Foreword

In March 2015, the Shire of Esperance actively engaged and sought input from young people, aged 12 to 25 years, through the ‘Communities for Youth’ project. The aim of the project was to identify what young people perceived as important for a community to be youth friendly as well as to identifying how to improve or better the Esperance ‘place’ or ‘experience’ for young people.

The project was funded by a grant received from the Department of Local Government and Communities with support from the Shire of Esperance. The Department funding required eight themes to be covered within the engagement activities. Theme examples included health, education, recreation, transport, volunteering and inclusion. The project was also supported through in-kind contributions from various local project partners who hosted and promoted the youth engagement activities. These included Apex (Esperance), Escare, Army Cadets, Esperance Anglican Community School, Esperance Senior High School and Navy Cadets.

During the third week of March workshops and interviews were held and online surveys for young people and also youth stakeholders were open all month. The youth activities engaged almost 8% of the youth population from the Shire of Esperance town region, representing a valid sample group size that included diverse age groups, gender and demographics.

The key factors that described a youth friendly community included feeling welcomed; youth specific spaces, places and activities; affordable and accessible to support inclusion, consideration of individual factors (e.g. family support); supported growth to learn and develop; valued and engaged; and safe environment. All themes were directly covered however some themes (and or sub-themes) raised more input and/or a greater need than others. Sample of comments included the need for support and mental health care service aimed directly at young people; education support for students who were potentially falling behind; and a focus on youth-specific activities in a non-judgemental, safe and supportive environment.

What was evident in the research was that young people are at a crucial point of their life where they are exploring their identity and learning who they are. They are particularly vulnerable to peer pressure, impacts on their self-esteem/ confidence, having to make life decisions now and relationship challenges (e.g. family and friends); to name a few. These plus other important (age-related) factors have significant potential to influence the young person’s future life including their values, the capacity they have and the decisions they make. Hence it is essential not to assume that young people will ‘fit’ into what exists for other age groups. Young people may actually have specific needs and supports relevant to them now that if catered for will be likely to contribute positively to their future and long term outcomes.

The Communities for Youth Report, has been developed for the Shire of Esperance, however has been written and aimed at the whole of the Esperance community and stakeholders, as all potential investors in our youth. Together we need to discuss, explore and consider the report outcomes to define what needs to come next and actioned to make a better place and experience for our young people now and our young people in the future.