- Alexandra Whitwam - Senior Manager Campaigns and Digital Storytelling, Telstra Foundation
For Lani Li, their journey with Minus18 began through a desire to find a space that reflected their experiences as a young queer person. What followed was a year immersed in the organisation’s Young Leaders Program, where Lani not only connected with a supportive community but also took an active role in shaping a national survey designed to capture the voices of LGBTQIA+ youth across the country.
“I applied for the Young Leaders Program last year,” Lani shares. “It’s a fantastic initiative where we come together for workshops, also known as ‘QLABs’ every two weeks to help facilitate events for queer youth and build our leadership skills.”
The Young Leaders Program, which engages youth aged 18-25, is at the heart of Minus18’s mission—to create safe spaces and amplify the voices of young LGBTQIA+ people. Among the many projects Lani was involved with during their 12 months with Minus18, one stands out — the co-design of the Queer Youth Now survey.
“The survey was designed to ask queer youth about their experiences. I was part of the co-design process, where we gave feedback on the questions and even helped shape the survey’s final name,” Lani explains.
“It’s called ‘Queer Youth Now,’ which I think really captures the essence of what we were trying to do—share the voices and experiences of queer youth today.”
Crafting the survey together
The survey project team became affectionately known as ‘the survey squad’, and during ‘survey squad sessions’, Lani and a group of young LGBTQIA+ individuals brainstormed potential areas for the survey to cover, reviewed existing questions and collaboratively created new ones. “We even looked at how the language could be tweaked to make it more inclusive and authentic,” Lani says. “It felt really meaningful to have our voices reflected in the survey questions, especially given that queer people are often left out and not represented in data.”
Through this collaborative effort, Minus18 was able to launch a survey that not only seeks to fill gaps in national data but also serves as a tool for queer youth to actively participate in research that will drive change. “It was great to see the suggestions we made during the co-design process actually incorporated into the final version,” Lani recalls. “It felt like we were truly being heard.”
Designed by queer youth, for queer youth
The results of the Queer Youth Now survey will be compiled into a comprehensive report, which will go on to inform future projects and decisions aimed at improving the well-being of LGBTQIA+ communities. “The survey will be a valuable tool in understanding what queer youth need and what challenges they face,” Lani believes. “It’s great to know that something I helped create will make a difference.”
Through their work with Minus18 and the co-design of the Queer Youth Now survey, Lani has not only contributed to important research but has found a community that reflects their identity and values. “I’ll miss being part of the program, but it’s nice to know I’ll still be connected to Minus18. And hopefully, I can help others coming into the program now,” Lani says.
About Telstra Foundation and MINUS18
The partnership between MINUS18 and the Telstra Foundation is dedicated to supporting LGBTQIA+ youth across Australia. With Telstra Foundation’s support MINUS18 is using digital technology to capture and share the experiences of LGBTQIA+ young people. This collaboration aims to build social inclusion, celebrate diversity, and ensure that LGBTQIA+ youth feel safe, empowered, and supported.
