Youth Minister launches new alumni events program in Tamworth after Regional Youth Taskforce develops policy

One Tamworth student - who did so poorly on his HSC he got an asterix instead of a grade - is now among the country's most senior diplomats.

That was the message shared by successful alumnus of Tamworth schools who returned to provide advice to the next generation this week, as part of a government scheme.

Launched in Tamworth, the state government's new regional school alumni events program was the invention of young people themselves.

Announcing the policy on Thursday, Minister for Regional Youth Ben Franklin said it had been developed by the government's Regional Youth Taskforce.

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"We know how tough it is for young people at school to really be able to focus on and understand what options there are out there, for a career, for employment, for education," he said.

"The best way to do that is to bring back people who've been at the school, who've experienced the same thing they've experienced."

Caitlin Blanch, from Peel High School serves on the taskforce, which is a representative body for young people from regional NSW that provides policy and operational advice to the minister.

"I think NSW as a state is definitely taking the efforts to ensure that youth voices are heard," she said.

"Young people aren't going anywhere, we are the future of the state and the nation."

Minister Franklin and Tamworth MP Kevin Anderson attended the first of what will be scores of alumnus events at Tamworth's Regional Youth Centre on Thursday, to speak to a crowd of dozens of current students.

Peel graduate Marc Sutherland, who was elected Tamworth's first ever Indigenous councillor last year, told them he was never the most successful student in academic terms, despite being school captain.

One of his friends at school, now a high-ranking diplomat, got an embarrassingly bad HSC result, he said.

Former students from Peel High School, Tamworth High School and Calrossy Anglican School returned for the occasion.

The $100,000 initiative will subsidise regional secondary schools to pay for events where former students talk about their time at school and what they've achieved since leaving.

Minister Franklin said Tamworth was the perfect place to announce the policy.

"Tamworth was chosen because it has so many impressive young people and we want to shine a light on that," he said.

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Tamworth MP Kevin Anderson said the program could cover catering, venue hire, teacher release, administration and any other costs involved in running a successful event.

"This is an exciting opportunity for school students to hear from former students who have already walked the path to further training, work and education, and I can't wait to see the benefits that the Regional School Alumni Events Program will bring," he said.

The Regional School Alumni Events program is funded by the Office for Regional Youth and administered by the NSW Department of Education.

Applications open from 5 May 2022 and close on 30 September 2022, to enable events to be held until 30 November 2022.

The program is open to all government and registered non-government secondary schools in regional NSW.

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