Why conferences should be Gen Z friendly

By Harmony, a young disaster resilience worker from rural Victoria

Hands up if you’ve ever been to a conference!

Conferences are busy, fascinating places full of interesting people to meet and perspectives to hear. They’re a space for people with shared interests to gather and chat about a topic, industry or sector. ?

Historically, conferences haven’t been the most accessible of spaces, especially for young people exploring the professional world for the first time.??

As young people, we bring so many fresh perspectives and innovative ideas everywhere we go and should be empowered to lead conversations on topics that impact us, our current world, and our futures.??

Working to make conference spaces more accessible and open to young professionals is key to refreshing these spaces, contributing to the growth of industries and the young people within them.??

An example I’ll be exploring is the experiences of young people, like myself, in Emergency Management conference spaces and the nuances that come with this.?

Why it's important for young people to be active participants in professional spaces

There are many benefits to both young people and the sectors they show interest in. ?

In the Emergency Management sector, young people are often seen as passive victims of disasters.?

Deloitte and UNICEF Australia conducted a report on the impact of disasters on children and young people, and they found that young people are disproportionally impacted by disasters. Whether it’s affecting our development, milestones or general health and wellbeing, young people are impacted in ways that are unique to us.?

The Sendai Framework and Associate Professor Fiona MacDonald declare young people to be active ‘agents of change’ who should be involved in disaster risk reduction.

Benefits for young people

As a young person, I have found attending conferences to be daunting. Being newer to the professional world can be a cause for uncertainty. This can create many barriers for young people who don't have the appropriate support to work through this.??

Through being supported to be active participants, young people develop many skills that support their professional development, such as:?

• Networking: The exchange of information and ideas among people with a similar profession or interest.?
• Public speaking: The act of performing a speech in front of a live audience. This could be via a presentation or panel where a young person may share their lived experience.
• Facilitation: A form of public speaking. It's about guiding conversation and holding space for people to have a discussion or complete an activity.
• Event planning: Where you come?up with ideas and coordinate how parts of an event will run on the day.
• Peer support: Where you can use experiences of being a young person to support other young people to be active participants in an unfamiliar environment.

Benefits for sectors

Having young people front and centre at conferences and in professional spaces also has big benefits for sectors.??

• New and fresh perspectives: young people bring fresh ideas to the table along with unique problem-solving abilities.?
• Sector sustainability: young people are the future of the sector or industry we are interested in. Supporting us now means passing on essential knowledge and ensuring that the work continues.??

Through our work in the Emergency Management sector, we have seen:??

• Young people breaking down power dynamics in spaces that are often not diverse. This allows for increased community connection
• Young people taking the lead in their communities and creating active change
• Young people using their lived experiences to help other young people to feel more supported and less alienated from their communities. ?

"Through Future Proof, Courtney gained practical skills and insights that could directly apply to her role as an Aboriginal Engagement Officer. The experience has empowered her to better serve her community, advocating for more accessible services and opportunities for youth in regional areas."

– Courtney, young person from East Gippsland Shire Council

How young people can be involved

This can look like:

• Having spaces specifically for young people to hold conversations at conferences. Supporting young people with lived experience to lead and facilitate these spaces is essential.?
• Youth Advisory Group for conference planning.?
• Co-design/participation in planning committees. ?
• Peer workers leading spaces and supporting other young people attending.?
• Presentation of research findings or their own case study. This can be effective with the support of a research team.
• Sharing our lived experiences

How can we do this in the most accessible way?

Conferences can be inaccessible for many people.

As a participant, I’ve had anxiety about being one of the few young people in these spaces. When you already expect to be out of place, this can create many barriers.

Emergency Management topics can be confronting or even triggering for young people who have lived experience of disasters.

Knowing what to expect and what you’re walking into can help massively for the accessibility of all attendees. If you’re running a conference or an event, consider creating an agenda or access key.

Going in with the right headspace and support is essential for young people attending conferences for the first time.

“Young people need proper preparation and support to feel present in conference spaces."

– Lara May, Alpine Shire Council

A young person might appreciate sitting down with a peer or other worker and having a chat about how the space operates. Some things to consider might include:?

• If you need to take a break from the space, this is completely okay. Create a plan for how this can be supported.??
• Conferences are not always huge. It can be like walking into a classroom with a really cool teacher with valuable things to say?

The goal of this is to bring things back down to earth and meet the young person where they are at.??

Let’s work together to refresh these professional spaces with new ideas and contributions.?

Young people are often called the 'future generation,' but we are shaping industries today. Our time is now. We may be “emerging professionals”, but we are experts in our own lives and experiences.?