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'Step To The Future' forum will inspire young people

May 19, 2006

Step.thumb.JPGThe University of New England expects 600 secondary school students to attend the second annual youth forum the University has hosted as part of a national series of events that has inspired teenagers around Australia.

Called “Step To The Future”, the program engages local high-school students themselves in organising the forums, at which prominent Australians speak about their road to success. It aims to motivate 15-to-18-year-olds by sharing the life experiences of a diverse group of highly inspirational speakers representing, business, politics, entertainment, sport and the general community.

At this year’s UNE forum, on Friday 26 May, the guest speakers will be Eric Bailey (former All American and NBL professional basketball player), Armondo Hurley (singer, actor and songwriter), and the motivational speakers Deborah Storer, Shelley Sykes, and Bram Collins and Trevor Tim. Last year, one of the speakers was Barbara Holboro OAM, the former Sydney Children’s Court Magistrate who is an outspoken commentator on the rights of young people.

The Vice-Chancellor of UNE, Professor Alan Pettigrew, will open the forum, which will be in UNE’s Lazenby Hall from 9.15 am to 2.45 pm.

Last year’s forum at UNE – the first in the New England North West region – attracted 530 secondary school students from centres including Gunnedah, Tamworth, Tenterfield, Glen Innes, Inverell and Barraba. This year's event is shaping up to be even larger, with Lazenby Hall likely to be filled to capacity. A Toowoomba school is among those planning to attend this year.

The program began in Sydney as a pilot project in 2002, and its immediate success led to events in other State capitals and Canberra (as well as its debut in regional NSW) in 2003. Each forum is organised and run by a committee of local students in Years 10-12. The committee members are representative of the diversity of their communities, and come from government, private, and Catholic schools.

The student committee not only selects the speakers, but decides on the format of the event, markets it in their schools and local communities, and makes audio-visual recordings of it on the day. There will be a live cross to 7news (one of the many sponsors of the program) during the forum.

For more information, go to www.steptothefuture.com.au or phone John Kauter at UNE on 02 67732779.

THE PHOTOGRAPH displayed here, taken at last year's "Step To The Future" forum at UNE, shows (from left) Mim Gardiner and Beth Crocker of Calrossy High School, Tamworth, and Julian Burton, one of the guest speakers.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at May 19, 2006 02:23 PM