Heywire
| Company type | Program |
|---|---|
| Industry | Media, Youth Development |
| Founded | 1998 |
| Founder | ABC Radio through ABC Rural |
Area served | Regional and rural Australia |
| Products | Storytelling contest, Youth leadership summit, Grants scheme, Trailblazers program |
HEYWIRE represents a program initiated by ABC Radio through ABC Rural, aimed at elevating the voices of young people from regional and rural areas. It seeks to highlight their challenges within the wider community while providing opportunities for leadership development. The initiative encompasses a storytelling contest, an annual youth leadership summit, a grants scheme, and the Trailblazers program.
History
From 1994 until 1997, the ABC acknowledged women's achievements in rural sectors via the Rural Woman of the Year Award. In 1998, attention shifted toward rural youth with the establishment of Heywire.
By January 2003, Heywire had engaged more than 5,000 young contributors sharing their viewpoints.
Between 1998 and 2004, the Heywire Canberra Youth Issues Forum was held yearly in Canberra.
In February 2007, the Heywire Youth Issues Forum inspired ABC Local Radio's 40-Hour Drought campaign, which encouraged participants across Australia to experience water-saving measures firsthand. This initiative included participant registration, monitoring progress, and providing resources for water conservation. The campaign was developed by four Heywire contributors from Queensland, Victoria, and Tasmania.
Description
Heywire's goal is to reflect how young individuals living in rural and regional Australia view and engage with their surroundings. Rooted in ABC’s dedication to these communities, it offers a platform for youth to share their concerns, aspirations, and experiences related to life beyond metropolitan centers. Its main programs include a storytelling competition, a leadership summit, a grants initiative, and the Trailblazers program.
ABC Heywire Competition
Targeting youth aged 16 to 22 residing outside major Australian cities, Heywire invites submissions of scripts for three-minute radio stories about their personal experiences. Entry forms are distributed through secondary schools, tertiary institutions, ABC regional radio stations, retail outlets, and partner groups. Winners are chosen from approximately 40 ABC radio regions.
Selected stories are professionally produced by ABC and broadcast during the summer season on regional and metropolitan Local Radio stations, Triple J, Radio National, Radio Australia, and ABC Online.
Heywire Regional Youth Summit
Replacing the former Youth Issues Forum, this annual event occurs every February at Parliament House, Canberra, serving as a forum for discussing issues pertinent to regional youth.
FRRR ABC Heywire Youth Innovation Grants
These grants support community organizations in implementing innovative ideas developed at the Heywire Summit, encouraging local youth participation and creativity.
Trailblazers
The Trailblazers initiative assists young innovators aged 18 to 28 by providing media exposure, networking opportunities, and mentorship designed to promote their projects and concepts.