A hundred young people will spend the weekend discussing the same 10 topics as the main 2020 summit.

The participants are aged 15 to 24 and come from a range of locations and backgrounds.

But Youth Minister Kate Ellis acknowledges they are all high-achievers.

"When you pick up the newspapers when you pick up the media, people could be mistaken for thinking there's a whole generation of kids out there who just want to party, who don't care about anything and don't add anything to our community," she said.

"That's not true. What we're trying to say is there are remarkable young Australians out there."

Acting Prime Minister Julia Gillard says after the summit 10 of the delegates will be chosen to represent the outcomes at the main forum next weekend.

"Whatever long-term ideas come out of the 2020 Summit, it will be the generation represented at this youth summit who will implement them and guide them into the future," she said.

Source: By Australian Broadcasting Corporation