South Australia’s new round of Rural Youth Ambassadors are meeting in Adelaide this week for their first forum advocating for their regional school communities.

The 19 year 11 students, from 19 schools spread across the state, will meet with senior Department for Education leaders to start mapping out their priorities for the year ahead.

The program is aimed at providing country students an opportunity to build on their leadership skills and advocate for their peers. Ambassadors will identify, and propose solutions to, the unique challenges their country schools face before presenting their findings to the state’s leaders.

Over the course of this year, students will attend three forums to share experiences. They will also present at education workshops and conferences, collaborate remotely with each other and discuss key issues with senior stakeholders.

The annual initiative is led by the South Australian Area School Leaders Association (SAASLA) with the support of the Department and has helped improve outcomes for country young people, in areas such as access to teachers, access to educational experiences, and understandings of post-school pathways.

The program offers opportunities for students to participate in a range of government discussions and working groups where they can share their perspectives on country education.

Previous ambassadors have also attended interstate and international conferences, including the International Student Voice Conference in Malaysia, the National Social Ventures Australia Symposium and the National Society for the Provision of Education in Rural Australia Conference.

Chief Executive, Professor Martin Westwell said providing platforms for students to amplify their voices is an excellent way for the department to help make their country schools better.

“The South Australian Rural Youth Ambassador program provides country students opportunities to meet with decision-makers and advocate for meaningful changes in their local communities,” said Professor Westwell.

“We want young South Australians to thrive – and supporting ambassadors to further develop their leadership and citizenship skills will help them to step into the world with greater confidence.”

Since the program began in 2023, 83 ambassadors have participated representing 33 schools. Nominations for next year’s program will open in term 1, 2027.