from Young Mayors staff through education/training on topics
- Opportunities to ask questions and seek clarification
What if my views are different from other people’s views?
We celebrate diversity in the Young Mayors Program. If your views are different from other people’s views, we would love to hear them as that contributes to wealth of experience in the discussion.
If you have any questions or need more information, please contact the Young Mayors team on email: [email protected]
Expression of interest form
We ask for some personal details in this form. These are collected for the purpose of contacting you about your application.
We will also use this information to add you to our mailing list to receive communications about our upcoming programs, events and opportunities. If at any time you wish to opt-out of receiving communications from us, you may unsubscribe using the link provided or email us at [email protected]