On Her Agenda with Yasmin Poole
She’s National Ambassador of Plan International Australia, Non-Executive Board Director of both OzHarvest and feminist organisation YWCA, as well as Consultant at the World Bank – to say the least – Yasmin Poole’s schedule is busy.
Photographed by Tina Nikolovski
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Where most 22-year-olds are only beginning their careers, the writer and youth advocate has already been awarded Youth Influencer of the Year by The Martin Luther King Jr Center and listed in the Australian Financial Review’s top 100 Women of Influence.
Her perseverance is not centred on her own volition to succeed, but to selflessly ensure young people and disadvantaged groups are represented in Australia’s policymaking.
Please introduce yourself – Who is Yasmin Poole?
I’m a 22-year-old youth advocate. ‘Youth advocate’ is really just a broad umbrella term for the different types of work I’m fortunate to do, which includes being a board director of two charities, a National Ambassador of Plan International Australia and a commentator on shows like The Drum and Q+A. Through my work, I want to demonstrate that young women have a role in Australia’s political conversations.
What lead you to become a Youth Advocate?
A funny thing about life is that it might not make sense at the time, but when you look back you realise how it all falls into place! A big part of my journey started in my gap year, after i graduated from high school. I worked full time in a low paying job and felt pretty lost about what I wanted in life.
Out of curiosity and something to do, I started volunteering at a couple of youth-led NGOs for a few hours a week – it was transformative. For the first time, I saw young people running major campaigns, protesting and lobbying. I thought to myself, with all this energy and passion, why don’t we see young people in politics and higher leadership? It lit a fire inside of me. I realised that I didn’t have to wait for change – I could start now, and I haven’t looked back.
I saw young people running major campaigns, protesting and lobbying… It lit a fire inside of me.
What is your vision for the future of policymaking?
I want intersectional policy that considers the needs of disadvantaged groups, including women, people of colour and people with disabilities – COVID-19 was a good case study. During the pandemic, women were more likely to lose their jobs to care for children. Yet, the majority of government economic policy has focused on supporting male-led industries like construction. I’ve been pushing for things like a gender-responsive budget to implement more policies that support women – like free childcare. We need policy to better consider and accommodate for these inequalities. If we don’t acknowledge it’s a problem, we can’t tackle the problem.
Where, or who do you gain determination from?
I gain a lot of determination from my mother, she taught me a lot about hard work. She’s a quiet achiever: she puts her head down and gets the work done, but she also helped shape my sense of justice. Growing up, I’d see how she experienced racism as a Muslim migrant woman – I’ve never forgotten those experiences – I see it as a source of strength, because it reminds me to keep pushing.
What have been the biggest lessons or hurdles in your advocacy journey?
An important realisation was that you can’t please everyone. In the beginning, I’d worry so much about saying the wrong thing; I’d never take a strong stance and always take the middle ground. I can’t believe it now, but I even used to be nervous about saying the word ‘feminist’. Now, I realise that those I respect the most, are the people that aren't afraid to be bold and speak up. Of course, we also need to listen and learn, but there’s a lot of power in calling it how you see it.
Creating change isn’t easy, it often makes others uncomfortable, even angry. I’m learning to get better about embracing that discomfort.
Tell us about your proudest “pinch me” moment.
The first time I was on Q+A. I was a second-year university student on a panel with a bunch of politicians. I remember staring down the barrel of a camera which I knew was reaching hundreds of thousands of viewers, thinking “How the hell did I get here?”, I felt like I was in a dream and could wake up at any moment, but I spoke my truth with determination and pride.
Congratulations on receiving the 2021 ‘Youth Influencer of the Year’ award from the Martin Luther King Jr Center. What does this mean to you?
It means the world. I remember learning about Martin Luther King Jr in school – it was one of the first times I critically reflected on race and my role in society. I was selected for the award by Bernice King, the daughter of Martin Luther King, which made it even more special. It was a really powerful opportunity to highlight the work of young advocates in Australia, especially young women of colour. It’s hard to find the words to express what it means to me, but I’m just so grateful.
Creating change isn’t easy, it often makes others uncomfortable, even angry. I’m learning to get better about embracing that discomfort.
How do you manage your time between studying full time at ANU, participating across numerous boards (OzHarvest and YWCA Australia), and your advocacy work?
A lot of juggling. I’m not perfect and there have definitely been weeks where I’ve spread myself too thin. I usually try to plan my year in advance in terms of blocking out my big commitments and when I’m focusing on career compared to study. It also comes down to being more brutal in what I say ‘no’ to. It’s painful at first, but I’m always reminding myself that it’s a marathon and not a sprint. I can’t do my best work if I’m doing too much; I’m guided by my long-term goals and what feels right in my gut.
How can youth get involved in local politics?
For me, it all started with volunteering. If there is a cause that you’re interested in, find an NGO and spend a couple of hours a week helping out. These organisations usually have resources and political experience so you can learn a lot from seeing how they operate. Don’t be afraid to reach out to people that inspire you and ask questions; it can open doors and you can learn a lot.
2020 has undoubtedly been a unique year, what have you learnt from living through a global pandemic?
2020 was a seriously weird year. It was amazing career-wise, but the long Melbourne lockdown was tough. I learnt that you can’t control what life throws at you; I literally couldn’t do anything to control COVID-19 except sit at home and try to make the best of it. In life, we waste so much of our energy stressing over things we can’t change – it helped me learn how to let go of that a bit.
What is next for Yasmin Poole?
Great question – I’m still figuring it out! My priority is finishing my law thesis which is focused on intersectionality and constitutional law. After I graduate, I’d love to work in a thinktank and focus on social inequality policy. I really enjoy doing political commentary and would love to continue that too. At the end of the day, I can’t predict the future – just as I couldn’t have predicted the work I’m doing now. I just want to keep doing things that make me energised, happy and proud. That’s all I can ask for.
