NT Youth Round Table - meeting highlight March 2026

Twenty members of the 2026 Northern Territory Youth Round Table gathered for their first meeting of 2026 on 21 and 22 March.

Ministerial session

Members met with the Hon Jinson Charls MLA, Minister for Youth, Seniors and Equality.

The Minister welcomed the 2026 members and reaffirmed the Northern Territory Government’s commitment to amplifying the voices of young people in decision-making processes, sharing his vision for young people in the Northern Territory.

The Minister, alongside senior executives from the Department of People, Sport and Culture, participated in a questions and answers session covering portfolio responsibilities, youth priorities, and opportunities for collaboration with the Round Table to inform policies and programs for young Territorians.

Key focus areas for 2026

Members participated in a community issue mapping exercise to identify key issues affecting young Territorians.

The Round Table selected 3 priority focus areas for 2026:

• youth crime
• healthcare
• safe spaces.

Members will continue to explore these priorities throughout the year and develop scalable solutions to support tangible outcomes.

Additional issues identified during the exercise included education and employment, out-of-home care, gender equality, disability advocacy, economic development, domestic, family and sexual violence, gambling, and transport.

Professional development

Members undertook professional development through sessions delivered by the Office of Youth Affairs, the Balanced Choice Program, and The Eventful Learning Co.

The Office of Youth Affairs facilitated sessions on civic education, and discussions to support members in mapping issues within their communities.

Balanced Choice supported members to identify their core values, with a focus on self-care and leadership, and facilitated discussions on effective youth advocacy.

The Eventful Learning Co led reflective sessions on key outcomes from the meeting weekend and facilitated a holistic ‘theory of action’ workshop to support members in applying learning within their communities ahead of Meeting 2.

Executive elections

Each year, the Round Table elects members to form the Executive Team.

The executives work closely with the Office of Youth Affairs and undertake additional responsibilities, including representing the Round Table at events and in the media, contributing to meeting agendas, maintaining records, and supporting communications and engagement activities.

The 2026 Executive Team is:

• Chair: Mr Ryan Hayward, Central Australia
• Vice Chair: Mr Zahin Seedat, Palmerston and Rural
• Secretary: Ms Naomi Destacamento, Central Australia
• Marketing and Communications Coordinator: Ms Diva Pant, Central Australia.

Pictured: Members of the Round Table with the Hon Jinson Charls MLA, Minister for Youth, Seniors and Equality, at their first meeting of 2026.