This week on Done By Law we spoke with YACVic Participation and Development Manager, Sam Champion, and Youthlaw Manager of Outreach and Education, Lisa Nguyen.

We discussed the work of the Youth Affairs Council Victoria (YACVic). YACVic is the peak body and leading policy advocate for young people and the youth sector in Victoria. It is an expert in youth participation and coordinates the Youth Participation Practice Network (YPPN). 

Key to YACVic’s own youth participation work is its innovative young peer facilitation model. YACVic Young Peer Facilitators are a group of young people from across Victoria with a diverse range of lived experience who are trained and supported to lead discussions on a wide range of issues. These facilitators work on all sorts of projects in YACVic and with other organisations. These could be leading discussion groups on pressing issues for young people, training youth workers, or working on policies for positive community change.

We also heard about work being done by Youthlaw’s education program, and how the two organisations complement and support each other.  

Youthlaw - the Young People's Legal Rights Centre - is a free state-wide legal service for young people up to age 25 in Victoria. Youthlaw builds legal education with young people not just for them – through free legal advice, community legal education sessions, and youth-led content so that rights information reaches young people where they already are.