Artarmon’s Janet Zheng has hobbies like any other 16-year-old: playing flute, crocheting, bike riding… and writing bills for parliament.
Janet Zheng loves a good debate. So it makes perfect sense that she was one of 90 students chosen to take part in the NSW Youth Parliament program.
The Youth Parliament has been the State Government’s youth leadership and engagement program for 20 years. It’s all about empowering high school students from years 10 to 12 to speak up and have their voices heard on issues important to them.
A Year 11 student, Janet loves giving back to her local community in Willoughby and has always volunteered. She saw Youth Parliament as an extension to this.
“I thought that you could really extend the work you can do from volunteering by bringing it to the sphere of Youth Parliament, where you are able to have this voice to make a change on a larger scale that impacts everybody.”
At the first residential camp in April, the students were placed in various committees such as Diversity and Inclusion, Aboriginal Affairs, Mental Health, and Justice.
Janet says the very first day of camp was a bit ‘scary’, but after getting to know people, they start brainstorming ideas for a bill that they will formulate and deliver at mock parliament sitting week during a second residential camp in July.
Past Youth Parliament bills have included issues such as Indigenous young people within juvenile detention centres in NSW, an inclusive uniform code within state schools, sustainability and biodiversity, and the provision of education on mental health issues within school communities.
Having been placed with the Transport and Infrastructure Committee, Janet says she has reached out to Willoughby Council to ask about the environmental concerns that the community has regarding the Warringah Freeway and Sydney Metro works.
Janet would like to see more political action and participation from people like herself by having a youth council in Willoughby.
“If you are able to be in this sphere and talk to like-minded people from your community about concerns, that is something that really makes you want to be part of the political program.”
Whether Janet enters a career on politics or not, she has chosen chemistry and physics as Year 12 subjects that will be valuable regarding the environment.
“They’re subjects that I’m super passionate about, because they are the subjects that you’re going to need to help improve the issues that we have in terms of the climate. We need innovative future solutions to bring about the changes that we need in terms of replacing fossil fuels, and making transportation both faster and greener. So I think these subjects will really help me in my future.”
Janet believes that representation is important in Willoughby Council. “It’s a very diverse area. So it’s important that we focus on our heritage, but also on being able to connect and use the community connections to help people who are in need. I think it’s about gathering people together.”
Janet has sound advice for students considering Youth Parliament.
“I would say 100 per cent go for it. Think about the voice you can bring for the people around you,” she says. “Youth Parliament is about making change and it’s a really hefty process, especially for year 11 and year 12 students, who have to navigate this process while they’re preparing for the HSC.
“If you are able to persevere, see it as a beginning of a journey of reaching out to people in your community and reaching out to members of parliament. Because getting their help and opinions is something that’s been really enlightening.”
More information on the program can be found at ymcansw.org.au.