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The Australian History Mysteries program has seen the development of two Youth Challenges - one in 2005 on the Bombing of Darwin, and the current 2007 one on the Mysteries of Maralinga.

Youth Challenge 2005

Youth Challenge 2007

What is a Youth Challenge?

A Youth Challenge is a way of having students become informed decision-makers.

Many Youth Forums present students with a collection of 'talking head' experts.

The NMA/Ryebuck Youth Challenge process certainly involves helping students to become well informed, but through a much more active, participatory and interactive process.

Students receive expert information, but they also take part in practical sessions on the skills of history, and decision-making skills.

They are then set a challenge, and each workshop group has to develop answers and strategies for a particular problem.
Finally, they have to present their ideas to the whole audience - but in a role-play format that combines entertainment with insight and critical analysis.

The result? Students' active involvement throughout the day, the development of detailed knowledge on a particular issue, a breadth and depth of analysis of the issue, an empathetic identification with the people involved, and the fun and challenge of having to perform before your peers with students they had not met before that day. Kids always say that they dreaded the process before they started, but that it was the best thing that happened on the day!