By and large, I’ve resisted the urge to talk about what this whole thing has meant to me personally. But in this entry, I thought I’d relax that rule, so just indulge me for a while.

Firstly, a brief run down on what the last 6 months have been about:

Fundraising for a budget of $70 000
Finding in-kind and monetary support. 50 Grant applications and corporate sponsorship applications completed (not so many supported!). Quiz night, movie night, wine-selling, 15 meetings with corporates and government, a beard party (ie come dressed as your favourite bearded person in history - I went as Al from Home Improvement).

Consultations Around Australia
Throughout this project, we visited approximately 30 communities in 5 states and 1 territory. We reckon that in the end, we ended up talking directly with about 4000 young people. Between private Sydney Girls Schools in Sydney and chatting with guys in Warmun (Turkey Creek), it was an eclectic mix.

UNited Youth Dialogue
On 28 August 400 young people crammed into a Civic Centre hall and participated in the world’s first 21st Century Dialogue with young people. Tables of young people were facilitated by another young person on what their thoughts were on the Millennium Development Goals, on their local community and their own personal well-being.

Media
Approximately 25 radio interviews, 5 TV interviews, 15 newspaper articles. The amount of media that was interested in this project, is a testament to the fact that voices, whether they are young, old, upper-middle aged (like my parents apparently), or whatever, can get heard.

Public Presentations
Approximately 40 public presentations around Australia, including talking at several conferences, and guest speaking at Columbia University in NYC (about the project of bringing young Aussie voices to the UN, and what it meant about community).

Filming and developing documentary
In every community we visited, young people were filmed telling us what is important to them in their world. Hopefully a documentary will be finished in February. If you are interested in getting a copy of it, the please email me.

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I have returned to work for about 2 weeks now for the Western Australian Department for Community Development. It’s a job I absolutely adore, but it’s also a job that I’ve found very difficult to return to. I’ve forgotten just how challenging (that’s Social Worker for “hard”) it is. I’ve forgotten how tough some people do it out in the real world. How desperate it is. It’s a bit of a shattering realisation for me, considering I’ve just spent the last few months at the world’s foremost organisation dealing with the harder parts of life. I’m not really sure what that says about the UN, or me.

I do know that I am convinced that the UN needs to be less close to Governments and much closer to people. I know that’s a silly statement considering the UN is run by governments, but representing people is far too powerful a position, not to be constantly reminded of who you are representing. My job representing Wards (young people whose guardian is the state) in the government system has utterly shown me that.

I am very proud about what this project has achieved. It has definitely done what we set out to do: represent young Australian voices at the highest world forum. What more this entire project has been done by young people. Everything on top of that has been a wonderful blessing. If you get the chance, read back over some of the stories of young Australians that I met. From Wyndham, to Barellan, to Brisbane, to Adelaide to the Tiwi Islands, these people truly are incredible just by being them.

Personally (and this is where you have to indulge me a bit), I am very proud of what I have managed to surmount as Ben. I am a person who sometimes struggles with anxiety. Throughout the last 6 months, I have continued to find that no matter how stressed I am, or how intensely uncomfortable my feeling of anxiety may be, tomorrow the sun will rise, and probably even shine (just to be cheeky). About five years ago I was suffering from major Depression, and found getting out of bed in the morning a very big achievement. To have done all this has been a wonderful accomplishment for me, and has been beyond my wildest fantasies (well….not the wilder ones). Anything is achievable.

This whole thing has also shown me that (in general terms) there are two types of people, those who would rather look at you and criticise what you aren’t doing, or maybe not doing right; and those that look at you and say ‘WOW! that’s a really great idea, I want to be involved in it’. I guess you’re never going to make everyone happy, although I have now learnt which type of person inspires me, and who I prefer to surround myself with.

Life continues to be a huge learning curve. My twin brother, who I have seen everyday, and slept about 4 metres from, my entire life has moved to England to research and teach at Oxford University in the next part of his exciting journey. Likewise my folks have decided that France and, more importantly, dirt-cheap chardonnay is their next move and are off there. The place I was renting has even been sold! Life suddenly seems a bit different. I know its all part of a grand plan, I just wonder exactly where it fits in, and what it all means.

Thank you to my friends of family that were as much this project as anyone or anything else. I must reiterate that this has been a project that has been undertaken by so many people. It has been a whole community of people that have made this happen. I have just been the lucky bugger who gets to go New York and share the voices. And lucky I have definitely been.

Thank you, in particular to my girlfriend, Naomi, who worked relentlessly day and night (more night than day) to see this project happen. I think she did it for two reasons: because there is no one else in this world that is more passionate (and talented) in helping young voices get heard (particularly regional ones!); and because she loves me (which is kind of nice too!). Don’t get her started on the pitfalls of youth allowance. There is no one like you.

And thanks to my Mum and Dad, who, whilst possibly the uncoolest people (long-johns are not appropriate outdoor wear, Dad) in the world, were the most wonderful support for this project, and the people who constantly reassured me that the sky would not fall on my head, despite the best advice I had been given (that’s a little Henny Penny humour for you).

Thankyou also to absolutely everyone who felt the need to contribute in some way. I have just been bold over by the amount of people who have wanted to support this all happening (you can see some of them on the side of the page). My workmates, without asking, organised a movie night and the Mother of all Quiz nights to make this happen. I was constantly astonished by my family and friends handing me $20 saying “my brother’s cousin’s fiancée’s step-uncle wanted to support what you’re doing.” I will never ever be able to thank you for what has been achieved because of you. People are just so selflessly generous – I have definitely learnt that.

As far as the online diary goes, this is it. But the project will continue on, as I hope to share my wonderful experiences, and that of the Australian young people I have met with many more around Australia. If you are interested (and I know I sound like a bit of a dingkus saying this) in the project visiting your community to hear and discuss it all with you/a group of young people in your community the new year, then just email me.

A final report will be produced (in early 2006) with a synthesis of what every young person told us in every community we visited around Australia. If you are interested in a copy, then please email me.

Thank you all so much for reading and being interested. I hope you are inspired by young Australians as much as I have been. Thanks for indulging me.
Much love and disco!
Benny
(email) youthrep2005@unya.asn.au

PS Does anyone else feel like a certain Greenday song should be playing?