“Owning Future Change” is the premiere Australian interdisciplinary conference for young people, researchers, clinicians, health workers and educators who work to improve, promote and advocate for the health and wellbeing of young people in Australia and beyond.
This year’s conference explored Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people’s health, diversity and health, and sexuality education and sexual health as its major themes.
Each of these areas bring challenges that require understanding the evidence, having respectful conversations and building a strong advocacy platform in order to bring about equity and improved health and wellbeing for many of our young people today. Youth participation was integral to planning, programming and delivery.
This Conference motivated, educated and showcased research, innovative programs and practical resources via an extensive and comprehensive program including keynotes, proffered paper and poster sessions, workshops and networking and a performance by Byron Youth Theatre.
This year the Australian Association for Adolescent Health partnered with the Australian & New Zealand Mental Health Association to deliver the 2018 Youth Health Conference.
#OwningFutureChange focused on the responsibility we all have to finding solutions to health inequities between young people and the general population, and between different populations of young people themselves. Whether at local, state or national levels or globally, we all play a role to bring about change, now and in the future.