FIS: Experts of the Future

This 2022 iteration, led by Art Thinking Australia, was the first time the FIS was delivered in Australia and focused on enabling young voices to shape ideas about the future of work, cities, education and activity through hands‑on workshops, mentor sessions and a final presentation for the community.

Over three days in Newcastle, participants aged from early childhood through late teens worked together with mentors and industry partners in activities including group discussions, creative challenges, flash talks, outdoor “safari” sessions, and a final presentation and performance at Civic Park. The programme blended structured activities with open creative time, activating young people as experts of their own futures and centring their ideas in collective inquiry.

FIS 2022 was not just a youth event — it was a practical demonstration of collaborative futures thinking, where young people were framed as active contributors to shaping ideas about work and society. By enabling them to drive conversations, co‑design outcomes and present to peers and partners, the summit modelled a genuinely participatory form of innovation practice.

Image credits: Brydie Paif / Art Thinking

As facilitator of the teenage group tasked with considering the theme of 'Future Work', I supported young people to lead the conversations and define the outcomes of the summit. My facilitation approach prioritised listening, enabling and translating — creating conditions where young people could speak, experiment and shape the programme’s results themselves.

This involved facilitating interactions that encouraged youth agency and co‑creation. Mediating interactions with industry mentors and partner contributors so that the conversation remained youth-led, I worked collaboratively with the group, guiding them to creatively articulate insights for public presentation.