Welcome to the finish line. You've made it to the end of campaigning! 

We're all so proud of the campaign you have all run. From Glen Eira and Stonnington, to Maribrynong and Moreland. Some of you as young as 19 and 25. Party endorsed or independent candidates - thank you for stepping up and running, and representing young people in politics.

You've thrown in your own personal savings, run tireless fundraisers, leaned on family and friends as your campaign teams. You've joined zoom call after zoom call, had corflutes vandalised, or letter boxing gone wrong. Some people may have even gone out of their way to remind you that you're too young to be in politics. 

We know it hasn't been easy. But amidst the hard work, you might have also had young people reaching out telling you how proud they are to see you on their ballot sheet. Or family and friends who believe in you come through to help you get elected.

All of your hard work has been noticed and appreciated and you've been a part of an iconic movement to get more young people interested and engaged in politics. This must not be underestimated. We simply won't allow it to be.

To say THANK YOU, we wanted to invite you to a virtual celebration to toast to your campaigns, to talk about the ups and the downs, and for you to connect with all the people you've inspired.

To say an even BIGGER THANK YOU, we have special guest Jordon Steele-John, Australia's youngest Senator opening the celebrations! Senator Steele-John was only 24 when he became the youngest MP to serve in Australia's parliament. Hear from Senator Steele-John talk about his own pathway into politics, the challenge ahead for young people, and any questions on your mind post campaigning!

This week marks September 15th - The International Day of Democracy. 

The International Day of Democracy provides an opportunity to review the state of democracy in the world. Whilst democracies were founded on the role of citizen led government, as politics has evolved, many citizens - especially young people-  feel left behind by the political process. 

Research from the Museum of Australian Democracy suggests that:

1. Fewer than 41% of Australian citizens are satisfied with the way democracy works in Australia, down from 86% in 2007.

2. Generation X is least satisfied (31%) and the Baby Boomers most satisfied (50%).

3. Just 31% of the population trust federal government.

4. Ministers and MPs (whether federal or state) rate at just 21%, and

5. More than 60% of Australians believe the honesty and integrity of politicians is very low.

Most impactful, in relation to young people, was this statistic published by the Foundation for Young Australians: "in the past 11 years, Australians have had six leadership changes. No Australian under 30 has ever voted for a PM who has lasted a full term."

As International Day of Democracy approaches next week, we want to bring young people together to discuss the state of democracy in Australia, what it means, and how we can make it work better for young people. 

The event will allow for Q&A discussion from the audience, and we hope to make it as interactive as possible. 

So you've decided you want to run for Local Council - thanks for taking the next step to being the change you want to see in the world!

Now, comes the tough part - running a fearless campaign and getting elected! So, what gets people successfully elected? The U.S elections is a good example that it certainly isn't merit alone. What do the most successful political campaigns and candidates have in common? Well, if AOC's victory is anything to go by - you need a bloody good brand. And, again, if AOC's victory is anything to go by you'll know that brand isn't just about good looking posters - it's about how you live and breathe what you believe in and stand for. 

Whilst candidates backed by major political parties have access to teams that help them with crafting and executing their brand, it's much harder for young people who don't have access to teams or funding. 

That's where we have you covered. A 90 minute, highly interactive, brand bootcamp with Australia's branding powerhouse - Nicky Bryson. 

Get to know Nicky Bryson

Nicky Bryson can be described in many incredible ways - but to keep things simple - she is a Director in PwC's Brand Advisory Practice, a former head of strategy at global advertising giant TBWA, with years of experience at M&C Saatchi and Leo Burnett. In a nutshell - she has your back when it comes to brand. She has worked with clients from Woolworths, Commonwealth Bank, Macquarie Uni, Myer, GIO, Coles, WWF, Vodafone as well as Government and startups. 

Not only is she a branding expert, Nicky is also a young person on a mission. She is the founder of The Trenches - a first of its kind industry-wide, free and inclusive mentoring initiative aimed to empower and support young talent professionally and personally. With research conducted via the Youngbloods database revealing that 96 per cent of under 30-year-olds in the industry lack access to mentors or a mentoring program independent of their organisation, The Trenches aims to fill a much-needed gap in the market.

What we'll cover

Join this interactive and hands-on mentoring and learning opportunity with Nicky and build the brand that will get you elected. We'll cover:

• The power of brand, and how does it apply to political candidacy?

• How do you build a killer brand? And what can we learn from those who have done before?

• How can you design a brand that is authentic and impactful?

• What does executing on a brand actually look like?

If you are under 35 and planning to run for local council, this masterclass is for you.

So you've decided you want to run for Local Council. Take the next step to being the change you want to see in the world!

Now, comes the tough part - running a damn good campaign! Running as an independent young person is hard. You may not have funding and or a team (yet), but we are here to support you so you can be just as competitive and get elected to your local council.

Our first masterclass is with Ruth McGowan OAM, author of Get Elected, the first national campaign guide on how to run for office. Ruth will help you to plan and run a kick-ass campaign. She is an experienced local politician, and has run her own successful campaigns for council and supported many others to get elected at local, state and federal office. She knows her way around public service, politics, leadership and community engagement and is passionate about supporting candidates from diverse backgrounds to get into politics. 

The masterclass:

In this 90-minute masterclass Ruth will help you get on the playing field and plan a winning campaign. The session will teach you how to:

• Gain an awareness of the emotional, financial and physical commitments required

• Map a campaign with time frames, communication plan and activities

• Find out what skills are required to be a councillor and run a campaign

• Learn how to develop and refine your message and communications

• Leave the workshop with an action plan ready to implement

• Be inspired to get elected and change the world!

This masterclass will be highly practical, and engaging and therefore we're limiting spots to 25 people. To secure your spot, we have a nominal fee of $10 + BF*. 

If you are under 35 and planning to run for local council, this masterclass is for you.

*We understand that some of us are doing it tough right now. If you would like to attend this masterclass and are experiencing financial hardship, get in touch with us at hello@nottooyoungto.org.

• Did you know in NSW only 4% NSW councillors under 30? Pretty grim!

• In fact, half of all NSW candidates and councillors are aged 50-69, with the age range 70-79 having the greatest growth in NSW candidates and councillors.

We find this statistic wild, and are hoping to change this with the upcoming NSW Local Council Elections in September by seeing more and more young people running and elected. 

The good news is:

• there were over 70 young people that ran in the Victorian Local Council elections, with many of them elected as Councillors!

• the majority of councillors have not served as a councillor before! They ran a campaign and were elected their first time.

You've got this. And we've got you! Together, we can get more young people elected!

Join us for this interactive panel where we're going to talk about all things young people in politics, and:  

1. Hear from young people around Victoria who ran for local council last year and/or are currently serving as a Local Councillor,

2. Learn about the role and influence of local council + the upcoming elections and how to get involved (and elected)

3. Ask any question front of mind for you!

Our speakers include other young people that have run for local council before so you can ask all the practical questions that are front of mind for you!

Curious? Grab a ticket, join the event, and be inspired by all the young people that have gone down this path before you.