What does youth involvement look like at Inspire Foundation, and how does the organisation approach working with young people? Given at the International Youth Mental Health Conference, July 2010, Melbourne

1. Youth Involvement
at the Inspire
Foundation
Working in partnership with
young people
Doug Millen
Youth Ambassador
Heads Up! International Youth Mental
Health Conference, Melbourne
30 July 2010
1 Inspire's mission is to help young people lead happier lives

2. Inspire’s Philosophy:
Youth participation isn’t something we ‘do’,
it’s how we do everything!
Inspire’s Values Young people have a
right to be involved
• Fun
in decisions that
• Responsibility affect them.
• Compassion
• Generosity
• Inclusiveness
2 Inspire's mission is to help young people lead happier lives 30 July 2010

3. ReachOut Youth Ambassador Stories
http://youtu.be/1Fzf0Zn-dds
3 Inspire's mission is to help young people lead happier lives 30 July 2010

4. 4 Inspire's mission is to help young people lead happier lives 30 July 2010

5. 5 Inspire's mission is to help young people lead happier lives 30 July 2010

6. 6 Inspire's mission is to help young people lead happier lives 30 July 2010

7. 7 Inspire's mission is to help young people lead happier lives 30 July 2010

8. 8 Inspire's mission is to help young people lead happier lives 30 July 2010

9. • Online forums • In-person workshops
• Fundraising & events • Public speaking
• Web content creation • Recruitment interviews
• Peer researchers • Marketing, branding
• Internships • Media opps
• Focus groups • Collaborative projects
• Workshop facilitation • Interpretive dance
• Surveys • Everything!!
• Program evaluation
9 Inspire's mission is to help young people lead happier lives 30 July 2010

10. Youth involvement at Inspire
A variety of opportunities for What do young people want?
involvement
• A personal connection
• Online and/or offline
• To feel like they’re making a
• Self-led or structured difference
• YP are invited to shape their
own participation
• Mostly interest-based, not skills-
based
10 Inspire's mission is to help young people lead happier lives 30 July 2010

11. Youth involvement, community, and the
importance of using technology
Online Settings Community
• Young people live part of their • Young people, staff &
lives online supporters: working together
toward a common goal, on
• Central place for communicating
the same level
with young people online
– Use diverse means for getting YP to the • Maintained by Inspire’s values
central place & sense of fun
11 Inspire's mission is to help young people lead happier lives 30 July 2010

12. Youth involvement at Inspire
Culture Inspire’s guiding principles for youth
involvement:
• Working with young • YI is flexible, in terms of YP’s roles,
people is a natural part expectations, and needs
of everyday work and
• YI values diversity
the organisation
• Young people’s contributions are
• Attitude: Everyone is
recognised and appreciated
positive and
enthusiastic about • YI provides young people with
working with young opportunities for skill development
people
• YI is well resourced
12 Inspire's mission is to help young people lead happier lives 30 July 2010

13. YI as The Magic Pudding:
No matter how much you take, there’s always more!
• Share passion! • Speak to Inspire
• Share with organisations – Call for a chat about YI
02 8585 9300 (reception)
doing similar things with
young people – Nikki Thomas
Youth Involvement Manager
nikki@inspire.org.au
• Contact me
– Doug Millen
For more information: doug.millen@inspire.org.au
0425 865 851
http://inspire.org.au
• Youth Participation Evaluation (out soon)
• Research reports & articles on youth participation
13 Inspire's mission is to help young people lead happier lives 30 July 2010