As the Western Australian Minister for Youth, it gives me great pleasure to welcome you to the official website for National Youth Week 2010. National Youth Week is the biggest event on the Australian youth calendar involving thousands of events, concerts, competitions and other opportunities for young people to engage with their communities.

National Youth Week celebrates the contributions that young people make to the Australian community.

Last year marked the tenth anniversary of National Youth Week celebrations and it was wonderful to see so many diverse events and activities.

The growing strength of young people’s voices is reflected in the policies and programs that affect them, while young people are constantly finding innovative and significant ways to participate and contribute to the world around them.

National Youth Week provides opportunities for young Australians to express their ideas and celebrate the positive contribution they make, regardless of where they live in Australia. This year National Youth Week is shining a spotlight on the regions and this is especially important for Western Australia, where nearly one quarter of young people live in rural and remote areas. I look forward to supporting the events held in regional WA, particularly the WA Launch Event which will be held in Albany, a vibrant city in the Great Southern region of WA.

National Youth Week is celebrated enthusiastically across our state, with a range of local activities designed to increase the visibility of young Western Australians. Events encourage young people to learn, build their confidence and connect to their communities.

Participation is a key element in young people’s development and this year’s theme, Live it Now, is inviting all young Australians to get involved in National Youth Week events. I encourage all young Australians to take up National Youth Week’s challenge – to speak up now, to do it now, to be a part of it now.

Hon Donna Faragher MLC JP,
Minister for Environment; Youth