Paris Rose Brailsford, a 21-year-old youth advocate from the Clarence Valley, proudly represented her region at the first-ever NSW Youth Summit held in Sydney on Monday of last week.
The Summit brought together participants from diverse regional and metro communities, cultural backgrounds and life experiences. Together, they engaged directly with Ministers and Commissioners on critical issues that define their futures, including the cost-of-living pressures, mental health, housing availability, climate change, education and employment.
This milestone event was a collaboration between the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development’s Office for Regional Youth, the Advocate for Children and Young People and the NSW Department of Communities and Justice. The event highlights a transformative shift in how the NSW Government values youth input, moving beyond traditional consultation to hands-on, real-time dialogue with decision-makers.
Paris played a pivotal role in shaping the summit, not just as a participant, but as a key member of the Youth Summit Working Group, made up entirely of young people. This group co-designed the event to ensure it truly reflected the priorities and perspectives of NSW youth.
A passionate advocate for youth issues, Paris is committed to tackling challenges related to education, financial support, youth homelessness and substance abuse.
Paris has previously served on both the NSW Youth Parliament and the NSW Government’s Regional Youth Taskforce, where she worked to amplify the voices of young people across the state.
Currently studying a Bachelor of Economics/Bachelor of Laws at the University of New England, Paris continues to balance her studies with her advocacy work. As a full-time student living away from home, she offers a valuable perspective as a young person from regional NSW.
The NSW Youth Summit provided Paris with the opportunity to further amplify her advocacy by participating in dynamic panel discussions, interactive workshops and networking sessions with NSW Government Ministers and leaders.
A pivotal workshop, led by NSW Minister for Youth Rose Jackson, gave young participants a platform to express how they want to engage with government in the future, emphasising the importance of authentic, ongoing youth input. By involving young people in direct discussions with government ministers, the summit reflected NSW’s commitment to empowering young voices and demonstrates a real investment in their role in shaping NSW.
Thousands of young people have been a part of the NSW Government’s Your Voice, Our Future consultation ahead of the summit and the online survey will remain open until Tuesday 31 December. To complete the survey, go to: https://bit.ly/YourVoiceOurFuture-NSW. NSW Minister for Youth Rose Jackson said the Youth Summit is a historic moment for NSW. “Today, young people from every corner of NSW have the chance to speak directly to government leaders, making sure their voices are heard loud and clear on the issues that affect their lives and futures.
“We’re here not just to listen but to learn from young people and to bring their ideas into action. The NSW Government is committed to making young people genuine partners in shaping policies that impact their communities.
“This summit is the beginning of a stronger, ongoing relationship between young people and the NSW Government. Today’s conversations will lead to be an important step on determining how the NSW Government engages with young people into the future.
“As Minister for Youth, I am committed to amplifying young people’s voices, empowering them to play an active role in shaping government policies on the issues that matter most to them.”
Paris Rose Brailsford said being a young person studying full time and living away from home, her experiences have diversified significantly since her previous involvement in youth advocacy.
“I have grown extremely passionate about equal opportunities in education, fairer student loan provisions, better financial support for young people, supporting youth facing homelessness and slipping through the cracks of our system and the deep-rooted drug and alcohol culture affecting young people.
“I was excited by the prospect of sharing my own experiences at the youth summit, having my opinions challenged and looking towards strategies that aim to help the youth of NSW.”
This article appeared in the Clarence Valley Independent, 27 November 2024.