We are the peak body advocating on behalf of young Australians and the youth sector.

Forty respondents to the AYAC and MYAN discussion paper, “From Youth Voice to Influence”, agreed that Australia must ensure young people can meaningfully shape the decisions that affect their lives. Their responses reveal a clear gap between aspiration and practice: young people are increasingly invited to speak, but the structures needed to translate their input into shared decision-making. Accountability and sustained influence remain weak.

AYAC's Purpose and Impact Statement provides an overview of our achievements over the past couple of years. The Statement contains some headline figures around engagement and reach. However, for the AYAC team the most impactful parts are the pieces of evidence from young people, their key contacts and our partners in the youth sector.

Drawing on youth insight poll responses from 500 young people aged 12–26, a consultation with young people from diverse backgrounds and evidence from a national roundtable involving young people, practitioners, academics and advocates, this report examines how young Australians understand workplace rights, where they seek information and the barriers they face in claiming those rights.