- Open date
06 July 2026
- Closing date
02 August 2026
Last update date: 06 July 2026
Young people are key stakeholders in shaping the future of the City of Stirling. With around 17% of local residents aged 10 to 24, they are important contributors to our community and our experience tells us that when young people are supported to reach their potential the whole community benefits.
A key focus for the City is ensuring young people are valued and respected in decision-making, helping to create a more inclusive community in which young people feel connected and supported.
Recent insights from the City's community engagement highlighted that young people (aged 17 to 25) share similar focus areas to the broader community, including connection, affordability, safety, and access to spaces and opportunities. Importantly, it also highlighted that supporting the wellbeing, inclusion and participation of young people is both a challenge and an opportunity for the City.
In response, Youth Focus is an initiative to actively engage with young people and youth service providers to understand the priorities and strengthen support for all young people.
The City recognises that meaningful engagement with young people requires a tailored, inclusive and flexible approach. Young people bring valuable local knowledge, experience and perspectives and this initiative will help us understand what matters most to our young people.
This approach supports a stronger youth focus, ensuring young people are actively involved in shaping and co-creating the future of our City.
To respond to this, the Youth Focus engagement will be guided by a commitment to inclusive, meaningful and youth-centred engagement. During Phase One, the City will focus on better understanding and connecting with young people across five key areas:
Start where young people are at
Engage young people in spaces they already use, both online and within their local communities.Understand issues impacting young people
Build a stronger evidence base around the issues, challenges and opportunities shaping young people’s lives.Partner with schools and local networks
Work with schools, organisations and community groups to expand reach and strengthen connections.Apply an inclusion lens
Ensure engagement activities are accessible, welcoming and reflective of the diverse backgrounds and experiences of young people.Be youth-led
Through the YACWA peer research project, young people will play an active role in designing and delivering engagement, helping to build trust and connect with their peers in authentic ways.
Through this approach, we aim to build stronger relationships with young people, deepen our understanding of their needs and aspirations, and ensure their voices are embedded in how we plan for the future of the City of Stirling.
The City is seeking up to 10 young people aged 15 to 25 who live, work, study or volunteer in the City of Stirling to take part as peer researchers.
This opportunity gives you the chance to work alongside the City and YACWA to better understand youth experiences across Stirling and contribute to shaping future planning and the City’s Social Framework.
As part of the project, peer researchers will:
- Help design a youth survey, youth workshop and a postcard
- Reach out to young people and encourage them to complete the survey
- Receive training and support
- Be paid for your time (up to $600)
- Build your resume and develop new skills
- Gain experience that may lead to future opportunities.
Through this project, young people will play a direct role in shaping how engagement is delivered and ensuring youth perspectives are reflected in the future of the City of Stirling.
Keen to get involved? Applications are open from Monday 6 July to Sunday 2 August 2026. Click the “Apply here” button below to get started.
The project will run from August to October 2026, including training and getting out into the community to collect survey responses.
