The town of Pooncarie, NSW, is seeking its next youth ambassador, to be the face for the next generation in the Western Division.
Despite tackling one of its toughest droughts in history, the community is already looking ahead to the 11th Pooncarie Field Day.
Field day chair Angus Whyte said the event had become a popular calendar feature that was more than just a field day.
We have begun the search for the next youth ambassador and the committee is delighted to open its nominations to build capacity to ensure the longevity of this fantastic biennial family event,” he said.
The youth ambassador’s role is to promote and encourage young people to be more aware of agricultural opportunities in the community and be the face of the biennial field day.
They will be welcomed onto the small committee and become involved in all aspects of the planning and running of the field day.
“Young people deserve a voice, they are the future of our region and an important part that make up the wonderful personalities of the west,” Mr Whyte said.
The award will recognise someone aged between 15 to 25 by May, 2019, who shows leadership qualities, is active within the community with enthusiasm, energy and an existing connection with the Pooncarie and district communities.
The next youth ambassador will be invited to join the committee and be involved in setting up one of their own initiatives to attract attendance to the event, as well as be supported by the committee in a mentoring program to learn how being involved in committee works.
The 2017 recipient Jess Smith said being awarded the prize was “fantastic”.
“It was a good experience to be involved in what was going on, setting up on the day, being responsible and meeting a number of influential people in agriculture including our event VIPs,” she said.
“Managing the fun filled novelty competition and the groups social media account helped me develop so many skills and importantly build my confidence.
“It was fun representing my town in that way.”
Mr Whyte said Ms Smith bought a lot of modern ideas on how to interact with the younger community members, highlighting the importance of energetic activities, such as a Young Farmers Challenge.
“She helped us realise what the next gen find appealing in agriculture,” he said.
“It was very rewarding to us as a committee to witness the increase in Jess’s confidence and leadership skills over that time.”
Previous youth ambassadors have also left their mark on the events, such as through its social media strategy to attract new people.
“If you would like to benefit like Jess (and other past recipients), I encourage all young people in the district to submit an application,” Mr Whyte said.
“We are looking forward to engaging with the young people in the area and supporting them to build capacity in the region, we are looking for more new great ideas.”
The youth ambassador prize includes a cash incentive to attend another field day to gain insights (to the value of $500) and a mentoring program to gain the experiences of being part of the committee and learning how they run including support for the ambassador to drive their own initiative in the event.
Applications close on November 15, ahead of the May 19 event.
- Details: Applications and more information is available at pooncariefd.com.au
