Modified on August 21st, 2018. Posted in Projects

Parliament of Youth

WHAT

The Parliament of Youth on Sustainability is the chance for ACT students from kindergarten to year 12 to have their say about how we should reduce Canberra’s ecological footprint and make Canberra a more sustainable city. Each school may enter up to three teams in each of the year group categories: K-Y3 (6 team members), Y4-Y6 (6 team members), Y7-Y9 (3 team members) and Y10-Y12 (2 team members). Each team should prepare a one-page Green Paper outlining their proposal for action (due 5 May 2017) and a 5 minute presentation about their proposal for delivery at the Parliament. You can download an information flyer here.

WATCH

The 2017 Parliament of Youth on Sustainability video (1:38) below for a quick run-down on what the Parliament is all about.

TEACHING RESOURCES

Go to the teaching resources page which includes a 4 step teaching sequence.

GREEN PAPER

Students used the Green Paper Template 2017 to complete their one-page Green Paper for the Parliament – the Green Paper Instructions 2017 may help too. You can find examples of Green Papers here.

EXTRA ASSISTANCE:

EXPERT PRESENTERS: We have a list of expert volunteers happy to come to your class to present on the ecological footprint, sustainability, renewable energy, and more. Check our presenter list and contact our Project Officer at parliament@see-change.org.au to book a speaker.

PROJECT UPDATES: Parliament of Youth Newsletter

STAY CONNECTED: Join our Parliament of Youth Facebook group.

In a nutshell: What do participating schools/students do?

1. Study the concepts of the ecological footprint and sustainability. Click here for some useful resources.

2. Study one aspect of human lifestyle and how it relates to Canberra’s ecological footprint. Click here for suggested focus topics.

Student Parliamentarians working on postcards to politicians at the 2015 Parliament

3. Develop a proposal for action to reduce Canberra’s footprint.

4. Each Parliament team outlines what they’ve learnt and sells their single proposal for action in a one-page Parliament paper (Green Paper) (due 5 May 2017 – end of week 2, term 2). (One Green Paper per Parliament team. Click here for the Green Paper Template and Green Paper Instructions 2017.)

5. Each Parliament team prepares a 5 minute presentation, based on their Green Paper.

6. Each Parliament team chooses one student to act as their Minister if their proposal is chosen as one of the best at the Parliament. Ministers prepare a one minute summary speech outlining and selling their proposal in case they need to present this at the Parliament.

7. At the Parliament in term 2, 2017, school teams meet in year group committees with other schools and as a full Parliament to deliver their presentations and vote on the best proposals to take forward to Canberra’s politicians.