Youth Strategy 2026-2030

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Join the conversation on our draft Youth Strategy 2026-2030.

Read the draft

The Process:

  • Corangamite Shire values the voices of young people and understands that decisions made today affect their future.
  • Throughout 2025, we heard the voices of over 520 people aged 12 – 25, to inform development of Council’s new youth strategy.
  • Consultations were held in Derrinallum, Skipton, Timboon, Terang, Noorat, Camperdown, and Cobden involving schools and employer groups. Feedback from these, plus numerous online platforms, and over 100 young people at the Corangamite Shire Youth Summitt, have been used to understand what is important to young people and how Council can improve their lives and opportunities.

TL;DR

Young people tend to move away after school, however, appear to return after age 30. In order to attract and retain young people, Corangamite Shire must address economic diversity, enhance education options, improve social connectivity, improve transport and housing diversity.

Have we got it right:

  • We’ve now drafted a new youth strategy that will guide council’s youth programs and engagements over the coming years.
  • Did we get it right?
  • We want to hear from you to know if the draft strategy has captured what Corangamite’s young people have said.
  • A summary of the strategy is below

Share your feedback by completing the survey at the end of this page or click here.

Community

Commitment: Council recognises the unique barriers to community participation and engagement and understands the importance of mental health supports and access to health services in the health and wellbeing of our young people. Council commits to working with community, stakeholders and all levels of government to improve participation and engagement, and where possible to remove barriers.

  • Provide community leadership training to facilitate youth engagement.
  • Support community groups to, and facilitate events and opportunities that, increase social connections for a) teens and b) young adults.
  • Facilitate community digital literacy initiatives to improve communication reach to younger people.
  • Advocate for increased access to health services, including mobile services.
  • Support community to offer increased recreation diversity including non-sport and non-competitive sport options, come and try days, and inter-town socialisation opportunities.
  • Deliver youth creative industry events and projects.
  • Explore opportunities to facilitate youth spaces.
  • Deliver social engagement and celebration events.
  • Explore opportunities to increase community sharing and support models.

Economy

Commitment: Council values the contribution of young people and is committed to supporting them achieve their potential through education, training, and employment. Council recognises the additional barriers faced by rural and regional young people, and commits to building financial, education and workplace literacy and engagement, empowering our young people to take charge of their future.

  • Support business to improve digital presence enabling increased communication with youth.
  • Partner with agencies and businesses to offer access to local career experiences.
  • Facilitate short courses, entrepreneurial and mentoring programmes to meet identified training needs.
  • Work with businesses and providers to increase the number of Traineeships and Apprenticeships available.
  • Encourage event organisers to engage a variety of food and entertainment offerings to increase youth engagement.

Infrastructure

Commitment: Council recognises the unique barriers young people face with transport and accessing services and commits to working towards reducing barriers to participation. Council recognises that young people engage with transport in different ways and for different purposes than their older peers, and that appropriate and safe transport is vital to support and facilitate young people’s engagement in their community and connection with their peers.

  • Work with relevant stakeholders, local transport providers, and youth services to pilot flexible transport models, such as community shuttles or mobile hubs.
  • Advocate for reduced licensing age (17) and introduction of restricted license in line with other States.
  • Improve bike and walking paths connecting towns.
  • Promote dog-friendly parks and spaces.
  • Advocacy for improved Roads is included as part of Council’s broader Strategic Plan.

Environment

Commitment: Council recognises that young people are at the forefront of driving change and shaping a sustainable future. As tomorrow’s leaders, young people can help create and advocate for positive environmental behaviours to benefit all people. Council recognises the importance of empowering young voices, fostering education, and encouraging active participation in addressing environmental challenges. It recognises the critical role of youth in climate action, conservation, and sustainable practices, ensuring their ideas and leadership are integral to creating a healthier planet for generations to come.

  • Advocate for increased free designated camping locations.
  • Support community groups to develop or enhance opportunities for connection with nature/environment such as fishing, hiking, kayaking, camping.
  • Develop and facilitate environmental educational programs, community workshops, and volunteer opportunities to promote positive environmental behaviours.
  • Develop strategies to engage youth in the environmental plans and support community understanding and environmental enhancement.
  • Work with community groups to develop environmental events including clean up, planting days, etc

Leadership

Commitment: Council values the voices of young people and commits to ensuring equity, access, and inclusion of these voices to help inform Council action. Young people and their perspectives are vital to the continued vibrancy of the community and Council commits to supporting community to embrace youth perspective.

  • Provide opportunities for an ongoing, meaningful youth voice to inform Council action.
  • Ensure all youth programme designs are informed by youth voice.
  • Coordinate regular celebration of youth achievements, leadership, and impact.
  • Communicate Council actions in a youth friendly format.
  • Explore and facilitate partnerships to develop and grow supportive environments for diverse youth.
  • Embed First Peoples stories and histories in events and activities and facilitate First Peoples education and community engagement programmes.
  • Facilitate and develop youth leadership capacity, advocacy, and engagement.

Join the conversation on our draft Youth Strategy 2026-2030.

Read the draft

The Process:

  • Corangamite Shire values the voices of young people and understands that decisions made today affect their future.
  • Throughout 2025, we heard the voices of over 520 people aged 12 – 25, to inform development of Council’s new youth strategy.
  • Consultations were held in Derrinallum, Skipton, Timboon, Terang, Noorat, Camperdown, and Cobden involving schools and employer groups. Feedback from these, plus numerous online platforms, and over 100 young people at the Corangamite Shire Youth Summitt, have been used to understand what is important to young people and how Council can improve their lives and opportunities.

TL;DR

Young people tend to move away after school, however, appear to return after age 30. In order to attract and retain young people, Corangamite Shire must address economic diversity, enhance education options, improve social connectivity, improve transport and housing diversity.

Have we got it right:

  • We’ve now drafted a new youth strategy that will guide council’s youth programs and engagements over the coming years.
  • Did we get it right?
  • We want to hear from you to know if the draft strategy has captured what Corangamite’s young people have said.
  • A summary of the strategy is below

Share your feedback by completing the survey at the end of this page or click here.

Community

Commitment: Council recognises the unique barriers to community participation and engagement and understands the importance of mental health supports and access to health services in the health and wellbeing of our young people. Council commits to working with community, stakeholders and all levels of government to improve participation and engagement, and where possible to remove barriers.

  • Provide community leadership training to facilitate youth engagement.
  • Support community groups to, and facilitate events and opportunities that, increase social connections for a) teens and b) young adults.
  • Facilitate community digital literacy initiatives to improve communication reach to younger people.
  • Advocate for increased access to health services, including mobile services.
  • Support community to offer increased recreation diversity including non-sport and non-competitive sport options, come and try days, and inter-town socialisation opportunities.
  • Deliver youth creative industry events and projects.
  • Explore opportunities to facilitate youth spaces.
  • Deliver social engagement and celebration events.
  • Explore opportunities to increase community sharing and support models.

Economy

Commitment: Council values the contribution of young people and is committed to supporting them achieve their potential through education, training, and employment. Council recognises the additional barriers faced by rural and regional young people, and commits to building financial, education and workplace literacy and engagement, empowering our young people to take charge of their future.

  • Support business to improve digital presence enabling increased communication with youth.
  • Partner with agencies and businesses to offer access to local career experiences.
  • Facilitate short courses, entrepreneurial and mentoring programmes to meet identified training needs.
  • Work with businesses and providers to increase the number of Traineeships and Apprenticeships available.
  • Encourage event organisers to engage a variety of food and entertainment offerings to increase youth engagement.

Infrastructure

Commitment: Council recognises the unique barriers young people face with transport and accessing services and commits to working towards reducing barriers to participation. Council recognises that young people engage with transport in different ways and for different purposes than their older peers, and that appropriate and safe transport is vital to support and facilitate young people’s engagement in their community and connection with their peers.

  • Work with relevant stakeholders, local transport providers, and youth services to pilot flexible transport models, such as community shuttles or mobile hubs.
  • Advocate for reduced licensing age (17) and introduction of restricted license in line with other States.
  • Improve bike and walking paths connecting towns.
  • Promote dog-friendly parks and spaces.
  • Advocacy for improved Roads is included as part of Council’s broader Strategic Plan.

Environment

Commitment: Council recognises that young people are at the forefront of driving change and shaping a sustainable future. As tomorrow’s leaders, young people can help create and advocate for positive environmental behaviours to benefit all people. Council recognises the importance of empowering young voices, fostering education, and encouraging active participation in addressing environmental challenges. It recognises the critical role of youth in climate action, conservation, and sustainable practices, ensuring their ideas and leadership are integral to creating a healthier planet for generations to come.

  • Advocate for increased free designated camping locations.
  • Support community groups to develop or enhance opportunities for connection with nature/environment such as fishing, hiking, kayaking, camping.
  • Develop and facilitate environmental educational programs, community workshops, and volunteer opportunities to promote positive environmental behaviours.
  • Develop strategies to engage youth in the environmental plans and support community understanding and environmental enhancement.
  • Work with community groups to develop environmental events including clean up, planting days, etc

Leadership

Commitment: Council values the voices of young people and commits to ensuring equity, access, and inclusion of these voices to help inform Council action. Young people and their perspectives are vital to the continued vibrancy of the community and Council commits to supporting community to embrace youth perspective.

  • Provide opportunities for an ongoing, meaningful youth voice to inform Council action.
  • Ensure all youth programme designs are informed by youth voice.
  • Coordinate regular celebration of youth achievements, leadership, and impact.
  • Communicate Council actions in a youth friendly format.
  • Explore and facilitate partnerships to develop and grow supportive environments for diverse youth.
  • Embed First Peoples stories and histories in events and activities and facilitate First Peoples education and community engagement programmes.
  • Facilitate and develop youth leadership capacity, advocacy, and engagement.

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Page last updated: 19 Nov 2025, 10:55 AM