About the Central Youth Advocacy Network
Central Youth Advocacy Network (CYAN) was founded on this question:​
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Why shouldn't all young Territorians have a say over their future?
For those who don’t know me, I’m Esther. I’m a young advocate from Central Australia, and I’ve been incredibly privileged to grow up in a household with two parents who work in advocacy. I believe advocacy is something every young person should have the opportunity to access, but I know this isn’t a reality yet.
This year, I attended the National Youth Forum and was concerned to find that I was the only young person from remote NT. I am a young, privileged white woman, and while I have participated in community consultation, the reality is that I cannot speak for the experiences of all young people.
This experience motivated me to create greater pathways into advocacy, with CYAN being one part of achieving this goal.
Our Impact Statement
The Central Youth Advocacy Network aims to make advocacy and decision making spaces more accessible to all young people. It will be a safe, accessible and supportive resource designed to empower and build up confidence. We hope that in turn, future decisions made about young people will be informed by a wide range of voices, not just those who already have the priviledge to access these spaces.
Our Vision
Youth advocacy should be accessible to all young people, regardless of their background, the language they speak at home, their access to housing, their religion, or the region that they live.
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Every young person deserves a voice in the decisions that affect them. Young people are not only the leaders of the future, but key stakeholders in the present.
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We recognise and uphold this truth.