Quest 2050: Planning for Victoria!
Over the last couple of months, 100 Story Building facilitators have visited a dozen or so primary and secondary schools in metropolitan and regional Victoria on a very special quest: helping young people have their voices heard when it comes to planning the future of the state!
Facilitator Julian with a group of students during a Quest 2050 workshop at a participating school.
Quest 2050 is a special engagement workshop developed as part of partnership with the Victorian Government’s Department of Transport and Planning. It was designed to gather and integrate young peoples’ vision for what Victoria can be in 2050, with a specific focus on four key areas:
Affordable housing and choice
Equity and jobs
Thriving and liveable suburbs and towns
Sustainable environments
Students working on their Pocket Portal zines during a Quest 2050 workshop.
Our role in this community engagement process is to get students excited about having a say in their own future, and using carefully worded questions and activities to help them express what they really think and value with as much freedom as possible - and without prompting them to go in any specific direction.
Our approach for Quest 2050 was to combine drawing and creative writing activities in which students created their own “Pocket Portal to 2050” zine full of their ideas. Based on our previous experience, we started by asking the students to think about what they love and would change about their communities today, and then think forward to 2050 and how things might change by then. And the students delivered!
Students sharing their ideas in ‘Pocket Portal’ zines.
This is what we heard was important to young people - now and in 2050:
Strong sense of community: Young people value green spaces, friendly neighbourhoods, and safety. Depending on where they currently live, there is a strong desire for these aspects to either be preserved and/or enhanced in the future.
Equity and participation: Young people want more affordable housing options, better public transport, improved green spaces, and increased community activities.
Sustainability: Young people have a strong concern for the environment and a deep commitment to address environmental issues. Young people envision a future with clean energy, reduced pollution, and abundant wildlife in their communities.
Jobs: Young people not only have diverse career aspirations, but ambitions for an equitable jobs future with abundant local employment, work-from-home options, and jobs for everyone who wants one. Their career aspirations encompass traditional professions, creative fields, but also emerging industries like AI design and social media.
Importance of affordability: Access to affordable housing, healthy food, and essential services is a major concern for young people.
Technology integration: Young people see AI as both a tool to improve daily life and a potential threat to future employment. Many young people regard AI as a potential future tool for managing homes and lifestyles, and increasing leisure time.
“In 2050, our neighbourhoods thrive.
The trees and plants have come alive.
We all have electric vehicles to drive.
We put the environment first and now the earth is alive.
This is how our neighbourhoods thrive.”
Interested in engaging with young people in a meaningful and creative way?
Check out our broad range of services—from consultation workshops with young people, co-design masterclasses and workshops, to strategic policy and/or programs development.
If you’d like to find out more about community engagement services and all our programs and workshops, sign up to our Enews to get informed every couple of months or so! (You’ll find a link at the bottom of the page.)
💌: info@100storybuilding.org.au
