United Nations Youth Australia

UN Youth Australia (referred to as UNYA Australia, UNYAA or simply UNYA, formerly the United Nations Youth Association of Australia) is one of Australia's largest youth organisations, and is part of the global network of United Nations Youth Associations. UNYA is an independent branch of the United Nations Association of Australia (UNAA). UNYA is a not-for-profit community organisation run entirely by youth volunteers (aged 24 and under).

Structure of UNYA

Established around 1970, UNYA has developed into a national organisation, with regional divisions, and associations with many other Australian youth organisations.

The national structure of UNYA comprises eight divisions; one for each State or Territory represented in Parliament. Divisions meet twice a year with the National Executive in sessions of National Council. Each division is run independently of each other, and collaborate together to undertake national events and programs, such as the UNYA National Youth Conference.

At a national level, UNYA is represented by a National Executive and various national office bearers, these members are responsible for the day to day representation of the divisions at a national level and running national events. Together the National Executive acts as a semi-autonomous division, taking guides from the "blue papers" and state divisional policies.

Aims of UNYA

UNYA Australia seeks to promote the ideals and the work of the United Nations. While these aims are similar to that of conventional United Nations Associations in advocating the United Nations Charter and educating young people about the structure and functions of the United Nations, UNYA is also committed to the task of advocating the role of young people in domestic affairs, and of young people playing an active part in the democratic process.

Divisions run annual policy campaigns to raise awareness about specific global and local issues, homelessness, and poverty. Events have comprised events such as workshops, discussion groups, panel debates; and will culminate with a policy blue paper to be submitted to other divisions and published.

Activities of UNYA

UNYA holds two annual multi-divisional events: the UNYA National Youth Conference (UNYC) and the United Nations Security Council Competition; the Evatt Trophy, named after Dr H.V. Evatt. These national conferences attract interest, participation and support from young individuals and youth-oriented organisations, and attract publicity and media attention. Both conferences are held in Australian capital cities designated on a rotational system.

UNYA Australia also has a significant regional focus, and runs a number of events in regional locations, including the annual UNYA National Regional Youth Summit (UNRYS) held in Albury, New South Wales. Significant conferences typically take the form of a youth summit combining educational workshops and speakers, issue based discussion and policy drafting and mock United Nations committee or assembly debate, similar in appearance to a Model United Nations conference.

Divisional bodies of UNYA also coordinate events in their State or Territory, such as annual State Conferences and Security Council competitions. Similarly, educative and participatory youth events such as speakers forums, have been convened by divisional bodies.

UNYA is the only youth-run organisation on the National Representative Council of the Australian Youth Affairs Coalition, and consults with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) on a number of different concerns, including human rights. Further, UNYA Australia works with DFAT to support an Australian Youth Representative to the United Nations General Assembly each year, and has also sent two representatives to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights as part of Australia's delegation.

Challenges

Although membership to UNYA is open to all youth younger than 24, there is a perception that an overwhelming majority of membership and participation comes from current and past students of private schools and selective public schools. This is despite 86% of Australian students being enrolled in public and Catholic schools. Although arising largely from the financial and staffing ability of private schools to coordinate with a group such as UNYA (Where public schools may lack such capacity), the end result of private school participation has become engrained and cyclical in the membership and culture of UNYA and its executives. This has also filtered through to tertiary level participation, which has an unrepresentative amount of involvement from the more prestigious Australian universities. UNYA constantly strives to broaden the reach of its events through initiatives such as a Northern Territory Roadtrip and various regional forums.

Although this does not necessarily inhibit the ability of UNYA to represent youth interests, a major element of UNYA’s community service comes from giving Australian youth experience and credentials from participation in UNYA and the UNYA community, opportunities currently undertaken primarily by private school students (although students of a variety of school and social situations do take part). UNYA also gains access to various events and ‘round tables’ as a representative of youth, as a result of its apparent holistic representation.

External links

• UN Youth Australia
• United Nations Association of Australia