When the rather radical idea of a newspaper supplement being written, designed and edited by young people through Lead On first surfaced back in 2000, it was greeted with a tremendous response from the community.

Comments like "This will be fantastic" "Sensational" were mixed with "That could be scary" and the big ones - "It will never last" "Those young people will run out of steam!" and "You'll never get more than 10 editions done"

Well, in mid 2006, the Bendigo Loop alone has produced over 290 editions and a Loop has also produced in the communities of Ballarat, Maryborough (Vic), Mildura, Swan Hill, Echuca/Moama, Ipswich, Beaudesert and Springfield, Moonee Valley, Mount Evelyn and the model and approach has been used in Kalamunda (WA) and plans are underway for more Loops or youth driven publications in the future.

What a wonderful testament it is to the value and skills of young people in their community and their ability to contribute, learn and achieve. And what a wonderful tribute to the newspapers and business partners in each of these communities who have embraced the young people and given them these fantastic opportunities.

At Lead On we believe Loop is the most significant of projects we facilitate. Loop provides opportunities for young people to research and write about something they believe is important, to meet people from their community and beyond who they may never had the chance to meet or speak with, learn more about how their community operates, meet good people (and the others) and to grow skills previously unavailable to them.

And it has helped so many of them obtain working roles within the media. We estimate more than 800 young people have now contributed an article or design to Loop throughout Australia during the last 6 years - something most of them would never have through possible - to have their own story published in a serious newspaper or publication. As demand for Lead On Australia grows across Australia, each new community asks that big question "Can we have a Loop?"