DAY 3 of Youth Conference in Sydney

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DAY 3

For the final day of the conference, this was also the easiest day. Presentations were done by lunchtime and the panel discussion that followed allowed many eager attendees to put forward their opinion on topics of interest raised.

The guest speaker who spoke before the main panel discussion was Samah Hadid. Samah is a 22 year-old human rights advocate from Sydney. Samah serves as the Youth Representative on the Australian National Commission for UNESCO. She is also a member of Amnesty International’s Diversity Steering Committee. She was also a very inspiring, passionate and wise young girl!

Her inspiring speech captured the interest of the audience who absolutely loved what she had to say about human rights in Australia.

Twitter was one form of feedback which gave us, Loaded Communications, as an Event Coordinator, the best insight to the thoughts of those 320 or more Youth Workers and youth who attended the conference. Looking at a life Twitter feed during Samah’s speech, the audience were so impressed with her inspiring presentation and her views on human rights

Jan Owen, the Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation for Young Australians was also a conference favourite when she spoke on Day Two at the conference. She opened the forum to anyone from the audience who wanted to ask her questions about her experiences and her advice – and gave insightful comments, which proved to enhance the reputation of AYAC and the Conference as a whole.

Feedback surveys were given out to gauge any improvements or suggestions that could be made for any future AYAC Conferences. This encouraged the attendees to comment on the event as whole and individual aspects, which made up the three-day conference. Again, the importance of feedback provides an open ground for how we can improve future conferences as a communications company or any event’s managed by Loaded Communications in general.

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In reflection from what proved a very successful event for Loaded and AYAC and what I noted most importantly from this experience at the AYAC Conference in Sydney, is the importance of social media and technology in current events. I know you’re thinking: “it is so cliché’ to say ‘Social Media is taking over our everyday communication’”…but it really is!!

I know from multiple personal comments made to me and the Loaded team at the Youth Conference by participants, that having Twitter/social media and internet access was integral in what was obviously a younger-generation or ‘social-media savvy’ audience…. because lets face it; this was the National YOUTH Conference.

For future AYAC Youth Conferences, I suggest we delve more deeply into the world of social media. The Youth Conference attendee’s literally got off on expressing their voice on social media…. No one ever doubted that the youth sector was anything but a group of opinionated people – but giving these youth sector workers a channel to voice their opinion, creates discussion and ideas for a better future for youth in Australia.

#AYAC2011

The live Twitter feed on the last conference day during the open panel discussion ultimately proves this. I watched as every second, someone was ‘Tweeting’ their opinion on what was just said or the topic of discussion… Now that… is a Twitter frenzy!

# I’ve never seen so many hash-tags in my life.

And I finish with one last comment….

Do not underestimate the power of Twitter.

- Lisa Butcher

Bentley

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