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Newsletter of the Youth Affairs Council of Victoria (YACVic) Volume 17 | Edition 4 | DECEMBER 2014
YACVic welcomes the new Minister for Youth Affairs Dr Jessie Mitchell | Manager, Policy and Projects
YACVic congratulates Jenny Mikakos on her new appointment as Minister for Youth Affairs and Minister for Families and Children. Minister
Mikakos has previously held a number of Shadow Ministerial portfolios, including Shadow Minister for Young Adults (Feb 2012-Dec 2013), Shadow Minister for Community Services (including Youth Justice) from December 2013, and Shadow Minister for Children from February 2012. Minister Mikakos has commented “The Andrews Labor Government recognises that a seamless birthto-adulthood learning and development system is the greatest way to support Victoria’s youngest learners to meet their potential at school, achieve their best and
Continued page 4
IN THIS ISSUE • Welcome to the new Minister for Youth Affairs • YOUth Untitled Report: Findings and Recommendations • READYS rundown and Maureen Rodger’s acceptance speech • YDAS website wins Melbourne design award • Meet YACVic’s new Board Co-chairs • Policy Update: Job Services • HEY Project Partner: Peninsula Pride
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Contents
Around the office
1 / YACVic welcomes the new Minister for Youth Affairs
We’ve had a few people join us over the last months of 2014 which means the YACVic office is shaping up to be a very happening place for the new year ahead!
2 / Around the office 4/ The RYANs one year later 5 / Meet YACVic YRG’s Young Media Spokesperson 6 / READYS round up and READYS winner Maureen Rodgers acceptance speech 8 / YDAS’ Youth Disability Rights Hub website wins Melbourne Design Award 9 / What we want: Banyule Youth Summit 2014 10 / Rural Update 12 / Engage! A vaulued youth program 13 / Meet the new YACVic Board Co-chairs 14 / Policy Update: Job Services
The Victorian Student Representative Council (VicSRC) has been joined by Emma Myers as Project Officer for Teach the Teacher. The addition of Emma increases VicSRC’s workforce by a third, which means that they are in an amazing place to ramp up the work they do and create an even bigger impact in 2015. You can read about Emma’s background in education and community development on the last page of Yikes. The Youth Disability Advocacy Service (YDAS) recently said goodbye to Niki Sheldon, who was contracted as a locum advocate and stayed on much longer than anticipated! Niki will really be missed in the office. Sarah Forbes takes on the role of Human Rights and Advocacy Officer with YDAS to replace Niki, and we welcome her to YACVic HQ. Sarah has an impressive history in disability advoacy, which you can read more about on page 23.
15 / YOUth Untitled Report: Findings and Recommendations 15 / AYAC Update 16 / HEY Project Partner: Peninsual Pride 20 / Hansard Hound 23/ Introducing: Sarah Forbes and Emma Myers
About YACVic The Youth Affairs Council of Victoria Inc. (YACVic) is the peak body and leading policy advocate on young people’s issues in Victoria. The main functions of YACVic are to make representations to government and to serve as an advocate for the interests of young people, workers with young people and organisations that provide direct services to young people. YACVic’s resources are primarily directed towards policy analysis and development through consultation with its constituency. YACVic also resources the information needs of its members through regular updates and by facilitating networking within and beyond the Victorian youth sector. YACVic is governed by a volunteer Board and managed by a paid secretariat.
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Yikes! Yikes! is YACVic’s regular newsletter. The views and opinions contained herein do not necessarily represent the views of YACVic. This publication is copyright protected. Articles may be reproduced with permission from YACVic.
YACVic acknowledges the support of the Victorian Government.
CEO’s Editorial turning up, day after day, at SKYS to volunteer with their HEAT program while the restaurant is re-built. This is the glue I am talking about. Over the weekend I was fortunate enough to go to the Mornington-Peninsula Pride Queer-Straight Alliance camp at Mt Eliza. During their thank yous and acknowledgements Seb Steward, the coordinator, mentioned that Lisa, one of his key staff members has consistently worked way more hours than she’s paid for because she so deeply believes in supporting same sex attracted and gender diverse young people. This is the glue I am talking about. You can read more about Peninsula Pride on page 16. I’ve been thinking a bit about glue recently. I know, it’s a strange thing to think about. I mean social fabric glue. Not the stuff you use to stick things down. The stuff that brings us together. Several things this year have got me thinking about it. The Youth Referral and Independent Persons Program (YRIPP) celebrated 10 years of service this year. YRIPP has over 400 volunteers who turn up at police stations across Victoria, at any hour, to support young people through police interviews when a parent or guardian can’t attend. In the last year alone YRIPP has supported 3500 young people in police interviews. 3500! This is the glue I’m talking about. Just last week I was visiting St Kilda Youth Services (SKYS), and Trish Silvers, their CEO, mentioned that the HEAT program had been blessed with some great volunteers recently. After St Kilda icon Donovan’s Restaurant burned down not so long ago, the owners rang SKYS to offer them some of their staff. More than ten Donovan’s staff, including their head chef, have been
But it’s not just the volunteer time that’s given to our sector that makes the glue. We are all the glue. The work we do, the hours we don’t count, the extra miles we go as workers, colleagues and for our community, it’s all glue! It keeps us together and it is, in my view, a defining feature of a healthy and caring society. I’m so proud to work in this sector, for this sector and contributing to a society where this glue matters and is valued. On behalf of the YACVic team and board I wish you all a safe and happy holiday season. Rest assured YACVic will be back, raring to go in 2015! See you then, Georgie
Georgie Ferrari Chief Executive Officer ceo@yacvic.org.au
Another gem from Yerp:
Crowdfunding explained
www.yerp.org.au
Need money for a great new project? Crowdfunding can be no-risk way to raise the bucks by getting lots of donations from a large group of people (the crowd). Successful crowdfunding requires good planning and lots of promotion. Find more here: www.yerp.yacvic.org.au/findmoney/involve-young-people/crowdfundingexplained Youth Affairs Council of Victoria Yikes | 3
YACVic welcomes new Minister for Youth Affairs From page 1 make positive contributions to their local communities, businesses and our great state.” We look forward to working closely with Minister Mikakos over the next four years. Other new ministerial appointments of particular interest to the youth sector include James Merlino as Deputy Premier and Minister for Education; Martin Foley as Minister for Mental Health, Equality, Disability and Ageing, Housing, and Creative Industries; Steve Herbert as Minister for Training and Skills; the Hon. Jacinta Allan as Minister for Employment and Public Transport; the Hon. Martin Pakula as Attorney-General; and Wade Noonan as Minister for Police and Corrections. YACVic welcomed many of Labor’s pre-election commitments, which included: • A $1 billion fund to create 100,000 jobs for young people and the long-term unemployed.
What is YACVic doing? YACVic is seeking meetings with new ministers across a range of portfolio areas relevant to young people, where we will advocate on the key issues of importance to young people and the youth sector in Victoria – see our 2014 election platform for more details. We will also seek meetings with the new Shadow Ministers, when their appointments are announced. As the state peak body for young people, we were also delighted by the appointment of 28 year old Steph Ryan, member for Euroa, as Deputy Leader of the Nationals in Victoria. YACVic congratulates Ms Ryan on her success, and looks forward to seeing more rural young women in Victoria’s parliament in the future!
• $100 million to strengthen the TAFE sector. • A target of 10% apprentices on state-funded projects. • $60 million to rebuild Orygen Youth Health’s Parkville facility. • $32 million to continue the work of the Local Learning and Employment Networks for four years. • $24.4 million for a defensive driving program for all Year 10 students, and $16 million to continue the L2P program. Also $1.6 million in grants for community groups, and $2 million for a communication fund for young people to promote safer driving. • A $10 million inclusive schools fund to increase accessibility for students with disabilities and special needs training for teachers. • $2 million to continue the work of the Go Goldfields alliance, which brings together agencies in the Central Goldfields to improve the health, education and wellbeing of children and young people. • Annual grants of $400,000 to Jesuit Social Services’ Artful Dodgers Studios and Connexions programs, which support marginalized young people. • $1.6 million for a mentoring program to connect high-achieving university and TAFE students with secondary students from disadvantaged backgrounds. • A Camps, Sports and Excursions fund to provide $225 a year for each eligible secondary student (Concession Card status). Payments will go directly to the school but will be tied to the student. • Expanding the Safe Schools Coalition program to all Victorian state secondary schools, to enhance support for same-sex attracted and gender diverse students. • $1 million to expand grants to mentoring programs for disadvantaged young people.
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The RYANs – one year later… It has been over a year since the chairs of Victoria’s Regional Youth Affairs Networks (RYANs) received formal confirmation from the Victorian Government that the RYAN model would not be supported to continue beyond the end of 2013. At that time, convenors
were told that a new network model would be developed to connect the Victorian Government with the youth sector and young people, a model which would reflect the redesigned structure of the Department of Human Services. YACVic was engaged by the Office for Youth to consult with the sector and propose a new model; this piece of work was completed and is available here: bit.ly/1unAPUM. However, our work did not receive a formal response from the previous Minister for Youth Affairs, and the proposed model was not actioned.
What is YACVic doing? We will continue to advocate to the new government on the importance of engaging with a properlyresourced model of youth sector coordination bodies, to feed into governance models such as Area Partnerships. (Here, it is important to work with existing successful structures, for example those supported by local governments and LLENs.) We will also argue for the importance of giving youth sector networks more opportunities for state-wide coordination and collaboration.
Jess Dumble, YACVic’s Youth Reference Group Young Media Spokesperson That makes her the YACVic YRG YMS - have you got that? We’re excited to introduce you to Jess, who is looking forward to a great year being the media ‘face’ and voice of the the YRG! How long have you been a YRG member?
What do you hope to achieve as YMS?
I first joined in 2012, so 2014 marks my 3rd year of YRG-y goodness.
As YMS, and as a young professional soon to be living in a regional town, I hope that I can use my platform as YMS to highlight the issues facing rural and regional young people, and young jobseekers. My partner is also a tradie, and I’ve seen firsthand the challenges that young tradespeople face in trying to find apprenticeships and consistent work, and I feel that this is often missed in political discussion.
What attracted you to the YACVic YRG initially? I’d just come back from a youth leadership camp and I was ready to change the world, and the YRG seemed like one way of doing that.
What’s your proudest moment as part of the YRG to date? Last year, the YRG hosted YOUth Untitled, a forum for young people by young people. Not only did we actually pull it off, the response form the young people in attendance was phenomenal. An added bonus was that Morgan Cataldo (another YRG member) and I hosted an intimate discussion around mental health and how to help young people who may be experiencing a tough time. Being able to be so honest and open about my experiences, and hopefully use my experience of mental illness for good, was unbelievably rewarding.
What’s a surprising thing you’ve learnt about YACVic since you’ve been involved in the YRG? YACVic is the peak body for youth affairs – before joining the YRG, I didn’t even know that there was a peak body for youth affairs!
How would you describe the YRG to another young person? Someone who was thinking of joining? The YRG is an eclectic group of passionate young people who want to make a difference. We come from different backgrounds and levels of experience, but when we meet, we are unified in wanting to change how young people are perceived in Victoria – and in the world.
Did you know Announce, YACVic's monthly e-bulletin, goes out to 1850+ subscribers across Victoria? It is always brimming with the latest news, training & events and employment opportunities. Updates is the monthly e-newsletter with news specific to YACVic and its auspiced projects and organisations. You can sign up to them both here: www.yacvic.org.au/news/email-newsletters Youth Affairs Council of Victoria Yikes | 5
2013 READYS award winner Christopher Lynch with this year’s winner Maureen Rodgers
READYS 2014 The READYS stand for ‘Recognising Excellence Awards for Delivering Youth Services’ and are in their second year. Nominations came from near and far across Victoria, showcasing the incredible work that is happening across the youth services sector. It is heartening to see that community organisations, local governments and individual youth workers are working hard to genuinely involve young people in what’s happening in the community. They’re doing so through committees and councils, youth-led activities, conferences, training programs and much more. Each of the 15 finalists demonstrated a unique and innovative approach to working with young people at a local level, and also showed a true understanding of the fact that it’s not just enough to run a youth-focused program. Instead, programs need to be founded on the principle of ‘for young people, by young people’.
Local Government category Winner: Mornington Peninsula Shire Council for Youth Services • Brimbank City Council, Youth Services for the B-Creative Urban Art program - Highly Commended • Central Goldfields Shire Council for the Youth Advisory Council • Gannawarra Shire Council for the Youth Council Program • City Of Greater Geelong, Youth Development Unit for the Stand Out Geelong: The GASP Project • Macedon Ranges Shire Council for the teen Mental Health First Aid Training delivery (Live4Life) • Mitchell Shire Council for the Youth Services Project - Highly Commended • Stonnington City Council and Port Phillip City Council for the Education Engagement Partnership • Yarra City Council for Yarra Youth Ambassadors - Highly Commended
Community Organisation category Winner: Brophy Family Youth Services - Kulcha Shift Project • Hiphopportunities For Youth - Highly commended • Hume Whittlesea Local Learning & Employment Network - The Whittlesea Youth Commitment and the Hume Youth Commitment
Individual category - Danny Sandor Memorial READY Award Winner: Maureen Rodgers (nominated by former manager, Melanie Peterssen) • Amy Rhodes (nominated by Northern Grampians Shire Council CEO Justine Linley) - Highly Commended • Melissa Vogele (nominated by Ren Grayson, YSAS Youth Worker) 6 | Youth Affairs Council of Victoria Yikes
Maureen Rodgers, winner of the READYS Danny Sandor award for Excellence in Youth Work Practice Maureen Rodgers won the YACVIC/VLGA Danny Sandor Award at the READYS (Recognising Excellence Awards for Delivering Youth Services) in October. We heartily congratulate Maureen and reproduce her memorable acceptance speech here with her kind permission.
This morning my senior manager Heather Stewart came in the office to wish me all the best for tonight. She told me that she knew Danny Sandor and recalled that he was a passionate, intelligent youth advocate with lots of energy. I pay my respects to Danny. Congratulations to all the other winners of awards today and all the runners up. I feel humble receiving this recognition for two reasons. Firstly because youth work is always about the young people and not the worker. That is the irony of this award. Secondly because I am surrounded by incredible, talented, passionate youth work professionals who inspire me and who equally deserve recognition. I decided that I would share with you why I became a youth worker. People often ask me why I chose to be a youth worker and I always answer without hesitation that I am a youth worker because I am passionate about human rights and social justice and that I want to make a positive difference in the lives of young people at a broader level. While this is absolutely true I will now admit that my reasons are far more personal. You see, according to all the socio economic markers and social research it’s actually a miracle that I am standing here in this positive and privileged position. I have overcome enormous challenges as a young person to be here. Some of the challenges have included being from a culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) background. My parents migrated to Australia with no English and only a suitcase. So my family was isolated and without any extended family. Research shows that the migration experience can lead to an increased likelihood of developing a mental health disorder. So it’s not surprising that my father had a mental illness. He was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. This meant that he was prone to losing his temper and entering fits of rage with little or no warning. Research shows that children of parents with mental health issues are also considered to be at risk of developing mental health issues as they become older. So it comes as no surprise then, that I lived in a household where domestic violence was a reality of our everyday lives. According to the Better Health Channel, children who witness regular acts of domestic violence have greater emotional and behavioural problem than other children.
So of the other challenges in my youth included growing up in public housing. I have lived on the 19th floor of the high rise housing commission in Flemington and the 4th floor of the ones in Williamstown. In fact I have moved so many times and changed so many schools that I lost count. It goes without saying that I was from a low socioeconomic background and eventually lived in a single parent family in overcrowded conditions. According to all the research I was DOOMED! Despite all that I am here and I’m okay… In fact I have gained some really valuable insights into what makes a person resilient. For me this included being involved in youth participation. I was involved in the school SRC with Roger Holdsworth as one of my original mentors. I was also involved in the Hobson’s Bay Youth Council and was one of the founding members of the first ever YACVic Youth Reference Group. This taught me that despite my background my voice mattered and that I was not powerless. Secondly, with the help of a youth worker I had access to a social safety net. Having access to Austudy meant that I could focus on other things like… education. My studies at Victoria University taught me that there are powerful social forces that impact on people’s capacity to reach their full life potential. One of the most powerful forces that changed my destiny in a positive way was having people along the way who believed in me more than I believed in myself. They are the ones with the audacity to suggest that incredible things are possible and achievable. They are the one who helped me to make fully informed decisions about the direction of my life. I have had a few along that way but would like to make a special mention of Melanie Peterssen (my nominator) for being one of them. Thank-you. All these things are the tools that we commonly use in youth work. • youth participation • access to a social safety net • education • providing information so young people so they can make fully informed decisions • believing in young people more than they believe in themselves. So I don’t just like youth work. I am a passionate advocate for our profession because I understand personally and professionally, its power to positively transform people’s lives.
Maureen Rodgers Youth Affairs Council of Victoria Yikes | 7
YDAS’ Youth Disability Rights Hub Website wins Melbourne design award YDAS is pleased that our flagship information resource, the Youth Disability Rights Hub was awarded the Silver award ‘Digital Experience – Website’ in this year’s Melbourne Design Awards. The Youth Disability Rights Hub, is an online resource which aims to empower young Victorians with disabilities to know and defend their rights. For Victoria’s young people with disability, and those who work with them, the Rights Hub is a fantastic resource and it’s thrilling that the Rights Hub has been recognised by the wider community in this way. The website was applauded for its clear and intuitive navigation, content, social media presence, and most importantly, how it supports young people with disability to access information and services for advocacy assistance. YDAS partnered with website designers, Reading Room, to deliver the Rights Hub website. Reading Room’s biggest challenge and the key to the site’s overall success was the accessible design. Large clear entry pathways and strong vibrant colours are some of the more evident design elements utilised to bring this website to life. The design was put through its paces with a 3rd party accessibility review body and was highly rated for its accessibility features. 8 | Youth Affairs Council of Victoria Yikes
The Rights Hub is easily accessible on smartphones and mobile devices, making it available anywhere. The website is divided into 12 topic areas including employment, education, transport, travel, housing, money and much more. Each area contains frequently asked questions, as well as captioned videos, and contacts for more advice. We hope you check it out! The Youth Disability Rights Hub was made possible through a grant from the Victorian Legal Services Board.
www.youthdisabilityrights.org.au
What we want By Joely Mitchell, a young person who attended the Bayule Youth Summit in October 2014, which YACVic also attended.
“My name is Jessica and my nickname is Jesse, with an –e, not an –ie like most girls. You can blame my mum for that, she did this to teach me how important it is to overcome gender standards.” Young but not naïve, these girls understand the reality of being a female. Are they okay with it? No, and they fully intend to do something about it. Gender inequality was just one of the issues tackled at this year’s Banyule Youth Summit. Representatives from local schools met at The Centre Ivanhoe to discuss what was important to them and what needed to change.
They believe that educational programs that discuss racism should be introduced to earlier year levels in primary school. Employment and education were also two big focuses. The young people worry that their education isn’t preparing them with life skills that will be relevant to them once they have graduated from high school. “Algebra will help us pass our exams but what good will it do in our future? Teach us about bills and mortgages and superannuation, we want to know what it takes to be an adult,” one young man said.
“At my school, when a girl yawned it was joked that she wanted oral sex,” another girl said.
They also believe that schools push students in the direction of university, which can be disheartening to those who want to investigate other options.
These girls believe that they are oppressed on a daily basis for being female, particularly in the workforce. “Being told that I’m only allowed to work as a cashier instead of cooking out the back because I’m a female is totally unfair,” one said.
They discussed how difficult it is to find a secure parttime job and suggested the development of a website that local businesses can contact when they have job availabilities.
Being called ‘sweetie’, being catcalled or being treated differently because you’re not wearing make up are other forms of discrimination that girls have become familiar with from early ages. They recommended funding for a gender swapping video in which men faced the stereotypes women are subjected to everyday. Jenny Macklin, MP for Jagajaga, was one of the guests in attendance. “As a feminist myself, it’s fantastic to see these young women being so loud and proud,” she said. Another issue of importance to young people is racism. They believe that a lack of education has resulted in closed minded views of multiculturalism. “It takes time to accept your cultural identity, so to be discriminated against from a young age because of your race can be really damaging,” one young woman said.
Other issues on the agenda were mental health, drugs and alcohol, recreation options and safety. Cr Craig Langdon, Mayor of Banyule, said that the council doesn’t just want to assume what young people want. “We’ll do our best to listen and come back next year with our report card,” he said. Joely Mitchell Thank you to Naomi Simmonds, Youth Engagement Officer at the SHYNE Project – Showcasing How Youth iNspire and Engage, Banyule Council, for organising this submission. Images from left, clockwise: One of the young people presenting recommendations, the Q&A panel, young people interviewing the mayor, a round table discussion.
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Rural update Shepparton LGBTI Rural Youth and Resilient Communities Workshop 2014: Key Messages and Learnings Jo Hatcher | Rural Youth Services Support and Advocacy Officer, Victorian Rural Youth Services
What are some of the things that GLBTIQA young people growing up in rural and regional Victoria commonly experience? How can organisations working with young people be more inclusive, welcoming and celebrate gender and sexual diversity? What’s a pronoun and why are pronouns important? When it comes to alcohol and other drug use in the GLBTIQA community, what are some of the key things that organisations need to know? What can everyone in the community do to be an ally to young people who are transgender and gender diverse? These were just some of the questions explored at the LGBTI Rural Youth and Resilient Communities workshop that YACVic’s Rural Youth Service (VRYS) initiative attended in Shepparton in November. The workshop was one of many events during the OUTintheOPEN festival, which is led by Kildonan Uniting Care’s Diversity Project and project partners. The Diversity Project aims to create a safer, more inclusive and healthier community in the City of Greater Shepparton and beyond for young people, who are same-sex attracted, sex and gender diverse (SSASGD). The OUTintheOPEN Festival is an annual event held to more broadly address some of the inequalities faced by the local gay, lesbian, bisexual, intersex, transgender, intersex, queer, questioning and asexual (GLBTIQA) community. The workshop included a panel discussion with a group of SSASGD young people from across rural and regional Victoria. The panellists spoke of the struggles that they have faced in their communities because of their sexual orientation or gender identity; some reported experiencing daily frustrations with simple tasks, such as not having access to gender neutral toilets or being harassed by people
“I love my area, I just want it to be more inclusive” “I want people to come out in the town and stay in the town” 10 | Youth Affairs Council of Victoria Yikes
Quotes from panellists
who believe that they are using the ‘wrong’ toilet. The panel emphasised the impact that these constant challenges have had on their mental health and wellbeing. The panel also reported facing many of the challenges that are common to all young people living in rural settings, which can be detrimental to their health and wellbeing. Some of these experiences included isolation; poor access to transport, relevant inclusive support services and recreation opportunities and events; a need to leave to their community to access an education or work; and a lack of visible diversity and inclusivity within their community. The panel also discussed their love for their community, the natural environment and the lifestyle that is available in rural/regional Victoria. Many conveyed a desire to stay living in rural/regional Vic and expressed gratitude toward the supportive people, services and programs that have made their communities’ more inclusive and welcoming. When asked what organisations can do to attract and support GLBTIQA young people the panel offered the following • friendly, understanding people • access to information, resources, help and support • youth-led programs and services • a focus on strengths and success stories • large groups and events where you can just be yourself • representation • diversity of role models • inclusivity • access to gender neutral toilets • correct use of their preferred gender pronoun • integration between child, youth and adult services (acknowledging that problems don’t stop when you become an adult) • processes that do not make assumptions relating to gender. The workshop also involved a number of presentations and group discussions that were facilitated by organisations including the Zoe Belle Gender Centre (ZBGC), Transgender Victoria, YGender, Victorian AIDS Council and Brophy Family and Youth Services.
Presenters from ZBGC and YGender ran a session that explored the importance of using gender pronouns correctly. They also discussed recent changes to national legislation, which have made it unlawful to discriminate against a person on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity under federal law. NB: YACVic made a submission to this national inquiry that had a youth focus. Brophy Family and Youth Services delivered an engaging presentation on their SSAFE in the South West project. SSAFE in the South West aims to strengthen the capacity of the south west Victorian communities in supporting young people who identify same-sex attracted, sex/gender diverse (SSASGD). SSAFE is funded by the Victorian State Government under the Healthy Equal Youth (HEY) Grants. SSAFE’s activities to have included workshops, events and a weekly support group (called Yumcha) that offers social support, inclusion, fun and networking to young diverse people and their allies aged between 12 and 25 years. One way that SSAFE have helped to create welcoming places for diverse young people and to showcase to community members places that offer an inclusive practice has been the development of the Safe and Welcome place decal. Over 30 businesses have signed up to display the decal, which was created by the young people of Yumcha. Brophy Family and Youth Services have also made their toilet facilities more accessible to diverse young people putting signs on the door that describe the facility, rather than the symbol for the gender of the person that ‘should’ use the toilet (similar to the signs pictured below, which were developed by the Diversity Project for the workshop). The event also saw the regional launch of Transgender Victoria and YGender’s ‘What makes an ally?’ project (www.allyproject.org). The project and associated resources explore the many ways that people can support transgender people. The last session of the day looked at how organisations can become more GLBTIQA inclusive and explored the determinants of alcohol and other drug use in the GLBTIQA community. This involved an interactive session, run by the Victorian AIDS Council, which unpacked some of these determinants (such as social norms, incremental trauma, coming out, homophobia, self-oppression and stress), applying them and methods of addressing them, to a case study. Overall the event provided a valuable and important opportunity to learn, celebrate good practice, share resources, network and explore some practical strategies that services can implement to better support GLBTIQA young people living in rural and regional Victoria.
The power of language:
“The first person who gendered me correctly made me feel alive” - quote from Transgender Victoria and Y Gender ‘What makes an ally?’ project resources.
What is a pronoun?
Pronouns are words used to refer to a person other than their name like they, she, he and zie (zie – pronounced zee is an example of non-binary pronoun that is used by some people that do not identify as male or female). Why is it important to use pronouns correctly?
When a transgender person comes out they may have new pronouns they want to use. When someone uses the language that aligns correctly with how they identify with their own gender or body it can be a very positive and powerful experience. Conversely, when someone uses the pronoun that does not align with their personal identity (known as misgendering) it can be very hurtful. How do I know which pronoun to use?
It is best to ask people directly how they like to be described. Ask them privately to reduce possible discomfort.
How YACVic and the VRYS support GLBTIQA young people in rural/regional Victoria? In 2012 YACVic and the VRYS coordinated a training workshop in partnership with the Rainbow Network to build the capacity of rural/regional workers to better support GLBTIQA young people. YACVic also provides ongoing support to the HEY Project and its partners (many of whom provide services to, or are active, in rural and regional Victoria) by coordinating and administering the project and associated HEY Grants program, in partnership with Gay and Lesbian Health Victoria.
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Engage! – announcements and concerns about a valued youth program The Engage! program, funded by the Victorian Government, aims to help young people aged 12-25 get involved in their communities.
Engage! provides local governments and community organisations with grants of up to $150,000 over three years to develop projects with and for young people. Over the years, Engage! has supported a wide range of work, in areas including peer support, mentoring, volunteering, running youth advisory groups, and helping young people to build leadership skills and boost their educational engagement.
At a time when many communities have been seriously impacted by the Commonwealth’s slashing of the Youth Connections program, other programs such as Engage! come to assume a greater importance than ever. Most philanthropic foundations are seriously oversubscribed, and rarely fund projects focused on youth civic engagement or community leadership. Communities around Victoria have come to value and depend upon Engage! as a key source of support for valuable local programs. In light of this, YACVic was concerned to receive an unusually high number of calls from organisations which had applied for Engage! funding for 2015-17 and were unsuccessful. Those in rural Victoria expressed particular disappointment that more resources were not available, in light of the scarcity of other local options for young people.
Moreover, many services reported being confused and distressed at the paucity of communications from government. Weeks after the successful applicants had been contacted, some of their colleagues who had been unsuccessful still did not know if they would receive a grant or not. While some individual grants were announced through media releases, no comprehensive list of successful applicants was released publically. We understand it was the approach of the previous government to stagger announcements of funding, giving local members the opportunity to announce successful grants within their own communities. However, where this occurred without an overall announcement, and without all applicants being contacted, the effect on community engagement was damaging. Some youth services, while philosophical about their lack of success, were eager for information about how the successful projects had been chosen, to help them tailor their own work more strategically in the future.
What is YACVic doing? We will continue to advocate to the new Minister for Youth Affairs that Engage! funding be continued and increased – see our 2014 election platform for details. We will also continue to press the importance of a clear, prompt, consistent and respectful communication process with all grants applicants (successful and unsuccessful) across the state.
New Legislation on Child Sexual Abuse puts onus on organisaitons and individuals to disclose A new criminal offence has been created in Victoria that imposes a clear legal duty upon all adults to report information about child sexual abuse to police. Any adult who forms a reasonable belief that a sexual offence has been committed by an adult against a child under 16 has an obligation to report that information to police. Failure to disclose the information to police is a criminal offence. 12 | Youth Affairs Council of Victoria Yikes
Enclosed in this issue of Yikes is a 4-page information sheet put together by the Victorian Government to inform you of this legislation. YACVic also plans to hold an information session, in partnership with Youthlaw early next year to provide the youth sector with more information.
Keep your eye on YACVic Announce or our website for more information.
Meet the new YACVic Board Co-chairs
Morgan Cataldo and Louisa Ellum
Morgan Cataldo Morgan sat on the Youth Reference Group (YRG) with YACVic for three years as policy advisor prior to her election as group co-chair. Currently completing a bachelor of counselling, Morgan also works at Melbourne City Mission, Melbourne’s oldest not-forprofit charity. She currently sits on the national Young Women’s Advisory Group for the Equality Rights Alliance and was recently selected as vice president for emerging organisation Chat for Change. She currently volunteers for Wesley Mission Victoria and in 2014 was selected as one of 24 young women to represent young women at the Plan International Australia inaugural ‘Girls’ Leadership Summit’, part of the ‘Because I am a Girl’ campaign. Morgan is passionate about women’s rights, social justice and youth advocacy.
Louisa Ellum Louisa is currently the chief executive officer of the Bayside Glen Eira Kingston Local Learning and Employment Network (BGK LLEN), which has worked on significant local, state and national initiatives that have focused on students with disability, young people in alternative learning, applied learning and pathways and GLBTIQ young people system supports. Louisa brings a unique skill base that draws on problem solving, innovative approaches and the ability to synthesise and analyse research, evidence and outcomes. Louisa thrives on the building of significant relationships between organisations to create a more socially inclusive and economically productive Australia.
YACVic is on Twitter! Follow us @YACVic for sector news and views on #ausyouth issues and beyond.
Mitchell Shire Council’s Youth Services Project celebrate their highly commended certificate at the READYS in October. For more on the READYS, see pages 6-7.
Policy Update
Job Services
WRITTEN BY Dr Jessie Mitchell | Manager, Policy and Projects
The Australian Youth Affairs Coalition (AYAC) and the Youth Affairs Council of Victoria (YACVic) welcomed the news that the Commonwealth government had abandoned its plan to require young job seekers to apply for 40 jobs a month. However, deep concerns remain about the Commonwealth’s efforts to bar people under 30 from income support for six month periods – a move which the federal parliament’s own joint human rights committee found to be incompatible with young people’s right to an adequate standard of living and social security, as well as their right to equality and nondiscrimination on basis of age. This approach will prove especially harmful given the slashing of Commonwealth funding from Youth Connections and the Local Learning and Employment Networks, which support young people to become ‘job ready’. Leo Fieldgrass, AYAC National Director said, “We’d encourage the government to recognise the realities of the job market for young Australians. The high levels of youth unemployment mean there simply aren’t enough jobs for all young people seeking work. Even where there are jobs, young people tell us they’re stuck in a Catch 22: employers won’t offer them work because they have no experience, yet they can’t get experience without a job. So applying for 20, 40 or 60 jobs a month won’t make any difference unless a comprehensive youth employment strategy is put in place.” October also saw the release of the Department for Education’s Request for Tender for Employment Services 2015-2020. This document contained some welcome news, such as a regional loading for job services providers operating outside of major cities, and flexibility for providers to use their Employment Funds to pay for professional services to help disadvantaged people to access work, such as mental health support. YACVic also noted a slight softening of the requirement that young people undertake 650 hours of ‘work for the dole’ over six months – now some other activities may be counted towards this tally, such as part-time work. However, youth peaks are worried that other aspects of the document will prove harmful. When awarding contracts to job services providers, government will now give preference to providers which can work with all jobseekers across a whole employment region (and these regions have grown larger). While providers may tender for only part of a region, and are required to show how they will work with specialist support services, it still appears we are seeing a move towards ‘mega-providers’. 14 | Youth Affairs Council of Victoria Yikes
This has sparked concern about whether vulnerable young people will be able to access the expert help they need to find work. Concerns also exist about how providers will work with rural communities, given the large areas to be covered and the common problem of services getting ‘swallowed’ into regional centres. Furthermore, while the Request for Tender’s emphasis on funding outcomes, not processes, is sound in theory, it might also create problems. Many smaller providers do valuable work, but without large operational funds of their own to draw upon, they may struggle to remain viable. And questions are being raised in the youth sector about how much effort providers will devote to assisting the most vulnerable young people. These young people, who can be difficult to get into sustainable work straight away, may not seem to guarantee a quick or easy ‘outcome’. AYAC and YACVic recommend the government reinstate funding for Youth Connections, a program that keeps vulnerable young people in education and gives them career counselling, and which has better success rates than Work for the Dole. Georgie Ferrari, YACVic CEO said, “Australia needs a youth employment strategy that supports young people into employment, rather than punishing them for simply not having jobs”.
What is YACVic doing about this? While YACVic has not traditionally worked much in the federal space, we have increased our engagement in response to the importance of these issues and the cutting of funding to the national youth peak, AYAC. Concerning changes to the job services model, YACVic has: • Joined with AYAC to comment in the media about the need to build young people’s ‘work ready’ skills and create job opportunities, rather than punishing them for not having jobs. • Submitted a response to the federal government’s original Exposure Draft for Employment Services, providing extensive feedback on their model. • Briefed youth sector networks on the changes as they’ve developed. • Fostered discussion of employment and training issues at our November 2014 state election forum.
AYAC Update Findings and Recommendations
It’s been a whirlwind few months for the Australian Youth Affairs Coalition (AYAC).
Written by: Jessica Moyle, Dean Barnett, Morgan Cataldo, Hana’di Hoblos, Stephanie Kilpatrick, Nic Kimberley, Andriana Mantzouranis, Samantha McClelland, Tim Neville, Cassandra Prigg, Jessica Dumble, Rubina Ali, Evelyn Bian, Declan Kelly, Bernard Lumapas, Crystal Goetz Edited by: Leo Fieldgrass
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YOUth Untitled: Findings and Recommendations In September 2013, the Youth Affairs Council of Victoria (YACVic) Youth Reference Group (YRG) held a one day forum, YOUth Untitled, in South Melbourne. This event brought together over
80 young people from around Victoria (many from rural and regional areas), representatives from youth-led organisations, politicians, civil servants, youth workers and YACVic staff to discuss three topics:
• youth wellbeing • secondary education • lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA) rights and equality. Participants listened to expert presentations on each topic and a panel discussion across all three themes. They then discussed issues that came up, and proposed public policy solutions. Over the last year, the YRG has analysed the huge volume of data created at the YOUth Untitled event. YRG members have also undertaken their own additional research to further explore the issues.
After being defunded by the Federal Government in July, AYAC has fought on to remain the national youth peak body and we’ve been transitioning into a new, streamlined model. This has been challenging but rewarding, as we’ve picked up some good wins campaigning against the unfair proposed Commonwealth budget changes to youth payments. This month, AYAC also welcomed some new members to its Board of Governance, including YACVic YRG alumni Michael Ford, who has been elected AYAC Vice Chairperson. The AYAC Board are now working to confirm the organisation’s priorities and next steps in 2015. I’ll be back in touch early in the new year in with more information, and details about how you can get involved in advocating for young people at a national level. Best wishes for the holidays, Leo Leo Fieldgrass, AYAC National Director
The YRG has used all of this to create a set of recommendations for the Victorian Government to respond to the concerns raised by young Victorians at YOUth Untitled.
You can download a PDF of the YOUth Untitled Findings and Recommendations on the YACVic website: http://bit.ly/1Fl635S Youth Affairs Council of Victoria Yikes | 15
HEY Project Profile YACVic is proud to be a partner in the HEY Project. Funded by the Victorian Government to the tune of $4m over four years, the HEY Project aims to bring together a number of key state-wide and place-based services that work to improve the mental health and wellbeing of same sex attracted and sex and gender diverse young people. The HEY Grants are offered as part of the broader HEY project. To find out more about the HEY Project check out this short video: http://bit.ly/1enp212
Peninsula Pride Peninsula Pride is a headspace Frankston-led Queer Straight Alliance (QSA) youth community development project. They provide a host of social
and education opportunities for queer young people, their families and their friends between the ages of 12 and 25. Peninsula Pride models inclusive society through its values of acceptance, respect and equal love for everybody.
Peninsula Pride has six main project partners including Safe Schools Coalition Victoria, Minus18, Peninsula Health, Mornington Peninsula Shire Youth Services, Frankston City Council and the Mental Illness Fellowship. The partnerships enable the project to utilise a whole of community approach to promote safety and inclusion of same sex attracted and gender diverse (SSAGD) young people in the Frankston and the Mornington Peninsula regions. Peninsula Pride runs three weekly open drop-in groups, one weekly and one monthly closed support group. The groups engage up to 70 young people every week.
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• QSA Frankston Under the Rainbow (ages 12-17) • QSA Frankston Over the Rainbow (ages 18-25) • QSA Rosebud Under the Rainbow (ages 12-17) • Gender Queery Frankston (closed support group for transgender, gender questioning and gender diverse youth. Weekly) • Gender Queery Rosebud (closed support group for transgender, gender questioning and gender diverse youth. Monthly) Peninsula Pride also runs awareness programs in schools, QSA camps every six months, regular family meetings and participates in a number of community events such as Midsumma and Pride March. For more information contact Seb Stewart or Lisa Dinale at headspace Frankston on 03 9769 6419.
www.facebook.com/peninsulapride
Enjoy the benefits of YACVic membership
Join us!
Update
Perks include discounted or free entry into our forums, training, events and conferences; free use of our Flinders Street, CBD, boardroom; free advertising of events and job opportunites through YACVic’s email bulletin Announce (over 1,850 recipients from across the youth sector); and plenty more. Renewing for the 2014/15 financial year is easier than ever with the ability to renew online at www.yacvic.org.au. Renewing for more than one year means your membership is discounted.
2014 has been a year of change, opportunity and growth for the Victorian Student Representative Council (VicSRC). The VicSRC Student Executive continues to lead the organisation forward and direct the work of the organisation. Students have worked hard to advocate on the resolutions passed by students at Congress. The team participated in monthly meetings, training days and two camps throughout the year. We thank the Exec teams from 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 for their commitment and energy.
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As an organisation our media profile has grown with over ten media mentions across print and online publications through the year, with students commenting on issues that affect their education and schooling. Our networks and channels have continued to evolve, with the rollout of the new VicSRC logo, website, monthly eNewsletter and social media platform in early 2014. In 2014, VicSRC reached far and wide, connecting with metro and regional students across the state through a series of events. Partner schools hosted 12 Regional conferences with 616 students and 90 teachers from 94 schools in attendance. This marked an increase of 157% in student participation from 2013. Alongside Regional Conferences, VicSRC also wrapped up our pilot of the Teach the Teacher program and evaluation with 10 schools across the state completing the program. VicSRC is thrilled to have secured funding for the delivery of the program over the next 3 years. Next up was the penultimate event on our calendar: Congress 2014. Held at Lord Somers Camp with 175 students in attendance (up from 72 students in 2013),
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Update From page 17 a record number of students participated. Four media stories, 15 volunteers, one retweet from the Premier of Victoria and a visit from the Minister for Education later, students from across the state shared their voices and determined the key issues and advocacy platforms that the VicSRC Student Executive will focus on in 2014-2015. This year has been a year of many firsts, including the first time presenting the VicSRC Recognition Awards as a stand-alone event. Our final event for the year was attended by the Minister for Education, Hon. Martin Dixon, and we were delighted to receive over 50 applications from 28 schools across the state. 15 finalists were selected across five categories. See ‘The Wrap Up: 2014 VicSRC Recognition Awards’. Student voices continue to be heard across Victorian policy and advocacy. This includes our continuing participation in stakeholder consultation sessions to discuss the deliverables for key Government policy outlined in Towards Victoria as a Learning Community (TVLC) initiative. We continue to grow, and this year the VicSRC received an increase in funding from the Department of Education and Early childhood development for 2014 – 2017. Our finalised three year organisational strategy is supported by an increased staff team from one to three. We welcomed Fiona Campbell (Communications and Events Officer) and Emma Myers (VicSRC Project Officer) onto the team. As the peak body representing students in Victoria, we are thrilled to wrap up 2014 celebrating students, SRCs, and schools that leading the way in student voice. The growth of the organisation over the past 12 months is a credit to the depth, breadth and capacity of students across the state. We have so much in store for 2015 but for now, we thank you for your involvement in VicSRC events and activities, as members and as volunteers. We hope you have a wonderful summer holiday!
The Wrap Up: 2014 VicSRC Recognition Awards “Some days, the world is either for you or against you. When it’s against you, be patient. When it’s for you, be humble.” Sophie Williams, Student Leader of the Year 15 finalists, 14 schools, 1 Minister for Education, over 100 friends, family and supporters and a room full to the brim with inspiring, driven individuals. The 2014 VicSRC Recognition Awards was spectacular. On Wednesday 22nd October 2014 in the Sir Redmond Barry Room high above Melbourne, we recognised best practice in student voice in Victoria. Joined by the Minister for Education, the Hon. Martin Dixon MP, representatives from the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, VicSRC supporters and volunteers, teachers, family, friends and most importantly, students, we set about the business of celebrating. Time and time again, our finalists blew us away with their dedication, humour and profound commitment to student voice, leadership and meaningful participation. We received over 50 applications from 28 schools across the state. Our fifteen finalists were selected as the top three nominations in each of our five categories. Every single one of our finalists walked away a winner, with prizes to invest in their SRC and student voice activities. We are delighted to congratulate the following individuals and schools for their absolutely outstanding and ongoing - achievements: Student Leader of the Year Winner: Sophie Williams, Highview College First Runner Up: Jazzy Burke, Benalla P-12 College Second Runner Up: Isobelle Mannix, Bendigo Senior Secondary College Group Action Award Winner: Fitzroy High School Feminist Collective First Runner Up: Keysborough College - Banksia Campus Second Runner Up: Northern Bay College - Peacock Campus Outstanding SRC of the Year Winner: Bendigo South East College First Runner Up: Heatherwood School Second Runner Up: Swan Hill Primary School
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SRC Teacher Advisor Award Winner: Joanne Howe, The Mac.Robertson Girls’ High School First Runner Up: Samuel Cavnoudias, Haileybury College Second Runner Up: Dianne Parkinson, Narre Warren South P-12 College Whole School Focus on Student Voice Award Winner: Malvern Central School First Runner Up: Narre Warren South P-12 College Second Runner Up: Yarram Secondary College Our finalists came from far and wide - from regional and metropolitan Victoria, from primary schools and secondary schools, from private and government schools. They showcased stories of student-led action by SRCs and other student groups, of schools challenging restricted understandings of the importance of student voice, and of SRCs working hard to ensure the authenticity of shared decision-making between students and teachers. We had the pleasure of working with a dedicated panel, which had the difficult job of selecting the finalists; we thank Samantha Chapman (VicSRC Executive member), Leah Bramhill (DEECD), and Roger Holdsworth (Connect magazine) for their time and energy during the difficult selection process. We thank the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD) under the leadership of the Minister for Education, Hon. Martin Dixon, for supporting the VicSRC Recognition Awards. We also extend our thanks to Second Strike, Connect, the Victorian Institute of SRC Teachers (VISTA) and the Youth Affairs Council of Victoria (YACVic), under
“Who better to create feminist resources for high school students than high school students who are feminists?!” Zsuzsa and Stella, members of the Fitzroy High School Feminist Collective which VicSRC is auspiced. A huge thank you goes to our wonderful musicians on the night - Thomas Vu, Julia Vu, Peter Le and Tien Nguyen, Tess Shacklock and Ayla Scurrah. As the peak body representing students in Victoria, we are thrilled to celebrate best practice in student voice, student led action and student participation. Events like the 2014 VicSRC Recognition Awards emphasize the depth, breadth and capacity of students, SRCs and their teacher advisors across the state. Last but by no means least, we thank all the individuals and schools who nominated for the 2014 VicSRC Recognition Awards. We are continually inspired and motivated by you every day.
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HANSARD HOUND LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 4 September 2014 Methamphetamine control
The Hon. Mary Wooldridge, Minister for Mental Health: Today I have unveiled a new public health campaign called What Are You Doing on Ice? … This campaign has been developed in partnership with the Penington Institute and informed by our expert advisory group on ice as part of the Coalition government’s $38 million commitment to tackle illicit drugs. … It is an integrated multimedia campaign specifically targeted at 18-to-25-year-olds, who may be the most susceptible to trying and using ice. We are driving home the message that no-one should be thinking of ice as a party drug. It is destructive and highly addictive. We consulted the experts in developing this campaign – young people themselves in metropolitan, regional and rural Victoria ... Our research tells us that young men are especially sensitive to the impact ice might have on their jobs or their family relationships. Young women are particularly concerned about social isolation, losing their friends and the loss of beauty that may accompany a drug habit. 16 September 2014 Connect Central Castlemaine
Ms Maree Edwards, Member for Bendigo East: The Liberal federal government Youth Connections program will cease in December, and the Liberal state government-funded rural outreach drug diversion youth worker position will cease with the new drug and alcohol recommissioning. This is a cause of great concern. These programs offered outreach services to high-risk and disengaged young people, working to re-engage them in education and society. These measures are short sighted. At a time when youth unemployment is sitting at over 20 per cent in the region and there have been massive cuts to TAFE, these cuts will make it even harder for young people.
18 September 2014 Anti-bullying
The Hon Martin Dixon, Minister for Education: This morning the Premier and I were at Albert Park College where we launched the Bully Stoppers - Speak Up Against Cyberbullying campaign … We also announced a further $400,000 in funding which 54 government and nongovernment schools would be sharing in grants…. [T]he programs are for the students by the students. Students understand social media better than adults do. They understand the messages and the words that are going to make a difference in young people’s lives. …. We have had 120 000 people view our Bully Stoppers ads on YouTube, and hundreds of thousands of people have seen those ads on television. We have had 167 000 hits on the Bully Stoppers website as well. This is all in conjunction with our $10.5 million partnership with the Alannah and Madeline Foundation for the eSmart program. … [F]our out of five government schools are now either accredited or on their way to being accredited as eSmart schools. 18 September 2014 Aboriginal young people
The Hon. Tim Bull, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs: On 7 October I will host a ministerial round table with Aboriginal youths from across Victoria to hear about their experiences and challenges in life. I want to hear from these young people themselves about what they think is working and indeed areas where they believe they may need further assistance. 15 October 2014 Education
The Hon. Dr Denis Napthine, Premier: [In] the 2014 school year, this government is providing a record $8.8 billion for education … In 2015, under the budget we handed down in May, there will be a further increase in funding to $9.2 billion. When I go to visit schools, as when I was visiting schools yesterday, including Bentleigh Secondary College, McKinnon Secondary College, Sandringham Secondary College, they are very pleased with our commitments for a re-elected government to provide capital funding to those schools. ... The enrolments for vocational education and training in 2010 were 426 900. In 2013, which is the last full year for which we have records, the number was 645 000. That is a 51 per cent increase in students doing vocational education and training. … we want students to stay in education longer, and under this government we have increased the number of students staying to year 12 and beyond that going on to tertiary education.
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Hansard Hound is a regular feature in Yikes. In each issue we provide you with brief snippets of news and information about what’s going on in Victoria’s Parliament, who said what and what they said about young people and youth services.
Unemployment
The Hon. Daniel Andrews, Leader of the Opposition: In Ballarat [the youth unemployment rate] is 22.8 per cent… That youth unemployment figure is not just a number; it represents a generation of young Victorians at risk of being left behind. Unemployment has gone up, up and up again. Youth unemployment is at scandalous levels, levels that really should be concerning to all of us. Certainly they concern every member on this side of the house, just as they concern community leaders, civic leaders, parents and employers right across the state.
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 18 September 2014 ‘Coward’s punch’ manslaughter laws
Mr James Merlino, Deputy Leader of the Opposition: There is a 30 per cent youth unemployment rate in the Bendigo region, and how has the government fixed the problem? It has cut $7.7 million from Bendigo TAFE. There were 1620 fewer students and $1.47 million more paid in fees in 2013 than in 2012. There have been 46 job losses and a campus closure in Kyneton. …. What about in Geelong, where there is an 18.3 per cent youth unemployment rate? … At Gordon Institute of TAFE $22 million has been cut. There are 1752 fewer students, 136 jobs have been lost and there has been an increase in fees.
Ms Sue Pennicuik, Member for Southern Metropolitan: Unfortunately, the vast majority of coward’s punches in any state or territory are thrown in the home, usually by men targeting women and children. The home is where coward’s punches are most often to be found. Sometimes these are situations of ongoing continual assaults, not covered by this legislation – and nor should they be. All assaults should be dealt with by the courts according to the sentencing regime we already have although that has changed quite a lot in the term of this government, to the detriment of the sentencing regime in this state… The chairman of the Criminal Bar Association, Peter Morrissey, SC, speaking on behalf of the association, opposes these laws, which remove too much of the judge’s discretion and undermine the public’s faith in the courts and the justice system.
Youth justice
Local Learning and Employment Networks
The Hon. Mary Wooldridge, Minister for Community Services: Under the Labor government the youth justice facility at Parkville was a disgrace, and the Ombudsman said as much … By contrast we have fixed the issues at Parkville Youth Justice Centre, and young people who were on average getting about 5 hours of TAFE a week are now getting proper schooling through Parkville College. We are addressing youth crime, with fewer young people and children under orders, and we have reduced the daily average number of children in custody by 20 per cent.
Ms Kaye Darveniza, Member for Northern Victoria: I am disappointed that the Liberal-Nationals state government refuses to continue funding for local learning and employment networks (LLENs) beyond the end of 2015. LLENs were created in 2001 as part of a strategy to improve school retention rates, lower youth unemployment and provide jobs to those most in need. …. LLENs provide valuable support to young people in creating partnerships and brokering initiatives with education providers, industry and the community.
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HANSARD HOUND 14 October 2014 Police resources
The Hon. Kim Wells, Minister for Police and Emergency Services: In regard to the concerns you [Gayle Tierney] have expressed about the status of Blue Light activities in the Geelong area, I am advised by Victoria Police that in order to build its front-line capacity it has reassigned a number of centralised positions. This means that from 31 March 2014, Victoria Police no longer provide dedicated full time staff and resources to the Blue Light State Council, including the Blue Light Youth Camp. However, Victoria Police remains supportive of Blue Light… Local police management are able to continue their support for Blue Light, including attendance at events and meetings. Police are also able to volunteer their time to assist with these programs, as many officers currently do ... Victoria Police will also continue to strengthen its focus on youth engagement through the recently established Priority Communities Division.
RaiseThePlatform
2 September 2014 Student support programs
Mr Shaun Leane, Member for Eastern Metropolitan: The action I seek from the minister [for education] is that he support sufficient ongoing funding for alternative setting programs through the state education system. One example of a good alternative setting program is Leaps & Bounds in Bayswater ... Leaps & Bounds runs a number of programs not only for at-risk young people but for all young students in the area. Some of the programs run by Leaps & Bounds … include the very successful and long-running challenge ropes course … run in conjunction with police groups and other stakeholders in the community. Leaps & Bounds also runs a program for girls that is specifically targeted to address the problems female students face throughout adolescence. Another program, known as Up2Me, targets years 8 to 10 school students who are disengaged from learning and need to refocus. It is needs focused and individualised. There is also a community partnership program called Look Both Ways, which has been developed with many different stakeholders in the community, including Victoria Police, Knox Youth Services, Eastern Access Community Health and the Glen Park Community Centre. It also has intensive behaviour modification programs targeted at severe social and emotional problems that students in mainstream schools might face. It provides a part-time student support program tailored to meet the individual needs of students and their home schools.
Signposts is the The Victorian Rural Youth Services (VRYS)’ bimonthly enewsletter. It’s a great source of updates on recent research, grant opportunities, training days, surveys and case studies, about issues that are important to rural young Victorians and the workers and services who support them. Sign up to receive Signposts at: www.yacvic.org.au/news/email-newsletters
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Introducing
Sarah Forbes
Emma Myers
Human Rights and Advocacy Officer, Youth Disability Advocacy Service
Project Officer, Victorian Student Representative Council
Sarah is YDAS’ Human Rights and Advocacy Officer, joining YDAS in October 2014. She has worked in a broad range of roles with people with disabilities on advocacy, training, project management, community development, employment, recreation, public and community health and for local government since 2004. Sarah is a lecturer for the Monash University social work department and a Board Director for the Upper Yarra Community Enterprise overseeing their youth initiatives. She was awarded two Ethel Temby study tour scholarships - in 2007 to research affirmative involvement of people with disabilities at advocacy organisation Rehabilitation International (New York City), and in 2010 to collect and share the wisdom of 40 notable inclusion practitioners and disability activists in Australia, the United States and Canada. Sarah loves live music, exploring nature, motorcycle riding, gardening and cooking feasts with family and friends.
Emma Myers joins the expanding team at VicSRC as the Teach the Teacher project officer. Emma brings a unique range of experience from the education sector, having taught English in Malaysia, recruited teachers and support staff, facilitated workshops and managed a youth leadership program. Fitting in with her desire to build the capacity of young people and their communities, Emma also works at Kids Off The Kerb, an organisation using social enterprise to directly assist disadvantaged and vulnerable young people through training and mentoring programs. Emma holds a bachelor of arts (media and communications/creative writing), Teaching English as a Foreign Language Certificate and is currently studying her diploma in community development. Emma rounds out her week by Instagramming photos of street art, eating plenty of Asian food and writing a music blog for an online magazine.
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See you in 2015!