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Our Young Ambassadors are passionate, motivated and empowered. They are the voices of now. 

The UNICEF Australia Young Ambassador program gives young people aged 16-24 the opportunity to speak up for children’s rights and what matters to Australia’s young people. Recruited from across the country, participants will be extensively trained in leadership, advocacy, and media and communications, empowering them to engage effectively with other young people, leaders and decision makers.    

The 18-month volunteer program allows Young Ambassadors to bring their skills and lived experiences to the issues that UNICEF Australia advocates for. Together, we work to ensure every child and young person has an equal opportunity to thrive and survive, no matter the circumstances or challenges they face. 

Meet the 2026 UNICEF Australia Young Ambassadors!

" The UNICEF Australia Young Ambassador program has been an amazing platform for me – not only because I’ve been able to spread awareness on the various avenues available to young people to publicly express the things they are passionate about, but also because it has added credibility to the advocacy work I do."

Princess, 18
2025 UNICEF Australia Young Ambassador from New South Wales 
Our Young Ambassadors lead workshops for young people and engage with key public figures to encourage action and change. 
Our Young Ambassadors lead workshops for young people and engage with key public figures to encourage action and change. 
© UNICEF Australia/Supplied

What do the Young Ambassadors do?

Each year, Young Ambassadors hear from children and young people in their communities and then raise the issues that matter most to them with our nation’s key decision-makers. Successful candidates will have a passion for speaking about issues that affect children and young people, have skills and lived experience they can bring to the program, and enjoy working in both a team-based and independent capacity.

UNICEF Australia’s Young Ambassadors play an impactful national role. Over the last year, this has included speaking at major events like Climate Action Week, the Digital Childhoods Summit, COP30, UN Youth Australia conferences, sporting events, the National Tech Summit, the Child Rights Symposium and at schools. 

They led youth climate consultations across Australia to create the National Child and Youth Statement on Climate Change which they took to Parliament.  

Young Ambassadors played an active role in shaping the State of Australia’s Children Report by serving on the youth advisory group, being interviewed in the media and speaking at the launch. They created engaging youth-focused content during the federal election and contributed to strategy and policy recommendations to ensure young people’s lived experiences are at the centre of conversations.   

Meet our 2026 UNICEF Australia Young Ambassadors

These 11 incredible young people have come together from across Australia to raise the voices of the children and young people. 

Ariel headshot

Adriel, 20, Victoria

Anica headshot

Anica, 22, Victoria

Anju headshot

Anju, 20, NSW

Ansal headshot

Ansal, 23, Western Australia

Brodyn headshot

Brodyn, 21, NSW

Esther headshot

Esther, 18, NT

Hannah headshot

Hannah, 16, NSW

Joel headshot

Joel, 20, ACT

Kevin headshot

Kevin, 19, South Australia

Veve headshot

Veve, 22, Tasmania

Zali headshot

Zali, 23, Queensland

A photo of a Young Ambassador speaking at a panel discussion at Climate Action Week in 2025, and a group photo of attendees at the Australia Pacific Youth Climate Dialogue in Canberra in 2025.
Our Young Ambassadors participate in speaking panels and engage with young people.
© UNICEF Australia/Supplied
Young Ambassadors group photo in front of the Australian Parliament House© UNICEF Australia/2025/Andres

We’d love to hear from you 

If you have any further questions about the UNICEF Australia Young Ambassador program, please feel free to reach out to our friendly Child and Youth Engagement team.

IKEA logo© UNICEF Australia/Supplied

We thank IKEA Australia for their partnership in supporting UNICEF Australia's Young Ambassadors program.