TAKEOVER – By ABC Heywire

Regional Australia – giving voice to youth innovation

Take it to the regions

Takeover is a place-based version of ABC Heywire. It was born out of Covid-19 when the Canberra focused ABC Heywire week was unable to be held. “Take it to the regions” was conceived.

ABC engages schools and run workshops, reaches out to parents and teachers of interested students. A Takeover competition is run to select around 6 groups who have delivered a themed idea to improve there community. ABC then creates digital and video stories of both kids experiences and these ideas.

FRRR concurrently engages with local community organisations (NFPs, community leaders and the business community) to facilitate them supporting these young people to perfect and implement their themed idea.

Sally Foundation provides dedicated early stage financial support to assist in this “on the ground engagement” with the community a critical component of the program.

Each year, the ABC team and participating partners provide mentoring and program management support to the group winners.

Together FRRR and ABC seek to “marry up” each groups project concept with a local NFP willing to embrace and help implement the project. Young people can apply for youth advising roles with the organisations implementing the group youth projects.

The culmination of theses intensive engagement is a community event nights to showcase the projects.

FRRR sponsors a small grants program to assist projects implementation.

Geraldine is intimately engaged with the ABC team, the facilitators and the on-the-ground FRRR to support the program.