Local voice for Youth Congress

BENDIGO go-getter Xabier King has been announced as one of 20 members of the 2026 Victorian Youth Congress, an advisory group of young people aged 12 to 25 who will work with government to identify and advocate for issues that matter to them.

King, who is one of 15 new members from across the state, said he decided to get involved after being encouraged to do so by a friend.

“I thought if he’s vouching for me, I have more confidence in myself that I might be suitable,” he said.

“I also wanted to gain more education in the space, to see what I can do and see what I can change.

“Especially as I’ve got quite a passion for my own (First Nations) culture, I wanted to try and see what’s going on there, try and build that more and then see what I can bring back to this community.

“It’s always nice hearing what’s going on and what people’s experiences have been – that’s also partly why I applied.”

King said he is also enthusiastic about helping local people in their teens and early twenties.

“It’s quite a forgotten range,” he said.

“There’s nothing really out there, especially in Bendigo, for those youth in particular, and there’s very few services.

“So I’m very passionate about trying to do that, upskilling them as well, building them up, trying to get them into better jobs.

“It’s also good to have that kind of education on your belt, like Aboriginal and Torres Strait issues, which, as I said, is my big passion.

“I love my culture, I love my people, and educating them and bringing them up is my main focus.”

Find out more about the Victorian Youth Congress, including how to get involved, on the state government’s Youth Central website.