Tech Policy
Youth Ambassadors 2026
Elevating youth-informed perspectives into active technology policy debates.
Technology is moving fast and young people live with its consequences the longest.
Yet youth input into critical tech policy debates remains limited.
The Tech Policy Youth Ambassadors program creates a mentored, professional pathway for young people to contribute directly to national and global tech policy conversations.
Delivered by the Tech Policy Design Institute (TPDi) and supported by the LEGO Group.
The case for youth-informed tech policy
Technology is reshaping our world, including education, labour markets, and civic life. Yet the young people – some of the most affected by these systemic shifts – are rarely embedded in the formal processes that govern technology and its impacts on our lives.
Youth participation mechanisms exist in many countries but they are often consultative. Structured, accountable pathways for incorporating youth perspectives into tech policy design are still uncommon.
As UNESCOs 2026 Lead with Youth Report notes:
‘Young people are not passive beneficiaries waiting to inherit the future. They are rights holders and partners who must help design it, together with other generations.’
Tech policy decisions made today will shape the rights, safety and opportunities of younger generations for decades.
The Tech Policy Youth Ambassadors program works with young adults aged 18–25 who are embedded in youth communities and positioned to engage meaningfully with younger cohorts.
Ambassadors elevate informed perspectives from those communities into formal technology policy processes, including insights from under-18 cohorts, particularly those aged 8–12.
This structured pathway strengthens the legitimacy and long-term resilience of technology governance in Australia and globally.
Enno Hendel-Dunn speaking at Tech Futures 2025 at Parliament House
What to expect
How the program works
The program selects a national cohort of 18–25-year-olds and supports them through a structured, mentored pathway into live tech policy at the Federal level.
Ambassadors:
- receive one-on-one mentoring from TPDi experts
- contribute to active research on tech policy issues, including AI and Digital Duty of Care
- engage with national and international policy actors
- participate in active Federal parliament processes
- synthesise perspectives from younger cohorts within their communities
- co-design and deliver a youth-led international Virtual Assembly in September 2026.
Focus topics will not be prescribed in advance. Themes, format and priorities will be informed by the Ambassador cohort themselves, in dialogue with peer youth networks and global institutions. TPDi will provide mentoring, but all outputs will be at the independent discretion of the Ambassadors.
This creates a platform for youth-informed policy dialogue.
The experience
The program is designed to build capability, confidence and professional networks that extend beyond the 2026 cohort and into future policy engagement.
As a 2026 Ambassador, you will operate at the intersection of youth communities and national tech policy. You will:
- develop fluency in tech policy design
- work directly with TPDi researchers and policy leaders
- translate perspectives from younger cohorts within your community into structured policy inputs
- engage with senior policymakers, multilateral institutions and global youth peers
- co-create the priorities and format of the inaugural international Virtual Assembly.
You’ll not only observe policy conversations, you’ll actively contribute to them.
The impact
Youth-informed perspectives generated through the program will contribute to:
- TPDi research and policy frameworks
- national public forums and roundtables
- government and multilateral discussions
- a youth-led international Virtual Assembly in September 2026.
The Assembly will be shaped by the Ambassadors themselves and will connect Australian youth leaders with global peers and institutions in technology governance.
DON’T WATCH THE FUTURE. SHAPE IT. APPLY HERE NOW.
Who should apply
We are seeking applicants aged 18–25 who:
- Have a current or recent affiliation with a youth-facing organisation, network or community that includes under-18s
- Can demonstrate meaningful engagement with younger cohorts, including children aged 8–12
- Have experience leading, organising or contributing to initiatives within their community
- Care about how technology shapes the lives of younger generations
- Are prepared to commit to active participation throughout 2026
- Are connectors into under-18 youth ecosystems
- Can operate reliably in professional environments
- Have strong judgement, integrity and non-partisan maturity
- Can synthesise community perspectives into usable policy input
- Will follow through and deliver
This is a selective program. It is designed for young adults already embedded in youth ecosystems and ready to contribute thoughtfully, reliably and professionally to national and global policy conversations.
You’ll receive a modest stipend and travel support to participate in the program. We anticipate that the commitment of your time will be in the order of approx 10 hours per month.
Supported by The LEGO Group
The Tech Policy Youth Ambassadors Program is sponsored by The LEGO Group.
TPDi’s independence is our most valuable asset. As a registered not-for-profit, our work is supported by external funding. We only accept funding from entities that agree to be disclosed publicly and commit to respect and promote TPDi’s independence.
For this program, TPDi will provide mentoring, but all outputs will be at the independent discretion of the Ambassadors.
Follow this link to learn more about TPDi’s funding model.
