At Firefly Bay & Basin, we believe young people don’t have to wait until adulthood to make a difference. Through our Youth Voice Junior program at Vincentia Public School, students are discovering that they already have the ideas, skills and passion needed to contribute to positive change in their school and community.
Over the first five sessions of the program, students have been laying the foundations for a journey that will eventually see them research issues, develop solutions and act on something that matters to them. While the projects come later, these early weeks are some of the most important.
Before young people can change their community, they first need to understand themselves, their peers and the world around them.
Building Confidence, Community and Changemakers
Throughout the first five sessions, students have explored what it means to be part of a community and how their own strengths, interests and experiences can contribute to positive change.
Using a “Head, Heart and Hands” activity, students reflected on what they know, what they care about and the skills they can bring to their community. These conversations helped students recognise that leadership is not about having all the answers. It begins with understanding your own strengths and how to use them to support others.
From there, students began exploring what makes a strong community. Through discussions, stories and community asset mapping activities, they discovered that communities are built not only by places and organisations, but also by the people, skills, relationships and experiences that connect us. By identifying the strengths that already exist within their school and the wider Bay and Basin community, students developed a greater appreciation for the positive things happening around them and the role they can play in building on those strengths.
Students also explored the idea that creating change does not always require a large project. Through a Kindness Mission, they experienced how small actions can positively impact others and contribute to a more welcoming and connected community. These activities reinforced an important message at the heart of Youth Voice Junior – That every person can make a difference.
Most recently, students learned about children’s rights and the importance of having their voices heard. Through discussions about fairness, respect, and participation, they explored how young people can advocate for what matters to them. By examining examples of young people who have spoken up to create change, students were reminded that they do not have to wait until adulthood for their ideas to have value.
A fun highlight of the program so far has been creating the Youth Voice Junior mascot. Every student was invited to contribute an idea, with each child designing a different feature. The result is a mascot that truly reflects the group’s collective creativity, with every student able to point to a part they helped create. The students’ ideas were brought to life using AI by Firefly Project Assistant Ash, creating their mascot (Toelina). The mascot has quickly become a symbol of the program, representing the diversity, imagination and shared ownership that sit at the heart of Youth Voice Junior.
Together, these early sessions have helped students begin to understand themselves, appreciate the strengths of others, recognise the assets within their community and develop confidence in the power of their own voice. They are already learning that leadership is not about working alone, but about listening, contributing, collaborating and working alongside others to create positive change.
Looking ahead
So far, the students have focused on building awareness, curiosity and confidence.
They have been learning to understand themselves, appreciate others’ strengths, recognise the assets within their community, and see the value of their own voice.
Over the coming weeks, they will move into the next phase of the Youth Voice journey. They’ll begin asking questions, gathering information and exploring the issues that matter most to young people. These conversations will eventually help shape a student-led project aimed at creating positive change within their school or community.
We have been incredibly impressed by the enthusiasm, thoughtfulness and willingness of students to participate so far. Their ideas, questions and reflections demonstrate that young people have much to contribute when they are allowed to be heard.
We are excited to see where their curiosity, creativity and collective voice take them next.
At Firefly Bay & Basin, we believe young people are not just the leaders of tomorrow. They are valuable contributors today. Youth Voice Junior is helping students discover that their voices matter, their ideas have value, and even small actions can create meaningful change.
If you are interested in learning more about Youth Voice or working in partnership or collaboration with Firefly, please contact us.