Youth Ambassadors 2019-2024
The annual Youth Ambassador Program, funded by the Victorian Government through their Engage Grant and facilitated by The Mandala Project, has been delivered for 5 years. The program brings together grade 5 students from across Indigo Shire for an 8 week program to build personal skills and young people to create positive change in their communities. Each year the students learning is put into practice through a youth-led fundraising activity for the Atauro Island Friendship Group.
2024 Wrap Up
Our annual Youth Ambassadors program wrapped up on Thursday 21 November, 2024.
The program brought together 26 students who are passionate about creating positive change in their local communities, to work on communication, values, mental health, asset mapping, project management and public speaking.
In 2024, our Year 5 young leaders from across Indigo Shire represented Wahgunyah PS, Kiewa PS, Middle Indigo PS, Upper Sandy Creek PS, Barnawartha PS, Wooragee PS, Chiltern PS, Yackandandah PS, Beechworth PS, Beechworth Montessori, St Mary's Rutherglen Primary, Rutherglen PS and St. Joseph’s Chiltern PS.
The group of ambassadors was given the opportunity to become the youth voice representing their school, gain skills and mentoring in leadership and have a say about the future of their community by becoming agents of positive change. Session themes were a combination of leadership, critical thinking, emotional intelligence, and included weekly guest speakers.
The program also included a fundraising component in which the ambassadors organised activities to raise funds for the Atauro Island Friendship Group, in order to support their community development activities in Timor Leste. Through their efforts, 13 different fundraisers were developed and $3257 donated to the group.
Participants were nominated by their schools, and all Indigo Shire Primary schools were given the opportunity to participate in the program. Transport was organised for everyone to attend sessions held in Chiltern, Yackandandah and Beechworth.