We are delighted to announce that Year 11 PLHS student Zoe van-Overdijk (pictured) has been selected as one of twenty-two Rural Youth Ambassadors of South Australia for 2025.
Last week, Zoe travelled to Adelaide – along with student representatives from twenty other rural schools from across the state – to attend their first Rural Youth Ambassador Forum. We thank the South Australia Areas Schools Leaders Association for providing the following report about the three-day event:
“Coming from Wudinna in the west to Bordertown in the east, from Allendale East in the south to Roxby Downs in the north and everywhere in between, the 2025 Rural Youth Ambassadors came together for the first time recently.
Welcomed by the Minister for Education, The Hon. Blair Boyer MP, at the State Library over morning tea, the Youth Ambassadors started their journey with his encouragement and to utilise their ambassadorial role throughout the program and challenged them to continue this after they complete the program.
Coming from a range of backgrounds and experiences, the Youth Ambassadors shared their lived experience of growing up and learning in rural communities across South Australia exploring both great things and challenges that they face in their communities.
The local environment, leadership opportunities, strong local support, sport and recreation opportunities, strong teacher and student relations and the relaxed lifestyle were all areas the Youth Ambassadors identified as great elements of where they live.
They also identified a number of areas that they would like to see improved so that their life and education was better for them and their younger peers – getting more teachers, increasing subject and extra-curricular opportunities, better mental wellbeing support and information, and more information on after school opportunities were identified as elements they would like to improve.
After hearing from key representatives from the Department for Education on the various initiatives and programs that are currently available within South Australian schools, the Youth Ambassadors began working on a couple of areas they would like to spend their energies on trying to improve throughout the year. The development of a youth-driven promotion of rural lifestyles and teaching opportunities initiative, along with developing more effective mental well-being programs are two areas they have decided to work on over the coming months.
In addition, they will facilitate a number of Regional Youth Ambassador Forums to engage with rural young people across the state to engage a greater number of young people in their discussions and considerations.
We look forward seeing what these outstanding rural young people develop over the coming months.”
