Youth Programs
At AMRC, we empower young people from refugee and migrant backgrounds (ages 12-29) to become leaders, advocates, and active community members. Our programs offer opportunities to develop leadership skills, confidence, and cultural connections, while building meaningful engagement with the broader South Australian community.
Leadership & Advocacy
Youth Forum
Our annual Youth Forum is a platform for young leaders to showcase their contributions, share experiences, and engage in discussions on leadership, culture, and social change. The event is an open and engaging day of activities and shared experiences that encourages appreciation, respect and inclusiveness. Young people are involved in planning and delivery of the Forum.
SA Youth Parliament
Through YMCA’s Youth Parliament, AMRC supports young people to be part of this initiative to improve public speaking, debate skills, and legislative knowledge. Participants draft and present bills on issues affecting youth while networking with like-minded peers.
Safety & Life Skills
- Water Safety: In collaboration with surf life-saving clubs, we teach young people how to stay safe in the water during summer.
- Road Safety & Transport Training: Hands-on training in the Adelaide CBD to understand road rules and transport safety.
Arts, Culture & Youth Engagement
We support youth-led cultural initiatives across South Australia, providing spaces for young people to maintain traditions, express creativity, and connect with peers and elders.
Through these initiatives, AMRC ensures that young people develop skills, confidence, and a strong sense of belonging, enabling them to thrive as active contributors to society.
Community Engagement & Cultural Awareness
Cultural Ambassadors & Volunteering
AMRC promotes youth engagement through volunteering and cultural leadership. We support young people in becoming mentors, facilitators of change, and advocates for their communities.
Aboriginal Cultural Education
We strengthen connections between First Nations and migrant communities by hosting:
- Reconciliation Week events
- Hand in Hand Youth Project at Camp Coorong
- Weaving sessions and cultural excursions
SA Refugee Week Youth Poster Awards Exhibition
Since 2011, the SA Refugee Week Schools Poster Project, coordinated by AMRC, has been a cornerstone event of SA Refugee Week celebrations.
This initiative invites students from primary, secondary, and tertiary institutions to create posters that reflect themes from the United Nations International Refugee Convention, including multiculturalism, human rights, cultural diversity, anti-racism, welcoming refugees into Australia and recognizing their contributions.
The project supports creativity, awareness, and empathy, encouraging young people to explore refugee experiences through art. Key benefits include:
- Integrating refugee themes into classroom learning across multiple subjects.
- Strengthening ties through student-led storytelling and creative expression.
- Expanding reach with regional participation and partnerships in the arts and education sectors.
Delivered in partnership with the Adelaide Festival Centre and supported by the Department for Education and Multicultural Affairs, the exhibition has engaged over 175 schools and nearly 7,000 students.
The SA Refugee Week Youth Poster Awards Exhibition tours throughout the year, showcasing students’ work in metro and regional galleries. Additionally, young people from refugee backgrounds are invited to speak at schools, sharing their experiences and perspectives.
Posters exhibited at the Children’s Artspace, Adelaide Festival Centre, as part of the 2024 SA Refugee Week Youth Poster Awards Exhibition, featured powerful messages such as:
“One World, One Race”
“Our Hearts Beat the Same Despite Our Differences”
“Unite the World”
“It’s What’s Inside That Counts”
“Welcome Refugees”
Through art, storytelling, and education, this project continues to inspire meaningful conversations about refugees’ journeys and contributions to South Australia.
Get Involved!
Join our youth programs and be part of a dynamic community that supports, empowers, and uplifts young leaders!
Contact us today!
My child has become happier, even sings pack-up song at home. He learned it at the creche.
I can see a difference in my daughter: she cannot wait to get to the creche, she smiles a lot more now.
My children love to play with the toys. With five small children, I cannot afford toys at home.
When I needed assistance most, I found it at AMRC. I’m so grateful for the information and support…
With two autistic children, I have my hands full. Thank you for mentoring me through parenting information. I did not know I was strong enough. I have now embarked on a career pathway.
I enjoy the outing to Belair Park; it reminds me of the forests in my homeland.
