Takeover Melbourne creates a powerful platform for young people to be heard

CMY is excited to partner with ABC on Takeover Melbourne, a new initiative that has launched this month, creating a powerful platform for young Melburnians to be heard.

The initiative is calling on year 10 students (or young people of a similar age) to share a story about their life and submit it to the Takeover Melbourne Competition.

32 winners, one from each Local Government Area, will get the incredible opportunity to work with ABC producers to have their story featured on the ABC. The project aims to put young Melburnians at the centre of the conversations that shape their communities.

Carmel Guerra, CMY CEO said:

“Takeover Melbourne is naturally aligned with CMY’s work, as it’s all about ensuring the diversity of youth voices in Melbourne is reflected in the stories we see in the media.”

“In our work, we have the privilege of hearing the stories of so many unique young people. We’re delighted to be part of this initiative which will further amplify the voices of young people, and give Australia insight into their lives and communities.”

In addition to being featured on ABC, the winners will receive an exclusive place at the ABC Takeover Melbourne Summit, a week-long leadership experience that will empower participants to design a brighter future for their city.

Swathi Shanmukhasundaram, CMY Project Support Officer said:

“What’s great is that each local council is encouraged to support young people throughout the competition and hopefully use their stories to inspire change within their own communities.”

“In uncertain times like these, we get to hear directly from young people as to what concerns them, what their unforgettable memories are, what their greatest triumphs are and how they envision a more inclusive and sustainable future.”

For teachers, Takeover is a great practical unit of work for year 10 students exploring issues such as: identity, place, journeys, discovery, belonging or student voice; or in any unit that involves producing personal narratives. It’s totally free, mapped to the Australian Curriculum, and comes with a support package of teaching resources to assist with incorporating Takeover into your classroom activities.

For young people, check out these top 10 tips for telling your story before you get started. You can also find some inspiration from regional youth here.

Entries close 26 June 2020, submit your entry at: abc.net.au/takeover

Takeover Melbourne is a partnership between the ABC, Resilient Melbourne, VicHealth, the Centre for Multicultural Youth and the 32 local councils of Greater Melbourne.

Image credit: ABC Melbourne