Twelve young people in Coonabarabran spent five days learning about leadership development, mental health, and themselves during the Empowering Youth Week from July 12 to 16. 

The program was for 18- to 24-year-olds and was intended not only as an educational opportunity but also a chance to meet and connect with other young people in the region, as part of a collaboration between the Warrumbungle Shire Council and the local 2357 Development Group.

It is a part of a nine-month project which will end in March 2025. 

"It's a good way to meet new people in Coona, especially since I'm fairly new," 22-year-old Lilja Johnson said. She came to Coona two years ago from Brisbane.

She said the best part of the Youth Empowerment Week was learning about youth mental health first aid.

"Having a template when you're confronted with a situation like that is great to have," Ms Johnson said.

The 22-year-old said that if anything she wished the Youth Empowerment would focus as well on personality disorders on top of the depression and anxiety disorders that were touched upon.

"There is still some stigma in that area," Ms Johnson said.

The leaders of tomorrow coming up with creative ideas and events

"We really want to empower these youth to take it further than an event and then it stops,"  Vivian Evans 2357 Development Group Project Coordinator said. 

The youth gained a Youth Mental Health First Aid certificate during a two-day intensive course within the program. 

They also analysed their own leadership and communication styles with the help of a questionnaire. 

"They all got to participate and connect. It was super exciting because these youth were a mixture of people, young men and women, working and not working, people from Coonabarabran and some Baradine," Ms Evans said. 

"We had some guitar playing near the end and a bit of line dancing on the final day." 

The following phase of the project will focus on connections and creating a thriving tomorrow. 

Students have already come up with ideas for the next phase about connections. 

Presenters of Building Tomorrow's Leaders Priscilla Jaya and Nicolas Goorbarry

"One of the ideas they brainstormed is to understand more the Indigenous, cultural aspects of the land and understand what services are available to support mental health for all ages," Ms Evans said.