Indigenous youth invited to Warrnambool Treaty Youth Forum

Leilani Clark-Ugle, 16, and Jaynaya Miller, 18, said a treaty between First Nations peoples and the state government would allow Indigenous voices to be heard.

The Warrnambool College students will join at least 25 young people at Warrnambool's first Treaty Youth Forum on Wednesday.

The forum is organised by the First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria, an elected assembly leading the development of a historic treaty.

Treaty agreements have been influential in repairing the relationship between Indigenous people and their government overseas but despite years of promises on a national level, it has not been reached in Australia.

Leilani said it was disappointing to live in the only commonwealth country without a treaty.

"It would be good for us to have more recognition and for different points of views to actually be considered," she said.

Jaynaya said it was important for young people to be up-to-date on the treaty process.

"The treaty will shape our future and allow our voices to be heard," she said.

"An Australia with a treaty will be better for all us mob."

A leader within her community, Jaynaya said she was excited to be apart of next week's youth forum.

"I want to know what I can do to help (the treaty process), as well as meet new people," she said.

Assembly member for the south-west region and Gunditjmara, Arrernte and Waddawurrung man Jordy Edwards said the youth forum was an opportunity for young mob to "really get stuck into some of the details of the progress made so far, as well as to bring their big ideas to the table".

"We want to gather our young people together to do some collective dreaming about what treaty can and should deliver for our people," he said.

Mr Edwards said youth aged 16 and 17 could vote in assembly elections for who they want to represent them in the treaty process.

"Treaty is our future, so it's really important that our young people's voices, needs and hopes for the future are heard throughout our journey towards treaty," he said.

Mr Edwards is passionate about making sure the next generation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people connected to their culture and feel proud of who they are.

"We've been living on these lands for countless generations, so we have a lot of wisdom and stories to share and treaty is a chance for that to be embedded into the heart of Victoria's systems and the way we do things as a society," he said.

"I think it will be great for my mob, but I also think the whole community will benefit from having a taste of that connection to culture, history and country."

The forum is for Aboriginal and Torres Strait islanders aged between 15 and 25.

It will include a Treaty Yarning Circle and a session run by the Indigenous Hip Hop Outreach Program.

The event will run between 9am and 4pm at Old Collegian Football Netball Club.

Register to attend here.

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