Student 1: Welcome to a podcast from MoAD, The Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House. This is the third podcast in a series all about student voice. Today, we are talking about how you can use your voice to be actively involved in your community, and your country's democratic life.
Did you know that there are more young people in the world than ever before? And this means more young voices who can have a say about things they are passionate about. They can speak up together and create positive change and to help our world be a better place. There's no age limit to being a responsible citizen, so what can you see in your community that could be improved? How can your voice be heard? Any ideas?
[Schoolkids talking and playing]
Student 2: Share your ideas to someone who can vote.
Student 3: You could protest, write a letter, or communicate to others.
Student 4: On the speakers, and at assemblies.
Student 5: Because children are the next generation of the future.
Student 1: If you see something that can be improved, why not connect with your local member, write a letter, create a petition, join with others and use your voice to raise awareness of the issue and come up with solutions to what people can do about it? Do you know other young people who have stood up for a community issue and helped to create change? Who are some others who have done inspirational things?
Student 6: 'Storm Girl' is a girl who likes pelicans, and she made boxes so people put their [fishing] nets in them, so the pelicans don’t get tangled up.
Student 7: I know Charles Perkins is not a young Australian, but he supported Aboriginal laws and made the laws fair, and I think if any law or anything in general is very unfair you can change it.
Student 1: There are so many examples of young people using their people power and voice to try something new. In Cairns, a 10-year-old student persuaded her local council to stop using plastic drinking straws, and the local businesses also began to reduce their single-use plastics. An 11-year-old started a petition to ban single-use plastic sauce fish, as thousands are used and discarded every day. The petition now has tens of thousands of signatures. And a 15-year-old schoolgirl named Greta Thunberg started a worldwide movement, starting with herself and a cardboard sign, calling for a school strike for action on climate change, sitting on the street outside the Swedish parliament.
So, remember, you have a voice. You can use it to make positive change, and democracy means you live in a place where your voice counts. So don't wait. You are here right now.
Thanks for joining us. We challenge you to learn more, do more and be more.
[Music playing]
