the

Red Cross Youth

E-zine

issue no. 5 june 2009

[Fragile Earth]

In this edition we:

• Find out what Climate Change is

• Hit the streets to find out what young people’s biggest

environmental concerns are…and their solutions

• Meet a Red Cross volunteer cycling for environmental awareness

• Discover people undertaking careers to combat Climate Change

• Learn about the environmental work Red Cross is doing in

Australia and abroad

• And more…

•

DeSKToP

RCY eZine is produced three to four times a year by Red Cross Youth volunteers in conjunction with Red Cross Youth and Family Programs Department. Contact lblomfield@redcross.org.au to contribute.

Editor: Lauren Wapling Deputy Editor: Breony Allen Graphic Design & Production: Anna DicksonProject Officer Support: Lucy Blomfield Promotions Co-ordinator: Laura Collins

I t was before you or I were born that some scientists started talking about climate change resulting from human activity. More than ever, natural disasters remind Australians of how fragile our earth is.

The ferocity of the fires is unlike anything seen before. University of Melbourne researcher, Liz Conor, suggested that the force of the firestorm is 400 times that of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima during World War II. More than 180 Victorians lost their lives.

The tragic events of Black Saturday have touched the nation. Red Cross has been flooded with financial donations in a time of global economic crisis.

Whilst climate change cannot be considered the ‘cause’ of this tragedy, it was a contributing factor. The state has been in drought for years, and a series of extraordinary heat waves preceded the fires.

Having dug deep into our pockets to assist those affected by this tragedy, may we all think hard about what action we can take so that future climate change-related natural disasters are minimised, and ideally, avoided.

So often young people are the most innovative and creative thinkers responding to contemporary issues. The need for a revolutionary response to climate change is greater than ever before.

In this issue you can meet many people who are taking action and making a difference. You can share in stories from communities affected by natural disasters. And you can marvel at the beauty of the ecosystems of our fragile earth. We hope that it is a thought provoking and inspiring journey.

Red Cross Youth eZine belongs to you,

young Australians!

Let us know what you think – your feedback will contribute to

improvements for everyone to enjoy.

Put your thoughts through to Lucy:

lblomfield@redcross.org.au

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Climate change is a change in the world’s climate, which can be caused by natural or human circumstances affecting the land or atmosphere. Human activities such as driving a car or catching a bus, or using a computer all require energy. Large amounts of energy are also required to make the products we use every day. This energy is mostly derived from burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas. The downside to creating this energy is that by burning fossil fuels we release a greenhouse

gas, carbon dioxide. Greenhouse gases have been building up in the atmosphere, trapping in heat that would usually leave the earth, which causes our climate to change. Global temperature rises are estimated by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to reach between 1.4 and 5.8 degrees by 2100.

What is Climate change?

It is predicted a small change to our climate will have devastating impacts on human lives and the vulnerable will suffer the most. From an increase in severe weather events like storms and drought, to rising seas, people from all over the globe will be affected. The humanitarian impacts of climate change will increase the work of Red Cross as we address vulnerability.

To learn more, check out the ‘Preparedness for Climate Change’ presentation, prepared for the Red Cross/ Red Crescent Climate Change Centre by our Careers interviewee, Bec McNaught.

Time to Get Involved!

Do you want to get involved and help make a difference in local and global communities? Opportunities now exist for young people aged 25 and under. Check out the Get Involved page here:

www.redcross.org.au and follow the links to:our services > across Australia > youth and education > get involved

State volunteering opportunities are listed here: www.redcross.org.au and follow the links to how you can help > become a volunteer

Learn more about our Youth programs Y Challenge and Speaker Network. Find out more atwww.redcross.org.au and follow the links: our services > across Australia > Youth & Education

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Climate change has gone from just an abstract idea

to key election points for numerous governments

around the world - all within a short period of time.

So what’s all the fuss about?

It is predicted that a small change to our climate will have devastating impacts on human lives and the vulnerable will suffer the most. People from all over the globe will be affected by an increase in severe weather events like storms, drought, and rising seas. This is where Red Cross steps in. To best uphold its fundamental principles, Red Cross must address the humanitarian impacts of climate change. In 2002 the International Red Cross set up a Climate Centre that has been undertaking programs to reduce the impact of climate change on vulnerable people.

The Red Cross Climate Centre has been active in nearly 30 countries helping Red Cross Red Crescent Societies in those areas build awareness and develop actions to address climate change and advocate for those vulnerable to a changing climate. For example, the Red Cross Climate Centre helped Vietnam Red Cross and Nicaraguan Red Cross with a project that included the construction by the community of drainage systems and tree planting to prepare for a likely increase in storms. In other countries, Red Cross has also been using the Climate Centre’s planning program to better understand how climate change affects them. While many of the countries affected by climate change are the poorest of the poor, it is important to remember that climate change will also affect affluent countries.

Australia is a country where a change in climate will have a significant impact. It is a country of marginal rainfall and extreme weather. We are currently experiencing one of the worst droughts in history, while Queensland has again recently experienced flooding and Victoria hit headlines around the world as bushfires devastated the state. There is growing evidence to link these events to climate change, and the likelihood of them becoming the

norm is a real possibility. There will be many effects on Australian Red Cross. The recent bushfire events stretched our Emergency Services resources to the extreme, with support required from interstate and overseas. Almost all Red Cross programs will be affected by climate change. The likelihood of more heat waves will put pressure on Telecross, which is a phone support service to the elderly, while rising sea levels might cause an increase in refugees. Communities may be affected by diseases that migrate to Australia, as a result of the changing climate. Red Cross has seen its youth take the lead in response to climate change. In South Australia the Youth Advisory Committee (SAYAC) has been proactive in informing staff of the need to look at how climate change affects their programs, and requesting they put climate change on their agenda. They are also working with the SA Board to develop specific actions so Australian Red Cross can best respond to climate change. The next step for Red Cross is to work out how it is going to prepare for climate change. With so much at stake, the organisation will need to draw upon its experts, the enthusiasm of its youth and YACs, along with the work already done by the Red Cross Climate Centre to prepare itself for anything climate change throws at it.

To support SAYAC and help Australian Red Cross address climate change, please approach the Youth Advisory Committee in your state and put climate change on the agenda.

By the SAYAC Climate Change Working Party

Climate Change and Red Cross- It’s heating up!

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It was a warm spring day walking through the highland jungle in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park. I had set out on a pilgrimage, along with six others, to have a unique experience with some of the 700 surviving high land mountain gorillas.

Adrenaline in its purest form kept me trudging through some of the wildest, most untouched jungle on our planet. I was climbing over 1300 feet, falling over uneven earth, my arms and legs covered in large welts from giant stinging nettles. I became breathless with anticipation when I was told, ‘the gorillas are just ahead.’ Somewhere, a few metres from where I sat, was a family of one of our closest relatives, the mountain gorilla.

I was led up a small ridge and the guide stepped aside and told to look. I was met by a 200kg beast, the silverback. This massive ape turned his head and stared, looking right into my eyes. My guide urged me to stay as still as possible. I was neither scared nor frightened but overwhelmed by what was in front of me; one of the most endangered animals on Earth. Out of nowhere emerged the remaining family of gorillas as if welcoming us into their territory. They sat quietly eating some of the 80kg of vegetation for the day, whilst I sat, for an hour (the maximum time allowed) staring at these magnificent beasts. The only sound to be heard was the rustling and crushing of native celery through the powerful jaws of 12 gorillas and the occasional ‘did you see that?’ from the dumbfounded people around me.

I couldn’t have ever prepared myself for my time in Rwanda; no words can describe it, other than truly magical. I haven’t ever, and never will experience anything like it again.

By Lu Burtnik

Gawking at GorillasNature up close

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Vox Pop

Sara Allen hits the streets to find out what your biggest environmental concerns are … and your solutions.

-Matt

The natural resources like natural gas that we are using at the moment. It really hits me because the gas companies now offer to change every light bulb in your house with energy efficient ones – if it is easy to do, why not make sure your house fits environmental standards and cuts down on using resources?

-Gully

The practice of long-line fishing and the finning of sharks is the biggest environment concern today. This is a cruel, wasteful and destructive practice that has resulted in shark numbers falling to dangerously low levels. I think the Australian government and the international community need to take action to ban long-line fishing and shark finning. Consumers of shark fin (mostly in soup) also need to act to remove the high demand for this product.

My biggest environmental concern is climate change because an increase in the climate’s temperature will have irreversible and ‘domino’ repercussions on the planet and humanity as a whole. While individuals can help negate climate change by reducing their carbon footprint, the responsibility to manage climate change relies primarily on governments and their ability to put into place environmental protection legislation. The leaders of our countries have a responsibility to lead their people towards a sustainable future.

-Holly

“Green washing” – big corporate companies using false claims and misleading information to make the public believe that their company and their products are ‘green’ or ‘environmentally friendly’. I think Australia is well on its way to fixing the problem, through things like the ACCC regulations on green marketing, and many of the large businesses have started openly accepting climate change and global warming concerns. The best are changing their products to actually be green, which is great. It’s unfortunate that the companies that are really trying to make a difference are being lobbed together with those companies not doing the right thing. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) regulations will really help.

Well, obviously global warming is a massive problem. There’s no straight solution but I think everyone can do their bit by things like walking to work or using public transport, using energy efficient products and by reducing water consumption.

It sounds ironic saying this after we recently had 12 days straight of rain but I think water resources are going to continue to be a massive problem. I think we need to start seriously looking at alternate ways of getting fresh water and how we use fresh water. It is an expensive problem. Water tanks are a good start but options for using grey water and desalinated water for things like toilets and outside taps would be worth looking into.

-Graham

-Mark

-Georgie

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www.acfonline.org.auNot only does this website have great information on environmental issues, it also has some great campaigns you can get involved in.

www.wearewhatwedo.org.auThis website encourages people to take small actions every day to make the world better.

www.thegreenpages.com.auA directory of everything environment.

www.getearthed.org.auA website where you can ask any sustainability-related questions.

www.climateshaper.comA great website that clearly and simply explains climate change, its impacts and what you can do.

Siska Waddington, graduate of the Future Sustainability Leaders program, shares with

RCY eZine her Top 5 environmental websites.

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Top 5

Ignite an idea in your communityDo you have an idea for something you want to do in your community? Or do you feel

like you want to do something but you are not sure what? If so, you are ready for a Y

Challenge! All you need is a group of friends, an adult mentor and the energy and will to

make a difference.

Y Challenge is all about young people taking the initiative to contribute to the community – in your school, your local area or out in the wider world. The choice is yours. The Y Challenge materials give you plenty of ideas and help you to get organised. Check out the materials by following the school projects link on the Red Cross home page www.redcross.org.au. Ask a teacher or youth leader to be your mentor and get your school or youth group involved in helping Red Cross make a difference in the world.

If you are interested in issues around cultural diversity check out our latest materials “Y Challenge- Celebrating Diversity” which was recently launched at Lockridge Secondary School in WA.

Find out more about Y Challenge by emailing:schoolprojects@redcross.org.au

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Saving the “Blue Pearl”: Green Wheels and one man’s dream.

Mohamad Tajeran is a man with many interests. Born in Iran in 1976 he is a volunteer with Red Cross Iran, a member of the mountain climbing club in Azedegan, Iran, has been an active cyclist for over 16 years who also enjoys caving and photography as hobbies.One thing is quite certain.. this guy is in sync with nature!

A passionate naturalist and conservationist, his story unfolds in one man’s message for the world.The message is a simple one, which says: “trees are essential for the survival of mankind and the survival of our planet Earth”, which he fondly refers to as the “Blue Pearl of Space”. Trees assist us in a multitude of ways such as; reducing environmental pollution, reducing rising temperatures and increasing rainfall.

Regardless of religion or ethnicity, Mohamad and his team of volunteers hope to make more of the world aware of the importance of growing trees to save our planet, by planting one in each city along the “green journey”. Mohamad feels it is a simple way in which everyone one of us from all walks of life can contribute to sustaining the planet, our home.

Mohamad began his inspiring journey across the world in mid 2006. An exhibition of his photos prior to the commencement of what he calls the “green journey” helped him collect some of the funds required for his travels. He and his team plan to make connections with NGOs globally and ask for their co-operation and assistance to provide publicity for the campaign. The first tree was planted outside the office where he had his physical training prior to the “green journey” as a symbolic action. From there on his travels have taken him to magnificent forests, beaches and cities. He has watched sunrises and sunsets, slept under the stars and woken up to bird calls and rushing water. It is a journey where his physical endurance as well as commitment to the cause are tested to the limit. Eating the bare essentials and living in a tent on the side of the road on numerous occasions, it is inspiring to hear this man speak of the many miles he has to pedal before his journey is complete, and of the wonderful people he has met who have offered him food, shelter and friendship along the way.

Today after 857 days of cycling over 24, 650 kilometers from Iran across Pakistan, Indian, Bangladesh, Nepal, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Lao, Indonesia, and New Zealand.

Mohamad tajeran was recently in Grovedale, Victoria, Australia visiting a Red Cross Youth school who are active with environment issues. While he has come along way he says there are still many borders to cross and over a thousand trees to plant before he closes the chapter on his “green journey”.

In applauding his passion and commitment, I would like to leave you with a few of Mohamad’s own words: “There is no border line on the Earth...We all belong to the Earth”. It is a simple but eloquent message to humanity to make tomorrow Greener and safer together!

For more information or if you would like to contact Mohamad Tajeran please visit his website: www.weneedtrees.com

By Rona Weerasuriya

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Malawi

Guatemala

Trinidad and Tobago

Costa Rica

At the Malawi Red

Cross, youth volunteers are

making a short film about climate change, how it impacts the country, and what steps can be taken to reduce its impact.

In Pakistan at the Pakistan Red Crescent Society, World Red Cross/Red Crescent Day activities focused on climate change.

George Baragamu is the Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction Officer at Solomon Islands Red Cross. He engages young people through

community programmes, and making sure that their voices are heard.

The Samoan Red Cross Youth

Groups have incorporated climate change awareness into community based drama. Messages about the importance of disaster preparedness were presented in a drama that was

entertaining, using dance, song and puppets.

Samoa

Solomon Islands

The Solomon Islands Red

Cross organised a high

school poster competition aimed to increase student understanding of climate change, its impacts, and actions we can take, such as disaster preparedness. The winners were given

the opportunity to receive coaching from local artists. This poster won 3rd prize.

Pakistan

Costa Rica Red Cross has over 1000 young people engaged in action, and many of their projects are focused on climate change. Reforestation not only helps to soak up climate change causing gases but, planted in the right spot, trees can prevent landslides and reduce erosion.

The Natural Disasters Youth Summit 2008 in Trinidad and Tobago involved more than 250 people. Red Cross volunteers got involved with activities such as poster competitions, making disaster safety maps, first aid demonstrations and scientific experiments.

This climate change puppet show is an

important part of awareness raising in a

community of Chiquimula, Guatemala. The handheld puppets, including Mother Earth, Doctor Climate and Ecologito, were originally designed in Colombia.

In Holland, the ‘Beach Campaign’ saw dozens for Netherlands Red Cross youth volunteers raising awareness.

Europe is heating up, with heat waves becoming more common. The Netherlands Red Cross ran an education campaign on climate change at primary schools. One community combined the course with direct action on heat wave awareness, visiting retirement homes to inform the elderly about health risks during heat waves and the dos and don’ts during hot spells.

The Netherlands

Red Cross and the Environment

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CAREERS:

What is your job and what does it involve day-to-day and in the long-term? My job title is Senior Programme Officer and I work for the Red Cross/Red Crescent Climate Centre (www.climatecentre.org). The office is based in the Netherlands but I work from Melbourne covering parts of Asia/Pacific for them. I work with National Societies who are undertaking a project called ‘Preparedness for Climate Change’. It is a four step process that aims to help National Societies understand and address climate change in their country. I also work globally on involvement of Red Cross/Red Crescent youth on the issue of climate change as well as capacity building. This involves looking for opportunities for us to assist the Movement, understand and address all things climate. I work on a mixed bag of things and that’s why I love it so much!

What experience, qualification or expertise did you need to secure this job? I studied a combined degree of Natural Resource Management at South West TAFE and Environmental Science at Deakin University in Warrnambool. My previous positions working with farmers and community groups in Australia gave me a good background for working with National Societies. Then my work as a volunteer climate change officer and a disaster risk reduction delegate with the Federation in the Pacific region for a few years gave me the experience that I needed for the Climate Centre to utilise me on their team.

What have some of the greatest challenges been? Seeing SO much potential to work on SO many things and not having the time or money to do them all!

What are the most rewarding aspects of your job? There are many rewarding aspects of my job and it’s one of the reasons I do it. I never cease to be inspired by the people I work with- they grow ideas into things I could never have imagined. To see counterparts who grow in confidence and ability is also wonderful to watch.

How can young Australians contribute to creating a more sustainable world? Climate change is one of those issues that seems global, and ‘out of our control’, but the ironic thing is that if everyone took individual action it would go a long way to reducing its impacts. You can address climate change in two ways – firstly through mitigation or reducing emissions. In your daily life this could be as simple as turning off lights when they are not needed, planting trees, or riding your bike instead of getting in a car. Then there is adaptation, or looking for steps we can take to reduce the impacts of climate change on vulnerable people. This could be as simple as raising money for Australian Red Cross, being a volunteer that assists with disasters, or highlighting that climate

change has very real impacts in other countries, especially developing countries.

What would your dream job be? You know what? I’m incredibly lucky to be able to say that I am already doing it! When you were a kid, what job did you want? My mum still jokes with me that at the age of five I declared I was going to help people in Africa. I’ve always wanted to work in developing countries… it was just a matter of finding out how I could be most effective given my skills and interests.

Is it a competitive career environment? I think that if you have passion for your job then it’s easier to put energy into it and you are probably more likely to get the job. I was very lucky because my interest in volunteering gave me the experience that I needed. Often when you start out in your career everyone needs you to have experience that you don’t have - I think volunteering is the key (and it makes you feel good and helps others!).

How can the international community cooperate to combat climate change? Ah.. the million dollar question. I think we have all of the solutions at hand. We know how to reduce emissions, we know how to assist people adapt to its impacts. We just need to get on and do it!

Any other stories you would like to share? See the Solomon Islands Red Cross story on climate change and youth for some inspiring work!

Click here to view the case study “Engaging Solomon Islands Youth in Climate Change Action”

Meet: Bec McNaught

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Around Australia, Red Cross Youth Advisory Committees (YACs) provide opportunities for young people to get involved, to learn new skills, to make new friends, and to contribute to the important humanitarian mission of the Red Cross.

Click here to read an update from the YAC in each of our states and territories Or check out www.redcross.org.au and follow the links: our services > across Australia > youth and education > youth

advisory committee

The environment is a human.

Our bad environment is a product of human intervention.

We should have solar panels on the top of every roof top.

We should have more gardens.

Words by: Jason (19, Nightcafe, QLD)

Hard YACker:

Trees act as an air filter, trapping dust particles and absorbing gaseous pollutants.

Trees reduce greenhouse gases through photosynthesis as they absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen.

Trees moderate the effect of urban heat islands, where temperatures are often three to four degrees C greater than the surrounding area.

Trees shade us from the ultraviolet rays of the sun, which are becoming increasingly dangerous with the thinning of the ozone layer.

Trees muffle noise by absorbing and diffusing sound waves. People seem to be less bothered by noise when the source is screened from view by trees or other vegetation.

Trees can lower energy costs—by as much as 50 percent for air conditioning and 20 percent for heating—by shading our homes in summer and breaking the force of winter winds. These savings on energy consumption translate to burning less coal and oil, less carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and a reduction in environmental degradation.

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Joel Clark takes us on a journey to one of the most fragile regions on planet earth.

Building the Road to Guangxi

“I like to skip and I will be able to skip on the new road”, says Lin Ping, ten, from Linjiazha village of Guangxi, China.

Her answer is as innocent as everyone else in Guangxi- a region of 49 million people, ravaged year in, year out, by natural disasters such as earthquakes, typhoons, hailstorms and floods.

They don’t know any different to living in a constant cycle of community renewal as they try to rebuild their lives after each tragedy.

The road Lin Ping is talking about is partly funded through the Red Cross International Youth Project which is focusing on disaster preparedness in Guangxi, one of the worlds poorest and most disaster prone regions.

80% of Guangxi’s people are poor farmers, many living on less than $1 a day. According to Xu Yanchu, 70, the Guangxi province communities attempt to rebuild after each disaster but simply don’t have the money or resources to fix such large-scale problems.

The Red Cross International Youth Project will allow these communities to learn the skills to be able to prevent the damage from happening in the first place.

Lu Hong Juan, 16, of Shangmingtai village, recalls a landslide which tore through the village and destroyed two houses.

’The project is teaching people in the village to be aware of the dangers in the village and how to prevent them. For example, planting trees can help to prevent landslides,’ says Lu Hong Juan.

Disaster preparedness isn’t the only benefit of the project however; the Chinese are also becoming prouder of their villages due to their own input and community involvement.

’I go away to work in Guangzho, I am proud to bring my new friends back to my village. It’s nice to be proud of your homeland. If your home is nice, and you are proud of it, then you can be happier.’ says Lin Xiangpin

Red Cross International Youth Project is far more than just a community exercise or an environmental program. It is also giving the youth of Guangxi something to look forward to that they can be involved in.

‘If I had one wish,’ dreams Liu Kejinu, 17, ’I would wish for a basketball court and some grass in front of our new village.’

A simple wish for most of us, but something the young people of Guangxi can look forward to learning about and building together.

Work with China to prepare for disaster in GuangxiEvery year millions of people in China lose their homes, food sources and livelihoods because of natural disasters like typhoons, earthquakes, hailstorms and floods. Natural disasters show us how important it is to be prepared. Red Cross is working with local people in the disaster prone Chinese region of Guangxi to lessen the impact of natural disasters by developing disaster preparedness plans.

YOU can support disaster preparedness programs in China by getting involved with the 2009 Red Cross International Youth Project.

STEPS FOR ACTION

• Learn more by checking out the fact sheets and lesson plans about disaster preparedness, communities and life in Guangxi, China Read more » • Check out the ideas for action to raise funds to help the people of Guangxi be prepared and survive natural disasters in their region. Read more »• Read stories from the field Read more »• Send in a donation to the International Youth Project- China Disaster Preparedness Project Read more »

Check out: www.redcross.org.au and follow the links to International Youth Project or email us at schoolprojects@redcross.org.au for more information.

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My name is Elizabeth Shaw, and I am a 24 year old law student from the University of Western Australia in Perth who was selected as one of two Australian Youth Representatives to the United Nations for 2008, along with Melanie Poole from the ACT.

From across the Nullarbor to New York CityRepresenting young Australian people at the United Nations

ABOUT THE POSITIONThe Youth Representative position was created in 1999 by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and is facilitated by the United Nations Youth Association of Australia (UNYA). The Youth Representative is responsible for ensuring that the voices of young people are elevated on a local, domestic and international level, and to represent young people in decision making and policy formulation. The position culminates in spending two months working at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City.

When I was in New York, I worked as a fully accredited member of the Australian delegation to the United Nations, and worked within the Third Committee of the General Assembly, which deals with Social, Cultural and Humanitarian issues. I also worked alongside youth delegates from other nations around the world on issues that unite young people. One of the biggest platforms I had at the United Nations was my address to the General Assembly on behalf of all Australian young people, which took the voices of Australian youth to the world stage.

NATIONAL CONSULTATION TOUR OF AUSTRALIAN YOUNG PEOPLEPrior to departing for New York, I embarked on a National Consultation Tour of Australia, travelling to every state and territory of our beautiful country to consult with as many different young people as possible. I wanted to know what young people are passionate about in their communities, whether they are proud of the direction Australia is heading in, what they think our foreign policies should comprise of. Rather than just stumbling around the country, yelling “Yay for the UN!” and “I love the youth!”, I thought I would set myself four goals for my term:

1. Feeding back the results of the consultations into the communities.

Throughout my consultations, I scheduled meetings with youth officers, local mayors and councillors, youth advisory groups, government departments, policy advisers, ministers and members of the opposition to ensure the voices of young people are being heard and acted upon. I also utilised media opportunities to publicise key youth issues in each area. By working with local media and politicians, I hoped to try and effect change on a local level by delivering the results of the consultations to those who can utilise the information in the immediate area.

2. Encouraging young people to engage in their local community, and become the change-makers.

By sharing stories and experiences of the ways young people around Australia are making a difference, I hope to inspire young people. By talking to them about the practicalities, available networks and sources of funding, I hope to give young people the means by which to implement their ideas.

3. Trying to access voices of young Australians which aren’t commonly heard.

While it is important to connect with a diversity of young Australians, one of my goals as Youth Representative was to access those young people in rural areas, regional centres and indigenous communities who feel like they are not being listened to or represented. I used sports, arts and drama to connect with indigenous young people and School of the Air to reach the most isolated youth.

4. Raising awareness of the work of organisations within the youth sector, and trying to facilitate links

between these bodies.

There are many youth organisations working independently around the country, tackling very similar issues. By meeting with many of these organisations and getting an understanding of the work they do, I am able to share this knowledge with similar organisations around Australia, and try to facilitate knowledge and information-sharing amongst youth networks. 12

WHAT HAVE YOUNG PEOPLE AROUND AUSTRALIA BEEN SAYING?Broadly, the key issues to come out of my consultations with young people and youth organisations have been:

HOW CAN YOU GET INVOLVED WITH THE UNITED NATIONS?There are other internships at the Australian Mission to the UN that you can find out about here: www.unya.asn.au and www.australiaun.org/unny/Internships.html

OR visit www.youthrep.org.au to find out more

THE IMPORTANCE OF YOUNG PEOPLE IN DECISION MAKINGI have always recognised that young people are passionate, enthusiastic and creative in their contribution to society. Young people are not married to the past or bound by impractical or nonsensical traditions, but rather have a unique world view that allows them to see what could be in an ideal world, and the changes that need to take place to get there.

However the key thing that has become clear to me in my travels around Australia is that young people need to be included in decision making, not only because they hold that ability to think outside the square, but because they need to be engaged in the community as stakeholders. Young people need to be invested in policies and their implementation so that they are invested in the success of these measures. Young people will not be engaged in their communities if their capacity to make a tangible contribution is not recognised, appreciated and facilitated.

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••••••••••

The extent of the youth homelessness problem;The housing affordability crisis and the effect on young people;Young people’s passion and enthusiasm for the environment – concerns about climate change, whaling, littering, the drought, means-testing on solar panel rebates;A frustration about the negative portrayal of young people in the media;Difficulties faced by young people using public space;A desire for young people to make a contribution in their local area and to have their voices heard;A lack of consultation prior to implementation of government policies; Boredom and a lack of things for young people to do in small towns; The drinking, drug-taking, loitering, vandalism, graffiti and other issues that stem from this boredom;A lack of transportation for young people who can’t drive, particularly in rural areas;Racism faced by refugees; Bullying;A lack of co-ordination between agencies working in the youth sector, often trying to tackle remarkably similar issues.

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Red Cross Emergency Services volunteers are on the front line of Australia’s environmental crises and disasters. One such volunteer, 23 year old Stephanie Levy, was deployed to Mackay, a coastal city roughly halfway between Brisbane and Cairns last year.Mackay was devastated by the greatest downpour to hit the region in 90 years on February 15, 2008, Close to half of the city’s average annual rainfall fell in the space of hours resulting in waist-high water, disrupted power and damage worth tens of millions of dollars.

Arriving a couple of days after the deluge, having received only 24 hours notice to pack her bags and get to the airport, Steph did not witness these scenes of natural destruction but rather the more mundane ruin the floods left in their wake. ‘All the water had come in quite quickly and then disappeared just as quickly, so all I saw were fences on the ground and things like that. It wasn’t until you walked up to houses and had a close look that you could see the mould growing and you realised that there had been quite extensive damage.’

Just her second ‘deployment’ – she also spent four days in a recovery centre in Toowoomba last year during the equine influenza emergency – Steph was given a high level of responsibility in Mackay: ‘much to my shock when I got there they told me I had to be a centre manager for one of the recovery centres’. As well as managing volunteers and liaising with state and federal government staff, this meant Steph was tasked with showing the ropes to a bloke new in his job named Kevin. ‘When we found out the Prime Minister was coming, as centre manager I had to meet him,’ she said. Whilst describing him as ‘lovely’, Steph also found that the Prime Minister’s visit and the attendant media convoy caused their own unique challenges. ‘It was quite difficult,’ Steph recalled, ‘even though the PM was there and about 30 cameras, people seemed to forget that people were coming into the centre because they had been affected by the floods.’

Unsurprisingly, it was those most vulnerable in the community that often fared the worst in the immediate aftermath of the floods. ‘An entire caravan park actually got demolished so the people who were there, who were vulnerable already, lost everything,’ Steph explained. After being housed in an evacuation centre and then other temporary accommodation, the former caravan park residents

were eventually found permanent housing in Mackay; a positive outcome to what was initially a disastrous situation.

Although encountering people in what was one of the worst moments of their lives, Steph was struck by the resilience and selflessness of those she met in Mackay. ‘It was confronting to realise how vulnerable we actually are to the elements,’ she recalled, “but at the same time it was nice to realise that people are resilient and willing to focus on improving a bad situation and moving forward. Generally, the most amazing thing was how every single person who came in there said there’s someone worse off than me … people still wanted to put others first.’

Flood of CommunityStephanie Levy reports from an Australian environmental ground zero.

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I spent my childhood and teenage years in Perth,

going on camping trips during school holidays. It

wasn’t long before we’d covered the whole of WA a

few times over. I always loved the bush, but never

really appreciated it. Not until sometime later did I

begin to understand that what we have in WA, others

have lost, or are losing.

After high school I went on a Rotary Exchange to Denmark and this experience changed my outlook on life. Here was a country gripped by its environmental movement. Plastic bag taxes, controversies over windmill developments, removing roads and turning them into walk and bicycle paths. Australia 2008? No, Denmark 1999. But why? Well, this was a country haunted by its past sins – its polluted rivers, depleted forests, barren fields. It had realized the error of its ways and was in a desperate bid to right past wrongs. I soon realized that what we had in WA, in Australia, - our amazing environment - was not only unique and special, but also so very fragile and capable of destruction without due care and respect. I also realized that no doubt there would be jobs in this industry. So I came back to Perth and studied for five and a half years doing a double major in Law and Environmental Science, with the aim of working in the field of Environmental Law, and volunteering at various environmental NGO’s.

In November 2006 I was fortunate to be one of 84 Australians selected to meet and be trained by former US Vice President Al Gore to speak on the topic of climate change. It was an incredible experience. Of course meeting Mr Gore was fantastic, but to me the energy in the room I shared with the other 84 Australians – this amazing buzz that we were going to go out and change Australia for the better – is something I will never forget. Charged with enthusiasm from the training course, I hit

the ground running, and throughout 2007 I clocked up over 60 climate change talks to a wide variety of people and organisations. Rotary Clubs, schools, universities, local government staff and councilors’, to big businesses like BHP, Shell, MLC and NAB.

People sometimes ask me which was the most enjoyable talk I have done. I walk away with the same elation after each talk, no matter who the audience is. Yes, elation. After a talk I can see the impression it has left on people and how they have been charged to do something different in their own life. For me that is a beautiful thing, to think I have helped someone live in a more sustainable, more environmentally friendly manner.

Having the opportunity to talk about climate change has been an honor. It has opened so many doors, professionally and personally, but to be honest the best bit has been meeting so many people and feeling like you are inspiring people through educating them. It’s so easy to be apathetic as Australians, as we have it so good. However once you realize how we easily could lose this, you realize how important it is to remember that we have to support the system that supports us. No healthy environment, no healthy economy, no sporting fields or parks to play in, no rivers or oceans to swim in, and no forests or bush to walk in. For me it has been about doing the right thing, and making a living out of it too. I’d certainly encourage you to try doing the same. It’s most fulfilling. By Matt Porter

Matt is the National

Coordinator of the Youth

Coalition for Climate Change

Matt Porter: Talking Change

At the age of 26, Larissa Brown was recognised as

Australia’s Young Environmentalist of the Year, 2008.

Larissa is the founder and Executive Director of the

Centre for Sustainability Leadership, developing

Australia’s brightest, young environmental leaders.

“I always knew that I wanted to help make a more sustainable world but I didn’t know how. I felt powerless and concerned for the future. While traveling, I realised how beautiful this world is and how people all over are just like us. We have much to celebrate and to lose. My feelings of helplessness transformed to determination. Sustainability is good for everyone so why has it not been taken seriously? I wanted to find more effective ways to drive sustainability so I started searching for a course that taught me how, but I couldn’t find anything.

The Centre for Sustainability Leadership started operating from my bedroom three years ago and now we are a

registered not for profit organisation with around 100 volunteers. Sixty of Melbourne’s greatest sustainability leaders donate their time to teaching, coaching or mentoring as part of the program. With United Nations Environment Programme as a partner we now have plans to take the Future Sustainability Leaders program global.

We all know it is very easy to blame government, business or others for the problems of our environment. But the truth is that we all have some power in any situation; we need to recognise that and use it. The most important lesson I have learnt so far is this: there is a future, but we have to make it happen. This choice is yours as a citizen, consumer, investor, commuter, parent, and particularly as a young person. We are at a pivotal time in history and we have to choose which future we want, now. What will you choose?”

By Larissa Brown

Executive Director, Centre for Sustainability Leadership

Young Environmentalist of the Year, 2008

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