'There aren't really many safe places' Wollongong's Youth Forum tells us what needs fixing

The eight Illawarra teenagers, aged 14 to 18, were sworn in at the Wollongong City Council chambers on November 7. The group is independent of the local council but will be advising it on youth issues.

The Wollongong Youth Forum has a $10,000 budget to back its vision for the Illawarra.

The youngest member, 14-year-old Sophie O'Dwyer, joined the forum to see what she could do about safety after a friend had been physically assaulted by a group in Wollongong.

"I really didn't want to live in a place where I felt unsafe to go into town to do some shopping, so I wanted to join [the Wollongong Youth Forum] and see what I could do," Sophie said.

Phoenix Horton, a 17-year-old member added that safety is especially an issue for the queer and trans community.

"[They] do not feel comfortable in representing themselves in the way that they want to within public and within the Wollongong CBD," Phoenix said.

While the group is yet to create an agenda it has discussed issues such as safety in Wollongong, mental health services, and inclusive events for young people.

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17-years-old from Dapto

What two words would you use to describe yourself? Passionate and empathetic.

What local issue affecting young people are you passionate about? "I think there are many issues, but it boils down to safety and resources. There is a need for more safe spaces, and places to socialise, which has been diminished since the COVID-19 pandemic, and there is a need for this particularly here, and the resources to do so."

14-year-old from Cordeaux Heights

What two words would you use to describe yourself? Energetic and compassionate

What local issue affecting young people are you passionate about? "I think that young people just need better support ... with more education around vaping and drugs and like hanging out with older people."

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16-year-old from Corrimal

What two words would you use to describe yourself? Honest and responsible

What local issue affecting young people are you passionate about? "People with disabilities don't get the individual care that they need all the time. It's often not accessible or too expensive and there isn't enough educational knowledge on different less known disabilities especially in the youth."

18-year-old from Lake Heights

What two words would you use to describe yourself? Independent and adaptable

What local issue affecting young people are you passionate about? "Places to go. I think other than the [Wollongong] youth centre there aren't really many safe places for young people to be for like a variety of reasons," Oskar said.

"A lot of people are afraid to go to the youth centre because of the crowds that hang around there, so I think having more safe spaces for young people would be really good."

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15-year-old from Bellambi

What two words would you use to describe yourself? Driven and sincere.

What local issue affecting young people are you passionate about? "I'm pretty passionate about mental health services in schools. I think a lot of schools especially public schools do not have the resources or the knowledge to really tackle mental health."

17-year-old from Port Kembla

What two words would you use to describe yourself? Chaotic and passionate.

What local issue affecting young people are you passionate about? "Safety definitely, whether that's just for youth, queer youth, no matter what just all of young people in the area," he said.

"Obviously we do have the youth centre, but other areas around that are just not as safe whether that's with lighting, cameras, security, that kind of thing."

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15-year-old from Berkeley

What two words would you use to describe yourself? Fun and caring

What local issue affecting young people are you passionate about? "Equality among everyone, specifically in youth like among genders and sexualities, [and] even among youth and older people ... because throughout all of Wollongong it's a huge issue that we have."

15-year-old from Wollongong

What two words would you use to describe yourself? Ambitiously determined

What local issue affecting young people are you passionate about? "I think healthy eating and exercise because a lot of young people ... usually just stay home, and it's really affecting our health both mentally, physically, and emotionally because everything's connected like that."

The Wollongong Youth Forum is a pilot program by Foundation for Young Australia (FYA).

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