On Thursday, 10 July, our Youth Voice students came together for a creative and energising school holiday workshop in one of the classrooms at the Jervis Bay Maritime Museum. This workshop was all about levelling up their project ideas and preparing to pitch with confidence — and wow, did they step up!
The day kicked off with a look back at all the incredible work they had done so far, revisiting tools such as their Design for Wiser Action frameworks, Asset Maps, Case Studies, and Mind Maps. From there, it was time to dig deeper and ask the big question: What is our project, really? This gave each group a chance to reflect on their direction and refine their ideas, especially in light of the research and feedback they’ve gathered.
Each group had a go at crafting a short, sharp elevator pitch — a 30-second summary of their idea — and shared it with the rest of the crew. They also began thinking about how to grab an audience’s attention and communicate their goals with clarity and impact.
We explored the idea of “working in the grey” — the real-life space between perfect plans and practical action. To bring this concept to life, students took a short walk to visit the mural created as part of a previous Youth Voice project. Seeing what’s possible when young people team up with partners and back each other’s ideas was the perfect inspiration.
Back in the workshop, the team dived into a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) to unpack what’s working and where they might need extra support. With just five months to bring their projects to life, this step helped keep things realistic, focused, and achievable.
After a brief break, they worked through a Pitch Planner, mapping out how to explain their idea, the problem it addresses, and what they would need to make it happen. Before the day wrapped up, they created action plans to keep the momentum going over the holidays, ready to shine at our Community Pitch Event on 7 August.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a Youth Voice workshop without a bit of fun — so after all that brain work, we wrapped up with pizza (yes please 🍕) and a chilled-out movie session at Huskisson Pictures. Some of our Youth Crew joined us to watch the new live-action How to Train Your Dragon 🐉.
We’re so proud of this crew — not just for their bright, bold ideas, but for the way they’re showing up, supporting each other, and putting in the work. We can’t wait to see what they bring to the stage in August!
If you’re a community member and would like to attend the Youth Voice Pitch Event on Thursday, 7 August at Vincentia High School, we’d love to have you there. Please get in touch with Christine at cmcinerneypercy@uniting.org.