The Greek Community of Melbourne (GCM) and the newly elected committee of the National Union of Greek Australian Students (NUGAS) have taken an important step towards deepening youth participation in the community, agreeing to form a dedicated youth subcommittee.
The decision came following a meeting on Monday, 25 August, between the GCM’s Youth and Engagement Committee and NUGAS, building on momentum from the recent Youth Forum held on 27 August at The Greek Centre.
The subcommittee will focus on creating pathways for young people to take part in community life, ensuring that events and initiatives are relevant, accessible, and representative of their voices.
Tass Sgardelis, Chair of the GCM Youth and Engagement Committee, high school teacher and former NUGAS president, described the meeting as “a really positive session full of ambition and drive to rethink and re-energise how youth engage with Greek culture, building on the resurgence of community youth groups and the establishment of the GCM’s youth and community outreach sub-committee.”
GCM President Bill Papastergiadis OAM said the creation of a youth-focused body was long overdue.
“We are excited to continue to work with NUGAS on joint initiatives. However, we want to take this relationship further and formalise it through a dedicated subcommittee,” he said.
“The aim is to tap into the knowledge and interests of our youth so that our events and functions resonate with them, create a body that is contactable and relevant to young members, and foster an environment of mentorship so that our next leaders emerge.”
Representing NUGAS, Secretary Panos Stamatopoulos emphasised the need for stronger community backing of student initiatives.
“We highlighted to the youth committee the lack of broader community support for our initiatives. As a result, both organisations discussed working together on future events,” he said.
He stressed that the subcommittee will serve as a bridge for young leaders moving beyond their university years.
“Along with coordinating events, supporting university clubs, and improving educational pathways, this will also help capable members of our team become part of GCM structures and continue to lead within the Greek community even after graduating.”
The partnership has already borne fruit, with the recent Youth Forum attracting wide participation.
The event, alongside a new online survey for young people aged 16 to 25, is designed to gather ideas and concerns from the next generation of Greek Australians.
“Together with Wednesday’s youth forum and survey, the GCM is engaging in a meaningful process of listening to what the next generations are saying to help bridge gaps, develop pathways, programs and initiatives that cater to their needs,” Sgardelis said.
The survey, open to all young people in the community, invites participants to share their views on what’s working, what’s not, and what they would like to see more of in the future.
