Community Announcements
ABC Heywire Storytelling Competition
Are you aged 16–22 and have a story to share? The ABC Heywire competition wants to hear from you!
Heywire is a lived experience storytelling competition for young people living in regional, rural and remote Australia. For over 20 years, we’ve been championing the bravery and vulnerability it takes to share your story, your way. What might seem everyday to you is epic to us.
Tell us what life’s like where you live, what you care about, or what frustrates you. You can enter through writing, audio, video, or photos – as long as it’s a true story about some aspect of your life in regional Australia.
The competition closes September 1, and we’re on the lookout for incredible stories. This could be your chance to be heard, work with ABC producers, and attend the Heywire Summit!
➡ Enter now: https://www.abc.net.au/heywireeSafety Information for Parents, Carers and Teens
National Road Safety Week Information
The 2025 Mission Australia Youth Survey is Now Open!
Mission Australia invites young people aged 14 to 19 years to participate in the largest annual survey of young people in Australia. Now in its 24th year, the survey seeks feedback about sociodemographic information; issues of national importance; study and work; housing and financial situation; mental health and wellbeing; sources of support and community connections; climate issues; as well as sources of stress across a range of topics such as body image, cost of living, school, and friends/family. Additional focus areas for 2025 further explore housing and financial matters, school engagement and attendance and hopes for the future.
The survey is now open and will take approximately 20 minutes for young people to complete. It will close on Friday 15 August 2025. For more information,visit the 2025 Youth Survey homepage and access the Youth Survey Toolkit.
Youth Volunteers Survey
From March to May 2025, Ballarat Foundation and Highlands LLEN are surveying local volunteer organisations, their volunteers, local public secondary schools, and young people to gain insights into the barries to local youth volunteerism and determine the needs of:
Volunteer Organisations
Volunteers, and
Young people who wish to volunteer
The survey information obtained will be used to guide the agenda for a forum and workshop being held on Tuesday May 20 (during Volunteer Week) which will bring all parties together to share experiences, dispel myths, work collaboratively to address barriers, and promote current volunteering opportunities. For access to the survey, please scan the QR code.