Since the Government was elected we’ve been delivering for young Australians and providing young people with the opportunity to contribute to the direction of our nation on a scale never seen before.

We’re committed to seeking out the views of young Australians on the things that matter to them, as well as highlighting information about policies and services relevant to their lives.

In support of this commitment the Government has invested $8 million to establish the Australian Youth Forum as the key avenue to engage young Australians across the country on their own turf. Minister Ellis has held a number of large scale youTHINK events involving an estimated 3000 young people, as well as outreach forums all over the country.

Online, the AYF website provides the opportunity for young Australians to speak to the Government - and each other - about the important issues facing them, their communities and the nation.

The site www.youth.gov.au/ayf  has had more than 90,000 visits since it began and it is regularly updated with new topics for young people to share their views on.

I encourage all young Australians to continue to contribute to these discussions.

Late last year the Prime Minister and I announced that we’re developing a National Strategy for Young Australians to help guide future government policy making and ensure that young people’s needs and perspectives are taken into account in all Government business.

It’s another way we’re making sure we look ahead to tomorrow as well as acting today.

In developing this Strategy, we held a National Conversation with thousands of young Australians through themed roundtables, online forums, blogs, videos, written submissions and even Twitter.

The National Strategy recognises that today’s generation of young Australians face new and unique challenges. Challenges like different social and family patterns, rapidly changing technology, an evolving labour market and climate change.  The National Strategy will be publically released soon.

Here is a snapshot of some of the other work the Australian Government is doing to support young Australians:

• A $277 million Compact with Young Australians will guarantee training places for every young person under 25 who wishes to upskill and ensure young people participate full-time in study, training or employment, until age 17.

• $155 million to support out-of-trade Australian Apprentices and will encourage the use of Australian Apprentices in Government infrastructure projects.

• $500 million investment under the Better Universities Renewal Fund will help universities rebuild their campus infrastructure.

• $723 million investment in the National Partnership on Youth Attainment and Transitions that involves two new programs that are aimed at assisting young people who have disconnected from school or work and build better partnerships between schools, community and business.

• Ongoing work to reform student income support arrangements so that more young Australians enrolled in higher education will be eligible for Youth Allowance and support is directed to those who need it most.

• Additional funding of $35.6 million was committed for headspace, the National Youth Mental Health Foundation to continue its vital work on youth mental health.

• $10 million for the creation of Arts, Business and Community Centres for Young Australians, which was one of the top ten ideas from the Youth 2020 Summit. The Centres will connect young people with employment, community and useful personal networks.

• A Clean Sustainable Skills Package that includes a 10,000 member National Green Corps to provide environmental work experience and training for out-of-work Australians aged 18 to 24 years and 4,000 training places for insulation installers.

• The Government has committed $490 million over five years for the Medicare Teen Dental Plan – 258 203 teenagers had received a dental check up under this initiative by 30 December 2008.

• Establishment of a Body Image Advisory Council who have recently delivered their report, which includes a recommendation for an Industry Code of Conduct. The Government is now considering the report and will respond to the Advisory Group’s recommendations in 2010 and take forward action on this important issue.

• $3.5 million over four years will be provided to tackle eating disorders, including $500,000 to the Butterfly Foundation to establish a National Eating Disorders Collaboration.

Go to http://www.youth.gov.au/ , the one stop shop for Young Australians for more information.