To celebrate Children’s Week, the Advocate for Children and Young People, Mr Andrew Johnson, will launch three new initiatives at Parliament House which elevate the voices of children and young people here in NSW.

Children and young people want to have their opinions heard, treated with respect and taken seriously. This was one of the main findings of state-wide consultations with more than four thousand children and young people, undertaken by the Office of the Advocate for Children and Young People.

As a result, voice is one of the six themes of Australia’s first three-year whole-of-government Strategic Plan for Children and Young People which was launched in July.

Today, the Advocate for Children and Young People Andrew Johnson will present:

Real NSW

The Advocate will announce the three winners of the Real NSW photo competition. The Advocate has spoken directly to thousands of children and young people across the state and they told him they often do not identify with the images used to portray them on websites, in the media and in general use.

This competition gave them an opportunity to show how they really want to be portrayed through highlighting what life is like for them, through their eyes and in their worlds.

Seen and Heard Video

The Advocate has developed a compilation of short videos that highlight when a child or young person’s voice was not heard at an important time in their life. They are based on stories told to him through the course of consultations.

“These short videos highlight how listening to children and young people can make a real difference in their lives.

“Our hope is these videos will assist people who work with children and young people every day and for all of those who interact with children, to gain a better understanding of the importance of listening to them,” Mr Johnson added.

Augmented Reality App

The Advocate will launch an innovative new App that utilises augmented reality technology to bring the voices of children and young people into the room, no matter where you are.

“There are many different ways we can use technology to assist us in hearing and listening to the voices of children and young people, regardless of where they are and where you are,” Mr Johnson said.