January - February 2014 unleash 1

ISSUE 28 JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2014

news • opportunities • action • opinion

SOLO TRAVEL

CREATiVE CAREERS

OuR CLimATE FuTuRE

YOUR CREATIVE PATH

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Editor’s hello

News

Opportunities and events

Interns Australia

Solo Travel – A Guide To The Wild Life

Spirit Of Youth – Photography Winner

How To Be A Commercial Artist Without Sacrificing The Creative

Resurrection Project + Climate Change Facts

YMCA Youth Parliament

Youth Action Asks

Outburst

Stay in touch

unleash is Youth Action’s magazine of youth opinion and action.

If you are under 20, unleash gives you the opportunity to express your opinions on issues that concern you. It also supports and encourages you to take positive action to improve your community and young people’s lives.

EdITOR Bridie Moran

gRAPHIC dEsIgn Emma-Lee Crane: Milk Thieves Art & Design www.milkthieves.com.au

Youth Action is the peak organisation representing young people & youth services in NSW. Youth Action is not religious and not party political. Youth Action receives core funding from the NSW Government - Department of Family and Community Services. More at www.youthaction.org.au

gET UnlEAsHunleash is published 6 times each year. See the subscription details on the back cover, or go to www.youthaction.org.au/unleash

fEEdbACkWe want to hear what you like, what you don’t like, andwhat you would like, in unleash. We also want to hear whatyou think about the issues discussed in unleash. Just email: unleash@youthaction.org.au

COnTRIbUTEunleash is a space for young people aged 12-19. See how you can contribute on page 21, or go to www.youthaction.org.au/unleash

AdVERTIsEIf you would like to advertise in unleash, please contact Youth Action on (02) 8218 9803 or email unleash@youthaction.org.au.

lEgAlITIEsunleash is © Copyright Youth Action 2013. Individual articles are copyright the individual authors. Contact us if you would like to copy something from unleash.

Opinions are the authors’ and not necessarily Youth Action’s.

COnTACT UsBridie Moran - Editorunleash magazineYouth Action Suite 403, 64-76 Kippax StreetSurry Hills NSW 2010

unleash@youthaction.org.au(02) 8218 9800fax (02) 9281 5588

www.youthaction.org.au/unleash

unleash 28January - febraury 2014

fROnT COVER

This issue’s cover artist is Sophie Richards, SOYA Photography winner 2013.

The Cover Artist will receive a $50 gift voucher to a store of her choice. If you would like to have your artwork featured on an upcoming unleash cover, get in touch via email – unleash@youthaction.org.au

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This edition of unleash takes a look at creative paths being followed by amazing, talented young people around NSW.

Read an interview with professional artist, David Lovegrove, who has worked with everyone from HBO to Emirates Airlines, and discover how he has made his creative passion into a commercial career. unleash also talks to a young photographer, Sophie Richards, who is about to embark on a new step her professional career after winning a Qantas Spirit of Youth Award – at only 19!

This issue, you can also read about the Resurrection Project of Whitlam What Matters? Award winner Martha Reece, find out how to join Outburst! and the YMCA Youth Parliament and take a walk on the wild side with Caitlin Morahan, as she travels the world – solo!

One of my favourite things about this issue of unleash isn’t an article – it’s actually a video! Produced by Youth Action’s amazing publications interns, Rachel and Pamela, it takes to the street of Sydney to find out what matters to young people.

If you are interested in becoming a Youth Action Intern, get in touch with us! It’s also a great time to take a read of our article about Interns Australia – with lots of facts about internships and how you can help your interests to be represented.

Can’t wait to hear about your creative path….

Bridieunleash Editor

EdITOR’s lETTER

unleash’s take on how young people made the news in the last month or so...and any extras that might be relevant to you!

skaters hanker for more spacesMore than 200 Sydney skateboarders descended on Town Hall for a City of Sydney council meeting to voice their support for a skateboarding facility in the CBD.

The petition, signed by 3000 riders within three weeks, was tabled on Monday by Labor councillor Linda Scott, who was greeted with thunderous applause from the gallery.

The petition called on council to build a skate facility in the city centre and investigate other suitable sites in the inner city. It also requested the City to prioritise the “immediate inspection and repair” of all council-owned skateboarding facilities to “return them to their full and proper use and to reduce the risk of injury”.

Nigel Cameron co-founded the Sydney Skateboard Association to lobby for a skate park in the CBD.

“There’s been talk of it for 30 years,” he said. He identified the area around Sussex Street underneath the Western Distributor overpass as an ideal location. “It’s a really interesting space and it’s unusable for anything else.”

http://www.altmedia.net.au/skaters-hanker-for-more-spaces/87748

YOU In THE nEWs

Reduction In numbers Of Young Indigenous People In CustodyAccording to NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, (BOCSAR) director Don Weatherburn, there are fewer young Aboriginal people in NSW detention than 10 years ago.

Mr Weatherburn said, in particular, the number of young Aboriginal males behind bars for opportunistic crimes was the lowest in 12 years, attributing the improvement to programs keeping young people in education longer and dramatic drops in heroin-use in the Aboriginal community.

However, Orange Aboriginal Legal Aid Solicitor Arjun Chabbra believes the number of young Aboriginal people coming before Orange court are high, reflecting higher numbers of young Aboriginal people in custody compared to the non-Indigenous community.

“They are 31 per cent more likely to end up in custody,” he said.

http://www.centralwesterndaily.com.au/story/1966877/less-young-aborigines-in-custody/?cs=103

Skaters pack the gallery at Town Hall.

Photo: Michael Koziol

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More news, and links to full articles are at: http://youthaction.org.au/unleash/news-opportunities/

nsW drops The ball On Traineeships Naomi Dinnen is executive officer of the Group Training Association of NSW and ACT and Gary Workman is executive director of the Group Training Association of Victoria, commented on the current state of traineeships on 11 December 2013:

“When they were created in 1985, traineeships were intended as a way to help young people on to a pathway to work, particularly during periods of high youth unemployment. Over the years they have proven effective at giving women and early school leavers a leg-up into the workforce.

In NSW, the numbers of people in traineeships has been steadily dropping over the past 12 months. In fact, 20 per cent fewer people started traineeship last month compared with October 2012 - corresponding to 8000 fewer places for young people in NSW to get a kick-start to their career.

Compounding the funding issue is an increase in school retention rates with more teenagers completing Year 12 than ever before. But many still struggle to find a job, and the longer it takes the harder it becomes to avoid the rise in youth unemployment.

Governments in both NSW and Victoria have said they are reforming their VET systems to provide more user choice and allow individuals and industries to make their own decisions about their training needs.”

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/states-drop-the-ball-on-traineeships/story-e6frgcjx-1226779994396#

Youth Action Comment:In our 2012 policy paper on Apprenticeships and Traineeships, Youth Action identified the low wages and lack of support in the first year as a significant barrier to apprentices and trainees staying in their job. Additionally, many young people have never had a conversation with an adult about going into these industries, and so don’t consider traineeships or apprenticeships as a viable option. With significant skills shortages in these areas, it’s clear that more needs to be done to encourage young people into these industries and support them through the tough first couple of years.

driver’s licence penalties for graffiti unused by policePremier Barry O’Farrell’s ‘’tough on graffiti’’ election promises are proving to be hollow words, with the new penalties against the driver’s licences of young graffiti offenders having never been used.

Almost a year after the controversial law came into effect, and a battle by the O’Farrell government to get them through Parliament, the courts have not issued a single order for a driver’s licence penalty using the Graffiti Control Act.

The director of policy at Youth Action, Eamon Waterford, said the fact no driver’s licence penalties had been imposed was ‘’undoubtedly’’ a good thing.

‘’Removing a driver’s licence for a minor offence only entrenches criminal behaviour,’’ he said. ‘’Any young person with a part-time job who is caught for graffiti would then be unable to get to work and would lose their job. If they have no money, they may upgrade to stealing.’’

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/drivers-licence-penalties-for-graffiti-unused-by-police-20131109-2x8l2.html

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Graffiti on the streets of Newtown.

Photo: Tamara Dean TKD

OPPORTUnITIEs

Find more great opportunities on the unleash website: http://youthaction.org.au/unleash/news-opportunities/

Money smart – ASIC Are you going through some first-time experiences like buying your first car, moving out of home, first job or getting your first big bill? Everyone’s a rookie first time around and it’s easy to make mistakes - mistakes that could cost you a lot.

Be a MoneySmart Rookie and make smart decisions about your money.

https://www.moneysmart.gov.au/life-events-and-you/under-25s

New Youth Opportunities In GosfordLast December, the The Regional Youth Support Service’s (RYSS) Central Coast Youth Leadership Project was awarded a total of $90,000 in funding from the NSW Government’s Youth Opportunities program.

RYSS is delivering six exciting projects as part of Youth Opportunities. They include Full Circle, an eight-week program for Year 7 and 8s aimed at tackling bullying and building self-esteem in schools; and Life Skills, helping Year 9 and 10s develop basic skills in budgeting, car maintenance, nutrition and facilitating career development opportunities.

To get involved in one of these awesome new programs, or to find out more about RYSS, check out: http://ryss.com.au/

Youth Action InternshipsYouth Action offers internships in the areas of policy, advocacy and publications. If you are interested in undertaking a Youth Action Internship in 2014, follow the following instructions:

Email us with the following details, and we will let you know if we have any vacancies. Let us know:

Why you would like to volunteer at Youth Action, 1. and what in particular you would like to do here

Relevant qualifications, experience and/or skills2.

Approx. hours per week and days of the week you 3. are available

Any other details we may need to know.4.

See more at: http://youthaction.org.au/about/jobs-opportunities/

Free Basketball in Pyrmont!Do you work or live in Pyrmont? Not sure what to do during your lunch break?

Do you want to be active but don’t feel like hitting the gym?

Maybanke Courts is now open daily for free basketball Court access from 12pm - 2pm. Drop by and get your game on!

Maybanke Courts 87 – 97 Harris StreetPyrmont NSW 2009

Phone: 02 9298 3120 for more information

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By The Interns Australia Team

Over the past couple of decades, there has been a sharp rise in the number of young people doing internships in order to enter industries they wish to work in. Internships can prove to be highly important in the transition from education to employment. They can offer an opportunity for young people to gain experience, make connections and learn.

Unfortunately, the proliferation of internships within many industries has also given rise to internships that are exploitative and inaccessible to those of lower socio-economic backgrounds. These internships are unpaid or underpaid and exist to the employer for the purpose of free or cheap labour, more so than education. In some industries, the use of this free labour is a substitute for more costly, entry-level positions and is sadly becoming a norm.

This is a step backwards from a century of progress in workplace rights and the promotion of fair and accessible means of economic opportunity. It is especially concerning with recent reports having suggested the youth unemployment rate nationwide is over three times the rate of overall unemployment. Ensuring young people can access equitable and worthwhile means of gaining employment is critical for a reduction in that youth unemployment rate.

Interns Australia has recently been formed with an appreciation of the important role internships play for many. We are developing as a support and advocacy body for interns in Australia. Our aim is to promote the value of educational internships, ensuring that they are worthwhile and accessible to those who don’t come from affluent backgrounds.

MY sTORY

InTROdUCIng InTERns AUsTRAlIA

We formed in October, a merger between two smaller groups, one based in Sydney and the other in Melbourne. We wanted to create a national body for the purpose of promoting genuine internships and providing support to interns and students doing work placements. Many of us in Interns Australia are here because we have personal experiences as interns and have observed the way interns and students can be treated.

Our first major campaign is an online survey, aimed at hearing about the experiences of those who have done internships and work placement programs as students. From this, we will be able to understand which issues our new organisation should address to best help interns.

If you have done an internship or anticipates doing one in the future, you can complete our survey here. It will take only about 5 minutes to complete.

As young people, it is up to us to take charge of our own destinies and get organised to ensure our transition from education to employment is fair and worthwhile. Our organisation is built on the back of volunteers who are willing to sacrifice their time for this worthy cause.

To get involved or for further information, you can send us an email at internsaustralia@gmail.com or check out our website. We are also on Facebook and Twitter if you would like to receive updates on our events.

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By Caitlin Morahan, 19, who has been learning the art of travelling solo.

It may sound trivial, but the art of choosing a good hostel is an under-appreciated art. I’d like to say I’ve always had a knack for it, but the fact that I wasn’t at all suspicious of the pay-by-the-hour “hostel” in South Africa when I was eighteen begs to differ.

The fact is, there is plenty of trial and error in the learning curve. I’ve ended up in back alleys, hammocks on rooftops, old bomb shelters, what I’m pretty sure was a boiler room, and a hut in the middle of a sand dune. But, we all learn from our errors in judgement and I’ve come to recognize the characteristics a first time traveller wants to find in a hostel. But as always, the most important thing when travelling by yourself is the people you meet.

MY sTORYsOlO TRAVEl: A gUIdE TO THE WIld lIfE

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Europe is a prime example. It has an excellent hostel system, and as long as there’s a bed for you, you can ensure a colourful patchwork of fellow travellers to keep you entertained and/or clenching your fists to stop yourself punching a wall. As a lone traveller, I’ve come to identify common culprits occupying every common room. Repeat offenders include:

The Plastic Bagger: That one, one person who will get up at 3.30am to repack their bag for an 11am flight, rolling up their underwear inside their shoes before packing everything into plastic grocery bags. Equals the annoyance of that person who opens a bag of chips at the movies.

Masterchefs: Want to cook your two-minute noodles in peace, and more importantly, in two minutes because the pub crawl is about to leave? Nope, sorry, every available surface as well as every clean pot is taken by a self-proclaimed culinary master whipping up a creation costing twice as much as any of thelocal cuisines found at the local restaurants ten feet outside the hostel door.

Middle-aged Gap Yearer: The 45-year-old divorcee who got married too young and has finally embarked on her dream trip of adventure, discovery and self-actualization. Has probably pierced and/or dyed something, and her passport is kept in a beige money belt safely concealed under her khaki button up. Extra pockets hold sunscreen, chapstick, rubber bands, a torch, rape whistles, electrical tape and the kitchen sink.

The Sub-Species: Leaves all the mundane comforts of home to travel halfway across the world to an exciting and unfamiliar territory, immediately locates the best wifi zone and spends the next two weeks downloading episodes of Breaking Bad.

The Photographer: Equipped with a fancy SLR with buttons and dials he only pretends to understand, he comes back from a day of taking black and white photos of pigeons and trashcans to download on the communal computer. Will swivel the screen to show his ‘shots’ to whoever is unfortunate enough to make eye contact. May come with tripod.

Lonely Planet Hoarder: Can be identified by the Lonely Planet where a face should be. Can reel of the Editor’s Top Picks like clockwork but leaves without really seeing any of the place they were just in.

Serial Traveller: My favourite. Usually male, left home when he was around 22 after finishing a degree in finance to get a taste of the world before going home for a 9 to 5 and a long-term relationship. Fate did not agree with this plan, however, and it’s ten years later and he’s wearing pub crawl hats to conceal his receding hair line and his flag-sewn backpack is held together with electrical tape. Drinks boxed wine and humbly accepts leftovers.

I’ve come to find that these people cannot be avoided. In fact, they will become your best friends whilst travelling. If there is one ‘life lesson’ I’ve learned in my travels, it’s to go with the flow. I’ve witnessed screaming matches over the light switch, someone’s dinner thrown in the trash for taking too long to cook and once watched a girl lose a tooth over a bottom bunk. The last thing you want is to look back on your trip and realise how many relationships could have been forged if you just took the top bunk and didn’t punch someone’s tooth out. Because the friends you meet travelling are the ones you will end up crossing continents for.

Flying solo isn’t as daunting as Bear Grylls makes it out to be. Fresh 18-year-olds are donning Kathmandu gear every day and walking out the door to make their way around the world, usually without a hitch (give or take a drunken mishap here or there). The trail is well worn for you, it’s just up to you to take it. I can assure you, you’ll never be alone, because as bizarre as the colourful quality the list above are, they’re here to meet new people, and that includes you, and you’ll never be alone. Whether it’s in a bar in Madrid, the beach in Brazil or a deep-fried cockroach stand in Thailand, there’s always someone in the same boat as you.

InTERVIEWsOPHIE RICHARds, QAnTAs sPIRIT Of YOUTH PHOTOgRAPHY WInnER

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The Qantas Spirit of Youth Awards 365 (SOYA 365) is one of the biggest prizes for young and creative Australians.

SOYA365 is a creative melting pot spanning 11 key creative disciplines including interactive gaming, music, writing, film making, architecture and more.

This year SOYA 365 winners will be able to follow their creative dreams with the trip of a lifetime of their choosing. An open voucher for $5000 worth of air travel will let them go wherever inspiration and opportunity takes them.

A further $5,000 in cash to give winners in each category an added boost, helping them – in practical terms - to choose their own adventures and help propel their creative careers.

But the real incentive is the opportunity to build a professional mentoring relationship with creative leaders like Polly Borland, Lisa Dempster, Marc Newson, Zimmermann, Lee Groves and Liz Ann Macgregor, helping young innovators expand their horizons; build up their business base, and learn the ropes from leading industry icons and some of the greatest creative minds in the world.

Last year SOYA attracted over 20,000 entries submitted by over 2,400 young artists, designers, filmmakers, photographers and musicians. In the eighth year of the Awards, we look forward to recognising the work of a new generation and giving talented Australians the financial and professional support they need to share their work with the world.

This year, Sophie Richards won the Photography category – at only 19! She let us in on some of her secrets…. Q. Sophie, you are one of the youngest Qantas Spirit Of Youth Awards winners. What did it feel like to collect your award?

It was a huge rush of adrenaline! The significance of this award is still sinking in, I just couldn’t believe I was the one that won and to have the physical experience of receiving the award it became much more of a reality. I am so thankful to have had this opportunity, it has really been life changing.

Q. What started your interest in photography?

I kind of stumbled into photography, there was no premeditated decision to begin making images. I just borrowed my parents’ camera when I was around 15 and began to really, really enjoy it. To the point where it became a huge part of my life and still is today. I have always been easily overwhelmed by the beauty (typical and non-typical) that surrounds us and I think I just saw photography as a way of capturing these things and sharing them with others.

Q. You shoot entirely on film – why?

I do, yes! I shoot on film as a form of personal challenge in this world of very disposable imagery. I began to find that the photographs I took on my digital camera when I was younger did not hold the same significance for me because the process is far less involved and the sentiment wasn’t present. The fact that one only has a finite amount of shots in film allows one to appreciate and take more time with each photograph instead of shooting several photos and deciding later which is what a digital camera lends itself too. The process itself also slows you down. One of my cameras for example has no autofocus and no light meter which is an added challenge. I shoot film in order to love and appreciate each photograph I make.

Q. What is your favourite image?

That is hard to say! I think one of my favourite images is the picture of my friend on a blow up camping mattress in Lake Cootharaba. I remember the exact sequence of events which lead to me making that photograph. I was sitting on the shore contemplating going in for a swim and I caught a glimpse of that scene. It was so weirdly photogenic that I instantly grabbed my camera and crept up behind Yavuz so that I could capture it. I get so inspired when perfect scenes like this just present themselves to you. It’d be a crime to not document it.

Q. What would you most like to photograph?

I think the thing I would most like to photograph is unconditional and true love. A lot of my work revolves around intimacy, however it is solely autobiographical intimacy. I would love to be feel comfortable enough to capture and document love between people I am not familiar with.

Q. Time for the question we are all itching to ask – where will the Qantas Spirit Of Youth Awards prize (including cash and international flights) take you?

Ooh! I have just decided that I am going to get a J-1 visa and voyage around America for up to a year. Polly Borland is in L.A. and I would like to visit her. Also, whilst I was in Sydney for the Qantas Spirit of Youth Awards night I met up with Tony Nolan - curator of the Australian Center for Photography - in order to chat about gallery connections in the US. I have completed a couple internships in Brisbane with galleries and would love to spend my exploring the ever-changing landscape of America and working in galleries. My wildest dreams are coming true!

Q. What advice would you have for young people who want to take a creative path in their career?

I think perhaps the best piece of advice to young people would be is to be confident. Be confident in your choices to take a creative path, be confident in your work and yourself. Along with confidence you also need dedication, and passion. I feel that if you fuel your life with this passion for your art it will drive you to new opportunities and you will constantly evolve.

HOW TObE A COMMERCIAl ARTIsT WITHOUT sACRIfICIng THE CREATIVE: An InTERVIEW WITH dAVId lOVEgROVE

By Harriet McInerney, 19, SydneyOriginally published in the Vibewire July 2013 Arts & Creativity, Serial Issue

David‘s arms are extended as he sketches onto canvas, one stick of charcoal held in each hand. He began this drawing in front of the audience at Vibewire’s recent fastBREAK, and is adding some final touches to these abstract images.

He is completing a ‘two-handed drawing’, an idea he tells me he coined himself. The idea is based on inkblot images and started with a desire to ‘balance his mind’. The dual movement produces wonderfully organic shapes. You can watch it here.

David Lovegrove is a professional artist who has been involved in both fine arts and illustration. His work spans from devising the concept art for HBO’s ‘The Pacific’, to creating manga-style murals for Emirates Airlines in Dubai, to teaching art and manga workshops all over Australia.

The Current Arts Scene in Australia

The place of art making in society is changing constantly, as the way we access and view art also changes. As technology has expanded, the incongruence of high and low art forms has reduced. Comic style art has sometimes been considered as ‘pop culture’, yet comics or graphic novels are increasingly considered as art forms of their own right.

When asked what he thinks of the arts scene at the moment David tells me, “It’s morphing big time. There’s less dichotomy, less ‘this is fine art, this is comic art’. And artists are driving it, they’re saying I am who I am.”

David has a classical arts education at the Julian Ashton Art School, but has worked on various arts projects for money-making purposes, a duality which he happily embraces: “I’m very much a fine artist, and very much a commercial artist”.

David’s graphic novel ‘Gilgamesh the King’

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The Business of Art Making

The image of starving artists, working for themselves and living off two-minute noodles, is one we are all familiar with. Yet David does not view artistic achievement as incongruous with success as a commercial artist.

“Commercial restraints actually really mature you as an artist. They stop you being lazy and self-indulgent. If you’re not worried about money at all you can go off on all sorts of tangents, and it can be sort of cool, but I found that having to work with other people and work to budgets taught me to work fast and pay attention to detail. You have to look for the mistakes, you can’t give something sloppy away.”

While commercial restraints place some fetters on creativity, David found that they ultimately expanded the scope of his creativity. “When I started out I was doing things for other people, and I found it was really good for me. To be given an idea that I would never have come up with or been interested in. It pushed me into areas I wouldn’t have gone into, and it improved me as an artist,” he says.

David’s commercial strategy includes having multiple art forms and techniques in his repertoire. “To make a career of it needs to be a business. To make money out of art you need to be a business, and to be a business you need to diversify.

Like any businessman, he takes a practical approach to pursuing art: “From the start I wanted to be a famous artist and make lots of money and live a cool life. I didn’t think I’m just gonna make art and I’m happy to be broke the rest of my life. Because money allows you to make art. The more money you make the more you can make art you love.”

Art as Instinctual

While art is a trade, and the studio is a workplace for David, it’s not as though his art is simply a day job. Endless optimism and gratitude for the good luck he has benefited from are clear as David speaks of his career.

David relates that he has always lived in a dream and cannot remember a time without the instinct to create. “As a kid I was a smart guy, but I was such a dreamer. And I did a lot of non-dreamy jobs in the first 10 years of working, but the art just comes out of me. People ask how this comes out of me, and I ask how can it not.”

Not only is the creative process is as natural as eating and breathing to David, it is something he feels compelled to take part in. “This is definitely my calling. And it’s a spiritual calling too. We all have a place to function within the earth’s system, and this is what I do. It might seem trivial to some people, but for me it’s worth a life.”

As well as working on art and illustration in the film and book industries, David has been teaching art and manga workshops to both children and adults for the past twelve years. David’s work in schools stems from his belief in the importance of art education for children. “I want the kids to realise that it’s not a trivial thing, and that it’s incredibly powerful.”

This seems to be the big message to draw from David’s insights; there is not one static definition of art or the artist, but rather the way that art is both an expressive and connective medium makes it a universal and potent form of communication that everyone can be involved in.

This interview is part of Vibewire’s July 2013 serial issue, SPACE FOR THE ARTS.

David drawing for the FastBREAK audience Concept art sketch for HBO’s The Pacific

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OPInIOnREsURRECTIOn PROJECT

By Year 7/8 Winner Martha Reece, of the Hunter School Of The Performing Arts.

Additional Research and Editing by Youth Action Work Experiencer Lubna Sherieff

2052 CE.

I stare at the frog. The frog’s huge round eyes stare back at me. A tear wells up in my eye but I blink it back down. I toss the picture onto my messy desk and walk out of the room. I stroll slowly down the corridor wondering what it would have been like to be that frog, the last of its kind left in the world... and now it’s my job to bring them back.

The cold hits me like a wall as I step into the freezer room to retrieve the frog’s DNA. It has been filed away since 2015, when its species was critically endangered, so it is several minutes before I find it. By the time I leave the freezer I am shivering with the cold that is necessary to preserve the specimens. I know I’ll warm up soon, though. Global warming will see to that.

I have recently arrived back in Australia from a global meeting of concerned scientists. There were scientists there from major cities all over the world. There were even scientists who lived in Mumbai before it went underwater. I think it was a good idea having them; they know what it feels like to lose their homes, work and possessions to climate change. It helped us all to better understand the scale of climate change’s dramatic effects.

I feel so sorry for the people whose homes have gone underwater. It would be horrible to have to leave and never return. It’s hard not to blame the politicians. They always seem to put their popularity first. Actions that could have been taken to protect the environment and slow down climate change were just too unpopular.

At the meeting we spent most of our time discussing climate change. It has become a big part of all of our lives; we are all working to stop its devastation. Some of us are working on getting governments to take stronger action to reduce human carbon emissions. Some of us are working to prevent and cure the diseases being spread by animals, water and food. Some, like me, are attempting to bring back species that climate change has wiped out. The rest of us are trying to stop or reduce the effects in any other ways possible. But nothing has made any great difference yet. And now the world is slowly dying.

2053CE.

I stare at the frog. The frog’s huge round eyes stare back at me. A tear wells up in my eye but I blink it back down. I put the frog into the enclosure and walk out of the room. Climate change is getting worse. One little frog has been saved but now we have the rest of the world to rescue from inside the hand of climate change. Sea levels are rising, diseases are being spread, the weather is becoming more extreme and species are dying out.

If only we had been smarter forty years ago.

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The current Australian government policy on climate change:

Aims to reduce Australia’s pollution by 5-20% by 2020. •

Recently removed the independent expert body on climate change, the Climate •Change Commission.

Are unclear on what 2050 target they support. •

Agree on avoiding 2 degree warming. •

Propose that Australia’s international efforts should largely focus on: •

1. Working through G20 to get US, EU, China, and India (G4) to agree on a deal.

2. Developing a Global Rainforest Recovery Agreement on the G4.

3. Working to get countries to adopt a common approach to reducing emissions in sectors like the steel industry and cement industry.

Supports financing for reducing emissions from deforestation. •

Wants to scrap the Clean Energy Finance Corporation. •

Supports the Australian Renewable Energy Agency, which aims to make renewable •energy solutions more affordable.

Supports the fossil fuel business. •

Wants to reform national environment protection laws to ‘reduce the complexity, •cost, and uncertainty’ involved in getting approval for major developments.

Abolishing the carbon tax of the previous Labor government. •

Against any ‘penalty’ for polluting. Direct Action plan is based on paying polluters •to out their emissions.

Supports the Carbon Farming Initiative, which allows farmers and land managers •to earn carbon credits by storing carbon or reducing greenhouse gas emissions on land. Would relax rules to make it easier for projects to qualify.

Establishing a ‘Green Army’, which will build to 15,000 young people, the largest •standing environmental workforce in Australia’s history). The objective is to, through projects, combat land degradation, clean up waterways, re-vegetate sand dunes, and a host of other environmental conservation projects.

What Does This Mean?

Climate change: A change in global climate patterns caused largely by the increased levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide produced by the use of fossil fuels.

Carbon emissions: The carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide in the atmosphere, produced by vehicles and industrial processes.

Global warming: An rise in the Earth’s average temperature attributed to the greenhouse gas effect caused by increased levels of carbon dioxide and other pollutants.

The Australian Youth Climate Coalition (AYCC): are a youth-led movement of over 80,000 members across Australia. They take actions in schools, universities, communities, and take part in campaigns that put climate change in the national spotlight. You read more about them or find out how to get involved at http://aycc.org.au

Image: What Matters? Year 7/8 Category Winner

Martha Reece with author Bernard Cohen

16 unleash January - February 2014

By Brydan Toner,

Youth Governor of New South Wales.

Hey all!

Applications are now open to participate in the 2014 YMCA NSW Youth Parliament.

That’s right - If you live in New South Wales, and are aged 15-18 years, you have the once-in-

a-lifetime opportunity to step into the shoes of our State Members of Parliament, and have your

opinions heard in Australia’s oldest democratic chambers!

The program will run between January and July 2014, and consist of two camps, which will

bring together 150 of our state’s future leaders. Training Camp, in April, will provide our Youth

Members of Parliament (YMPs) with the opportunity to get to know like-minded individuals, and

work together in an apolitical manner to develop a range of Bills and Reports. Residential Camp, in

July, will see our YMPs take over the Parliament of NSW, where they are given the opportunity

to present, debate, and vote on the pieces of legislation that th

ey have developed.

No issue is too big (or too small) for our YMPs! Youth Parliamentarians in the past have

debated topics such as Euthanasia, Marriage Equality, Emergency Service Reforms, and even High

Speed Rail. All in an environment where individual views are respected and everyone gets the

chance to speak!

The YMCA NSW Youth Parliament program is designed to be as close to the real thing as possible,

with a Youth Premier, Government, Opposition, Ministers, backbenchers, divisions, YMPs being

occasionally removed from the Chambers, and an actual MP presiding over the deliberations as

Speaker in the Legislative Assembly (Lower House) and President in the Legislative Council

(Upper House).

It is a life-changing experience. I for one would definitely not be the same person I am today

without the YMCA NSW Youth Parliament. The program has made me confident in my

convictions, helped me develop leadership skills, and I have gained life-long friendship

s out of it.

If you have an interest in politics, or just want the opportunity to voice yo

ur opinions, I encourage

you to get involved! Applications close Friday the 29th November!

For more information, and how to apply, please see

http://www.ymcansw.org.au/what-we-do/community-programs/youth-government

Like YMCA – NSW Youth Parliament on Facebook

Or Follow @YMCAYouthandGov and @NSWYouthGov on Twitter!

Hope to see you there!Brydan Toner,Youth Governor of New South Wales.

ACTIOn

YMCA nsW YOUTH PARlIAMEnT 2014

January - February 2014 unleash 17

OPInIOn

YOUTH ACTIOn AsksYouth Action’s latest publications interns, Rachel and Pamela, took to the Sydney streets with a video camera to find out what young people think. They asked:

What youth issues do you want to see addressed?

“Indigenous people should have rights”

“I want to see more opportunities provided for the unemployed”

“Gay marriage laws”

“Funding for secondary schools.”

“Better education for all of us!”

YOU CAn WATCH THE fUll YOUTH ACTIOn Asks VIdEO OnlInE AT: http://youthaction.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Youth-Action-What-youth-issues-do-you-want-to-see-addressed.m4v

From Alex Long and the Outburst! team

2014 APPLICATIONS ARE OPENAre you interested in being a social change maker? Do you want to have a voice on important issues? If you are a young person aged 12 – 25, living, working or studying in Western Sydney, then Outburst! The Western Sydney Youth Action Group is the place for you!

Applications are open to join the 2014 Outburst! team. We meet once a month in Parramatta from 11am – 4pm. After organising the amazing 2013 What’s Up West? DIY Reality youth conference, in 2014 we are working on a Peer to Peer Youth Mental Health Project. As well as that, there’ll be lots of opportunities to take action on issues or attend conferences, meetings and cool events; getting the word out about how awesome Western Sydney young people are!

ACTIOn

OUTbURsT 2014 APPlICATIOns nOW OPEn

To join Outburst! 2014, complete the application form at http://youthaction.org.au/unleash/outburst-membership-application-2014/ or email outburst@youthaction.org.au for more information. You can also check out our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/outburstwestsyd.

18 unleash January - February 2014

gET InVOlVEd!gET UnlEAsH

6 editions each year. Emailed straight to you. Go to www.youthaction.org.au/unleash and click on get unleash or just click here!

COnTRIbUTEWRITE [an article for the mag]unleash is a space for young people under 20. Articles can be as short as 300 words (that’s only half a page!) or as long as 600... it’s up to you. We award a $50 voucher to the best article in each edition written by anyone under 20 years of age.

See www.youthaction.org.au/unleash for info about contributing, or chat to Bridie, the Editor.

CREATE [art for the cover]If you are arty, we want your art for our front cover! You get a $50 gift voucher if we use your art, and we’ll feature some details about you and your art on the inside cover.

Email JPG files to Bridie at unleash@youthaction.org.au anytime.

TWITTERFollow unleashYouthMag on twitter for regular updates on the issues that affect YOUth!

fACEbOOkSearch for “unleash youth action and opinion” or just click here!

WWW.YOUTHACTIOn.ORg.AU/UnlEAsH

January - February 2014 unleash 19