Note from the editor: The YMCA Queensland Youth Parliament is a Queensland Studies Authority accredited education program for young Queenslanders. The members of the 2011 YMCA Queensland Youth Parliament will officially be sworn in on Saturday 16th April during the weekend-long Forum in Brisbane. We’ve been asking the local representatives to tell you a bit about themselves via a guest post here.
Guest Post by Alison Dower
Who am I?
My name is Alison Dower, I am 23 years old and I live in the Greenslopes Electorate in the awesome suburb of Coorparoo. I have been selected as the Youth Member for Greenslopes for the YMCA Queensland Youth Parliament this year. In my role I hope to take the issues that affect young people and the community to the Youth Parliament and spend time discussing all the opportunities that we can think of to improve upon everyones experience of life in our community. The opportunity that I have been given in attending Queensland Youth Parliament is one that I am incredibly grateful for and will be utilising to its fullest capacity.
What do I do for fun?
I like being busy and packing as much into my week as I possibly can, presently I work full time as a Program Officer with Lifestream Foundation in East Brisbane supporting adults with intellectual disabilities. I am also learning AUSLAN (Australian Sign Language) at TAFE and completing my Bachelor of Social Work at QUT. I am also currently volunteering with YANQ (Youth Affair Network of Queensland). In my spare time I do rockclimbing, boxing and fitness and I practice my fire twirling skills. Studying, reading and sleeping do fit in there somewhere too. Over the years I have volunteered with the State Emergency Service and Lifestream Foundation and participated in tennis, touch footy, swimming and indoor and outdoor rockclimbing and hiking. Continue reading »