Community
20 June, 2025
Students share big ideas
STUDENTS from two Warrnambool-based schools have combined to come up with some ‘crazy good ideas’ that care for the planet and help people live prosperous lives.
Students from Warrnambool and Brauer colleges recently took part in the fifth annual Social Innovators Program.
The program equips local young people with the skills, confidence and connections to invent services, programs and products that enrich life in their community.
This month’s program was held at The Lighthouse Theatre last Wednesday and Thursday and gave participants the opportunity to brainstorm ideas.
Organised by Crazy Ideas College, with support from the Warrnambool City Council, the two-day event highlighted issues of concern to the students and how they could generate ideas to solve those issues.
Key themes that participants have previously addressed included finding ways to promote care for the environment, enhancing health and wellbeing, fostering community connectedness and reimagining learning.
“We believe in the power to think boldly and creatively about the challenges young people face,” youth engagement coordinator with Warrnambool City Council Lotti Dumesny said.
“This program gives them the chance to reimagine what is possible in their communities, think outside the box and create solutions that are innovative.”
Some of the ideas to come from this year’s program included ‘jam the van’ (a food share van stocked with donated local produce to provide healthy food access for those in need) and chef pogo (an app where users can learn to cook healthy meals).
‘Agri-skills’ was also suggested (a school-based agricultural subject designed to promote pathways in ag).
“I loved pitching our idea to all the community partners because they really understand what’s going on with the town and have deeper insight,” Warrnambool College student and participant Tian said.
Fellow student Lara said she enjoyed being able to share her perspective on what would be great to implement into the local community.
“It was a great opportunity to get my ideas out and feel like I was heard and listened to,” she said.
Community partner with South West TAFE Liz Grant said the ideas shared last week were seriously amazing.
“The kids have clearly thought about the bigger issues and they’ve all come up with slightly different ways of solving them,” she said.
“They were all so passionate about solving some pretty big problems and it was amazing to see their passion and clarity come through.”
