Art4agriculture Young Farming Champion Emma Visser considered herself very lucky when her prize winning video won her a place at the ABC Heywire Summit. See previous post here.
When industry invests in young farmers like Nick and Emma we are helping them gain the confidence and skills to be role models that inspire other young people to follow them into farming
Emma’s co-Heywire winners (35 young regional Australians) for 2011-12 have just released their report ‘9 ways to Improve Regional Australia for Young People’. It details nine ideas developed at the 2012 Heywire Regional Youth Summit in Canberra, and it has been submitted to the Federal Government. The heywirers tackle the topics they believe are most pressing: from lowering the road toll, to helping migrants adjust to life in regional Australia, from fostering community bonds in mining towns, to using technology to promote Indigenous heritage. Their ideas have already received interest from schools, academics, the Government, the media and NGOs.
The superbly laid out report brochure ( there are some very bright design minds behind Heywire) can be downloaded here: Take a look I can guarantee you will be inspired
Check out a summary of their ideas here:
http://www.abc.net.au/heywire/stories/2012/05/3499082.htm
Please encourage young people (16-22) like Emma you work with or know to enter the Heywire competition at: http://www.abc.net.au/heywire, for a chance to win a trip to next year’s Heywire Regional Youth Summit. Entries close 17 September 2012.
As Emma says professional development and a chance to be heard opportunities like Heywire should be grabbed with both hands by young people
Back to Emma and her thoughts on the long term outcomes of opportunities like being a Heywire Winner and a Young Farming Champion where you are provided with professional development and the skills set to confidentially share their story with urban audiences
Emma sums it up
“I have told my story so many times I don’t need a script. My story comes from the heart, it resonates with the audiences I want to reach. It is inspiring young people to follow my career pathway into farming. It inspires young people to step out of their comfort zone and it inspires young people to see the value in collaboration. I am nineteen years old and through Heywire and the Young Farming Champions program I have the skills and confidence to spend next 80 odd years making a difference”