No. 124, December 2006: Australian Clearinghouse for Youth Studies

The December 2006 edition of 'Youth Studies Australia', the peer review journal from the Australian Clearinghouse for Youth Studies, will be winging its way to subscribes as we speak, and its media release can be downloaded as a PDF from: http://www.acys.info/journal/?a=7268
'Youth Studies Australia' is always on the lookout for new and interesting material, so please see the call for papers below!

Youth Studies Australia: Call for papers

'Youth Studies Australia', our peer-reviewed journal, is always on the lookout for new and interesting material. Our target audience is necessarily broad: youth researchers, youth workers, and all those concerned with the wellbeing of young Australians. This includes: educators, health workers, parents, students, policymakers and a range of other service workers.
If you have a finished paper or have one in the pipeline that may be of interest to the journal's many and varied readers, do contact Sue Headley, editor of 'Youth Studies Australia', who will be able to advise you on your submission. The editor is not only looking for feature articles, which are peer reviewed, but also for notes on work in progress and for practitioner-based items about work at the coal face of youth work. All too often, research in Australia languishes below the radar, undetected by the very people who could benefit most from reading about it. So let your light shine, and write to: Susan.Headley@utas.edu.au

RESEARCH

How young people are faring in 2006

The latest report in the Dusseldorp Skills Forum's series, 'How young people are faring', a series of research snapshots issued each year on the participation of young people in learning and work has been released. In the 2006 DSF report, Mike Long of the Centre for the Economics of Education and Training identifies a significant pool of young people who are available and willing to become more active participants in the labour market. It reveals that as at May 2006, 12 per cent (of 330,000) of Australians aged 15 to 24 years were unemployed, wanting work or working part-time, but wanting more hours. While full-time work and study participation rates among young adults were found to be at their highest level in two decades, 23 per cent of young adults were not engaged in either full-time work or study. The report also found that while the number of full-time jobs for older Australians has risen by more than one million since 1995, it has declined by 14,000 for teenagers and 52,000 for young adults. (A longer review of this book is on our website at: http://www.acys.info/resources/research_tools/book_reviews/employment) This eighth annual report is supported this year by a summary paper ('How Young People Are Faring 2006: At a Glance'), and by expert commentaries and additional materials. All are available for free from the DSF website at: http://www.dsf.org.au/hypaf.html (Source: Dusseldorp Skills Forum website, viewed 6 December 2006 at: http://www.dsf.org.au.)

A's for early intervention

Following the release of a report on its first five years, the Pathways to Prevention Project has been hailed as an Australia-first, and as 'a major turning point in the provision of child, family and community support in Australia'. The report, covering 1999-2004, shows that spending on early intervention programs such as to Pathways can save the community in terms of future spending in the health, welfare and justice systems. When the two main components of Pathways work together (child-focused initiatives delivered through pre-schools, and family-oriented initiatives), there are improvements in the child's communication and language skills, a reduction in difficult behaviour, and greater family connectedness. Results from implementation of the program in a disadvantaged area of Brisbane from 2001–2003 indicate a significant improvement in school readiness and a reduction in anti-social behaviour, particularly among boys. The program started out as a crime-reduction strategy but has since grown to become a much larger and more detailed program delivered in four states, and has influenced the Commonwealth Government's own early intervention initiative, Communities for Children. Mission Australia says its many calls for 'an integrated approach to tackling social problems, that is, programs that involve contributions from governments, businesses and the community' are now shown to be justified: 'Based on the principles underpinning Pathways, we know [the integrated approach] can be successful in any community around Australia'. Mission Australia and Griffith University are partners in the program, which is now in its seventh year of operation. Pathways has been made possible through the support of the Commonwealth and Queensland Governments, the Australian Research Council, the Criminology Research Council, and philanthropic partners including the Barnes Foundation and the Westpac Foundation. (Source: Mission Australia, http://preview.tinyurl.com/2apsm and also 'Trends and issues in crime and criminal justice n.323: The Pathways to Prevention project: Doing developmental prevention in a disadvantaged community', Australian Institute of Criminology, Canberra. Available online at: http://www.aic.gov.au/publications/tandi2/tandi323.html.)

... But for Aboriginal children, most existing intervention programs are ineffective?

The largest survey ever undertaken of Aboriginal children and families has thrown new light on why most existing intervention programs are 'failing to produce results needed for overcoming the present levels of Indigenous disadvantage'. The finding is contained in the fourth volume of results from the Western Australian Aboriginal Child Health Survey, launched in Perth. For access to latest edition of the survey, see:
http://www.ichr.uwa.edu.au/news/news.lasso?id=221

Research on youth employment: Youth Employment Strategy a 'blueprint for the needs of all Australian youth'

The Youth Employment Strategy (YES) is based on several years of national and international research and analysis by one of Australia's leading providers of employment and training programs, Mission Australia. Launched in November, the report calls for greater coordination between governments, business and community, and a raft of new initiatives and policies to address the causes of youth unemployment in Australia. YES is a community-business partnership between Mission Australia and its Youth Strategy and Advocacy Group, whose chair, Rupert Myer, has called the YES report 'a blueprint, not just for Australia 's marginalised young people, but for the needs of young people as a whole'.

Launching the report, Mission Australia spokesperson Anne Hampshire explained that, while Australia's youth unemployment levels have declined in recent years, youth unemployment remains 'unacceptably high in Australia because of changes in full- and part-time work, the disappearance of unskilled job opportunities, changes in educational retention rates, a breakdown in the traditional pathways for young people transitioning to adult life, and the general failure of all sectors of society to meet the increasingly complex needs of young people', and that 'concerted action is needed to engage thousands of marginalised young people and reduce youth unemployment'. Unemployment in the 15- to 19-year-old age bracket is four times as high as the rate for the over 25s -- and in the 20- to 24-year-old age group, it's twice as high as the rate for the over 25s.

The YES report recommends the establishment of a National Participation Agenda for Young People, similar to the National Agendas for Children and for Ageing previously developed by the Commonwealth Government. Besides helping to build a framework for greater integration and coordination across all levels of government and portfolios which impact on young people, for example health, education, employment, such an agenda would involve the business and community sectors. The YES report findings and recommendations are outlined in a more detailed review of this resource on the AYinfo weblog at: http://www.australian-youth.info/news/?cat=30 The Youth Employment Strategy report is available online at http://www.missionaustralia.com.au (or get right to the report via: http://preview.tinyurl.com/ya6nze .)
Items below also relate to research being done relating to youth, but are categorised by subject interest to make it easier for readers to identify material of interest:

ARTS

Going to live performances improves youth literacy

Exposing young people to live arts performances improves their literacy, according to a three-year study jointly conducted by the University of South Australia, the SA Department of Education and Children's Services and Windmill Performing Arts. A group of 140 students aged 5 to 12 years attended arts performances annually between 2003 and 2005, and were interviewed before and after each performance. Study author Prof. Wendy Schiller, director of the de Lissa Institute of Early Childhood and Family Studies Research Group at the University of South Australia, said that participants' oral and written expressive language improved over the course of the study, as did their 'performance literacy' and critical awareness. (Source: 'Education Review', v.16, n.6, 2006, p.3.)

Technology's role in drama and education

'Real players? Drama, technology and education' is a new book by Australian academics that explores how the everyday use of interactive technologies by young people affects their perceptions of information delivery and entertainment, and how educators can use these technologies to enhance educational drama and role-based learning. For more information, visit the publisher's website: http://www.trentham-books.co.uk (Source: 'Education Review', v.16, n.6, 2006, p.11.)

The arts and health

The Brotherhood of St Laurence is involved in the development of a national arts and health strategy for the Australia Council for the Arts. Due to be completed in December 2006, the strategy aims to improve recognition of the role of the arts in health. (Source: 'Brotherhood Comment', November 2006, p.13.)

Community arts projects and mental health and wellbeing

The Brotherhood of St Laurence is also participating in a research project evaluating the impact of three community arts projects on the mental health and wellbeing of participants. Funded under the VicHealth Community Arts Development Scheme, each project engages a specific group of disadvantaged and/or socially excluded Victorians: Indigenous people (The Torch Project), women in prison (Somebody's Daughter) and women survivors of sexual abuse (Women's Circus). The research team is evaluating each project based on measurements of participants' participation, skills development, development of community networks, access to economic and social resources and freedom from discrimination and violence as a result of their participation in the project. For more information, contact Victoria Johnson ph: (03) 9483 1316; email: vjohnson[AT]bsl.org.au; or Janet Stanley ph: (03) 9483 1385; email: jstanley[AT]bsl.org.au (Source: 'Brotherhood Comment', November 2006, p.13.)

OZCO funding for young and emerging artists

The Australia Council for the Arts provides the EPIC07 funding opportunity for professional development in media art or dance. The closing date is 9 February 2007. The grant gives five emerging producers, project managers, artists and arts workers who work with and in communities the chance to work in an organisation to get practical experience in managing a project. Two of the five opportunities are specifically for dance and movement producers or artists, and the remaining three are for emerging producers or artists who engage young people through using new technologies and media art. For details about this grant opportunity, contact Caro Flood, Dance Board, ph: (02) 9215 9179 or see: http://www.ozco.gov.au

ArtsLab07: Performance artist residency program

Shopfront recently launched the first of their annual programs for young aspiring artists. ArtsLab will hot-house six artists each year, giving them a platform to develop and perform their own ground breaking work, work with Australian and international music, cyber performance, dance, performance artists and producers and to developed a set of cross-over skills while learning how to run a full time performance company. In this way the program will provide hands-on industry experience and opportunities for emerging performance artists in Australia. The program is an extension of a long-term week-to-week program that Shopfront's been running for a number of years. At present, aspiring artists come into the industry from an educational institution lacking in practical experience such as working in a theatre company, and the hot-housing program will be a bridge to the industry, helping them learn the realities of the industry as well as develop their performance skills under the watchful eye of the industry. 'Essentially, ArtsLab is a unique opportunity for young Australians to flex their creative muscle to make them more employable and to have a sustainable career in the performing arts.' See http://www.shopfronttheatre.com.au

CRIME AND JUSTICE

Report on the Banksia Hill Juvenile Detention Centre, WA

The Western Australian Office of the Inspector of Custodial Services (OICS) has released a report into its inspection of the Banksia Hill Juvenile Detention Centre, conducted in March 2005. Banksia Hill, the only detention centre in WA designed to hold sentenced juveniles aged 10–18 years, and able to hold up to 120 young people, has an Aboriginal population of approximately 80 per cent. The centre was found to be 'certainly one of the best-performing institutions within the remit of the Department of Corrective Services', and all of the inspection team's 22 recommendations were either partly or wholly accepted by the WA Department of Corrective Services. See: http://www.custodialinspector.wa.gov.au(Source: Office of the Inspector of Custodial Services WA, 2006, 'Report n.37: Report of an announced inspection of Banksia Hill Juvenile Detention Centre', OICS, Perth, WA.)

DRUGS

Research on local government initiatives

The Australian Drug Foundation's DrugInfo Clearinghouse is undertaking research on local government prevention initiatives relating to alcohol, and its researchers would like to document anything that local government believes is relevant regarding the spectrum of issues that face local government when alcohol prevention activities are undertaken -- the successes, challenges, hurdles, impediments, and programs that show promise as well as new ideas and initiatives. The research is to be published in an issues paper as part of a series of publications on local government and alcohol prevention. These publications will be made available to the general public through the DrugInfo Clearinghouse some time in April 2007. To contribute to the research, contact Bosco Rowland of the Centre for Youth Drug Studies at the Australian Drug Foundation, ph: (03) 9278 8110, email: bosco@adf.org.au

Day program for young drug users

The Youth Substance Abuse Service in Victoria runs a day program for young people aged 14–21 years in the Eastern Metropolitan Region who are either linked to drug and alcohol services in the area or have serious drug- and alcohol-related problems. This program aims to reduce relapse in the treatment participants by involving them in a post-treatment therapeutic education program. This program helps participants to develop strategies to strengthen their social, familial and community connections, using an 'opportunistic approach to counselling'. The program was evaluated by the Australian Youth Research Centre, who report that stakeholders regard this program to be a successful approach to providing youth with follow-up treatment and services following a period of intensive treatment. (Source: 'Youth Research News', v.16, n.2, 2006, p.6.)

A manual for educators to help prevent truancy and problematic substance use among students

'Preventing drug-related harm: A guide for the student welfare coordinator' is a manual by Helen Cahill of the Australian Youth Research Centre (AYRC), produced for Victoria's Department of Education and Training. It provides a set of evidence-based guidelines to help schools and school communities address truancy and problematic substance use. It looks at the prevalence of these risks and at the protective factors linked with these behaviours, and includes a handy set of tools and models for use in developing early identification and management strategies for students at risk of truancy and drug-related harm. (Source: 'Youth Research News', v.16, n.2, 2006, p.3.)

Harms at Adolescent Parties Project

This project, developed by Drug ARM Australasia, is a public education program that works with adolescents, parents, teachers and community leaders to raise awareness about the harms associated with alcohol use at teenage parties. It provides information and training on planning, organising and supervising teenage parties, as well as educating participants about adolescent alcohol consumption, such as blood alcohol content, standard drink sizes and recommended low-risk consumption levels, and suggests some 'refusal skills' and alternatives to alcohol. To train people to deliver the project's workshops, Drug ARM has also developed a 'Train the Presenter' package. Training sessions are currently offered in NSW, and a pilot program is underway in Queensland. For details, contact DRUG ARM, email: library[AT]drugarm.com.au (Source: 'ADCA News', n.33, November-December 2006, p.14.)

Drug and alcohol withdrawal service for Queensland youth

The Adolescent Drug and Alcohol Withdrawal Service (ADAWS), part of the Mater Hospital Child Youth Mental Health Service, offers an 11-day residential withdrawal program to young Queenslanders (aged 13 to 18 years) who are seeking support in dealing with their substance use. The program gives young people an opportunity to focus on their recovery and develop relapse prevention skills. Counselling and support services are also offered to the families and significant others of young people involved in the program. For further information, contact ADAWS, ph: (07) 3840 8400; or visit their website: http://www.kidsinmind.org.au/adaws (Source: 'ADCA News', n.33, November-December 2006, p.14.)

UN World Drug Report 2006

Partly a consequence of its pervasiveness and partly a consequence of the illicit and hidden nature of the problem, reliable analysis and statistics on the production, trafficking and use of illicit drugs are rare. The World Drug Report 2006 endeavours to fill this gap, providing an overview of illicit drug trends at the international level. In addition, it presents a special thematic chapter on cannabis, by far the most widely produced, trafficked and used drug in the world. (Source: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime 2006, 'World Drug Report', UNODC, viewed 13 November 2006, http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/world_drug_report.html.)

Project shows school social climate affects adolescent risk-taking behaviours

As the time gap between puberty and social maturity continues to lengthen, adolescents are engaging in risk-taking activities at an earlier age and for longer periods, a phenomenon leading to increasing mental health problems for young people. Now, research shows that intervention programs aimed at improving a school's social climate can reduce high-risk health and social behaviours among students. According to the Gatehouse Study, a four-year study of 26 Victorian schools conducted by the Centre for Adolescent Health at the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne, schools that made changes to their social climate saw student behaviour change for the better over the course of the study. The changes that came about by promoting social relationships and by making the school a better place to work include a drop in tobacco and cannabis use, student violence and anti-social behaviour. Findings from this study were published in the September edition of the 'American Journal of Public Health' http://www.ajph.org For more information about the Gatehouse Study, visit the project website: http://www.rch.org.au/gatehouseproject/ (Source: 'Education Review', v.16, n.8, 2006, p.3.)

Student participatory approaches to drug education programs

'LEAD: Leading education about drugs – Student participatory approaches' is a set of resources developed by Helen Cahill, Bernadette Murphy and Cheryl Kane from the Australian Youth Research Centre on behalf of the Australian Government Department of Education, Science and Training. These resources are designed to support school drug education forums by providing information on student participatory approaches to drug education. The comprehensive resource contains information on the guiding principles behind evidence-based drug education and the benefits of student participatory approaches to educational programs; how to prepare students to facilitate drug education activities; suggestions on how to choose an agenda for a drug education forum (including sample agendas for primary and secondary forums); a 'smorgasbord' of scenarios, quizzes and other activities suitable for primary and secondary students; instructions on organising a forum; and finally, suggestions for post-event evaluation and feedback. The LEAD resource can be downloaded from: http://www.dest.gov.au/sectors/school_education/policy_initiatives_reviews/key_issues/drug_education/documents/lead_booklet_pdf.htmA review of this resource was published in the August 2006 edition of 'Connect' magazine (n.160).(Source: 'Youth Research News', v.16, n.2, 2006, p.10.)

EDUCATION, TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT

Students and career choice

The September edition of 'Education Review' magazine contains several interesting pieces on student career options and career development.

One piece reports on comments made by Youth Off The Streets founder and chief executive Father Chris Riley at the inaugural Career Advice Australia National Conference, held in Brisbane in August this year. Father Riley told the conference that schools and parents place too much emphasis on university as a post-school career option and need to adequately inform students about other career options such as vocational education and training (VET). In her keynote address to the conference, Education Minister Julie Bishop announced that the Australian Government would launch a national advertising campaign early next year to promote the Career Advice Australia program, while also pledging an extra $12 million per year for the Youth Pathways Program and committing to undertake research into how parents can be more effectively involved in their children's career choices. The conference, attended by 600 delegates, was hosted by the Australian Government.

In the second piece, Dr Peter Carey, national president of the Australian Association of Career Counsellors, talks about the role of career development as a contributor to human capital. He says that 'career development is about building the skills to manage learning, work and life', and is particularly important for young people prior to entering the labour market. Dr Carey cites the Australian Blueprint for Career Development and the Council of Australian Governments' National Reform Agenda, Human Capital Stream as important initiatives that will improve the status and quality of career development in Australia. (Source: 'Education Review', v.16, n.6, 2006, pp.3, 14.)

Educational equity and overcoming disadvantage

Education Foundation Australia is conducting a project called The Case for Change in order to rethink the structures of Australian education that contribute to inequity. With funding from the R E Ross Trust, it is also conducting Overcoming Entrenched Disadvantage through Student-centred Learning, a study into how some schools are turning around student outcomes in the face of disadvantage. See: http://www.educationfoundation.org.au/research.asp (Source: Education Foundation Australia eNews', n.4, November 2006.)

Success for Boys Grants

Updated information on the Success for Boys program and details of the schools recently announced as successful for round two of federal government funding are available at: http://www.successforboys.edu.au

A call for 'near universal engagement of young Australians in education and training'

Australia's future prospects will depend on the near universal engagement of young Australians in education and training, according to a two-page paper by Bob Birrell (Director of the Centre for Population and Urban Research at Monash University) and Virginia Rapson released on 30 October and published by the Dusseldorp Skills Forum. 'Clearing the myths away: Higher education's place in meeting workforce demands' concludes that 'there is plenty of scope to increase the proportion of young people studying in both the higher education and vocational training sectors, and to do so on the basis of well-informed policy rather than myths'. The myths challenged in this short paper are said to have influenced recent debates about higher education and training policy in Australia (that there's been too much emphasis on young people getting a university education, and that a choice must be made between trade training and university education, and that there will be declining numbers of young people entering the workforce in Australia in future). The author proposes that we should rather be expanding youth participation at both the higher education and the trade levels: 'policies that prioritise access and opportunity for young people are the keys to boosting participation and productivity over the longer-term'. See: http://www.dsf.org.au

Business Council of Australia report

Still on youth employment issues, the Business Council of Australia released the report, 'New pathways to prosperity: A national innovation framework for Australia' in the past few days which includes a recommendation for enhancing 'policy focus and strategic investment in education and training to improve the innovation capabilities and culture of our people', and in regard to youth, recommends introducing a national post-school 'Entrepreneurs and Innovators Internship Program' that would allow young people to gain useful experience from working for short periods with leading practitioners, including those based overseas. See: http://www.bca.com.au/

A well-skilled future: Tailoring VET to the emerging labour market

At its research forum in Melbourne in late November, the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) released a series of two-page research overviews of its research project, 'A well-skilled future: Tailoring vocational education and training to the emerging labour market'. The overviews address questions relating to changes in work skill needs and work organisation arrangements, and their implications for the vocational education and training sector. This body of work was undertaken by a consortium of researchers from the National Institute of Labour Studies at Flinders University and the University of Melbourne's Centre for Post-compulsory Education and Lifelong Learning. See: NCVER's website at: http://www.ncver.edu.au/publications/1721.html, and at: http://www.ncver.edu.au/newsevents/mr/2006.html

Australian vocational education and training statistics: Student outcomes 2006 - Summary

This publication summarises results from a national survey of students who undertook vocational education and training (VET) at TAFE institutes or other government, private or community education providers during 2005. It reports on students' characteristics, employment outcomes and satisfaction with, and benefits from, the training. See: http://www.ncver.edu.au/publications/1719.html

The Royal Children's Hospital Education Institute Scholarship

This new scholarship is the result of a collaboration by the University of Melbourne's Faculty of Education, the Royal Children's Hospital Education Institute and the Centre for Adolescent Health. It offers the opportunity for PhD-level work on a major multi-disciplinary research project, studying the RCH Education Institute and its relations with the young people who register with it. The scholarship is part of a larger research project, a multi-disciplinary investigation of how trauma and illness impact on schooling, identity and social connectivity. For full details, see: http://www.edfac.unimelb.edu.au/currentstudents/scholarships/application/rchei.html or contact Philippa Moylan on (03) 8344 8318 pmoylan@unimelb.edu.au or FESC on (03) 8344 8285 or visit http://edfac-unimelb.custhelp.comThe value of the scholarship is $75,000 over three years and the closing date for applications is 20 December 2006. More details: see the PDF document that can be downloaded from:
http://www.edfac.unimelb.edu.au/currentstudents/scholarships/application/pdfs/applicationform.pdf or get there via: http://preview.tinyurl.com/yzgxun

More: see the RESEARCH section at the top of the newsletter:

How young people are faring in 2006

A's for early intervention

For Aboriginal children, most existing intervention programs are ineffective?

Research on youth employment: Youth Employment Strategy a 'blueprint for the needs of all Australian youth'

ETHNIC YOUTH ISSUES

Forum report: CALD young people's access to leisure centres forum

This forum, held in September 2006, was organised by the Centre for Multicultural Youth Issues in partnership with Kinect Australia's Local Government Physical Activity Network and the Centre for Culture, Ethnicity and Health. The forum report includes a brief overview of the forum, barriers and strategies affecting CALD young people's access to leisure centres identified in focus groups discussions and best practice models for their access to leisure centres. The report can be downloaded from http://preview.tinyurl.com/ye394p which takes you to the http://www.goforyourlife.vic.gov.au website, or from the CMYI website: http://www.cmyi.net.au/MulticulturalSport/MulticulturalSportHome (Source: Kinect Australia, 'Active Media Bulletin' December 2006, p.5.)

FAMILIES

In the lead-up to Christmas, Kids Help Line is urging parents to prepare communication plans with their children and to talk about holiday plans and preparations, because for some, the pressures of the season take their toll on mental health and relationships. Parental divorce or separation, bereavement, cultural differences, financial pressures and family conflict can all cause increased anxiety at Christmas. The helpline newsletter advises: 'Love, commitment, patience and time' can overcome most difficulties faced by families during the festive season. Research by Kids Help Line, the national counselling service for young people, has shown than most young callers and about half of older teenagers using the helpline said they 'preferred to have their parents home', but where that is not possible, the helpline advises that 'communication and preparation is the key for getting through the period with a minimum of stress'.

HEALTH

Australian Government launches new skin cancer awareness campaign

The incidence of skin cancer among young people is extremely high and melanoma is now the most common life threatening cancer among 15 –24-year-olds. Launching the Australian Government's latest skin cancer prevention campaign, 'Protect yourself in five ways from skin cancer', Australia's Chief Medical Officer, Prof. John Horvath, said that a research project undertaken by the Department of Health and Ageing in developing the campaign has shown that how a tan was acquired seemed to influence people's perceptions of its safety, with tans acquired through incidental exposure widely regarded as more 'acceptable' than tans achieved through sunbaking. The campaign's website on the risks of skin cancer is at: http://www.skincancer.gov.au/ (Source: Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing, Canberra, via: http://preview.tinyurl.com/yl54ru viewed 22 November 2006.)

Wearing 'Hoodies' is bad for your health

Talking of covering up to prevent sun damage, vitamin D deficiency from insufficient sunlight is adding to the ill-health of teens. A New Zealand doctor working at the Child, Youth and Family Services' youth justice centre at Wiri has found vitamin D deficiencies in every young person whom he tested at the centre, and warns that 'hoodies and the hats and the downward glance of the teenagers' might be preventing them from getting the sunlight needed to help absorb Vitamin D, vital for healthy bone development. See: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/category/story.cfm?c_id=107&ObjectID=10411011

Access to HIV prevention information among selected culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities in Victoria

This study reports on the availability of information about HIV prevention in Victoria for communities from the Horn of Africa, Arabic-speaking, Vietnamese and Thai. It investigates how HIV is understood in these communities, and at how appropriate the available information on HIV prevention is to their cultural backgrounds and their needs. See: http://www.apo.org.au/linkboard/results.chtml?filename_num=118134 (Source: ACT 'Youth Coalition E-Bulletin', 6 December 2006.)

HOMELESSNESS

'Parity': Call for papers on homeless young people and their future

The Council to Homeless Persons is calling for contributions to the February issue on their magazine, 'Parity' on the topic, 'As much right: Homeless young people and their future'. See: http://www.chp.org.au

New report from Project i on young people's pathways into and through homelessness

Project i has been mentioned in this newsletter some time ago. Now there's a report on Project i, titled, 'Moving out, moving on: Young people's pathways into and through homelessness'. It shows the key finding of Project i, a five-year study of homeless young people in Melbourne and Los Angeles (2000-2005). The study comprises surveys and interviews with young people who were experiencing homelessness, including a longitudinal study of those who were newly homeless, and surveys and interviews with service providers. Find out more at: http://www.kcwh.unimelb.edu.au/projecti/research/research.html and at: http://www.npi.ucla.edu/center/community/rs_projecti.html

INDIGENOUS YOUTH ISSUES

The Research and Analysis Branch of the Federal Government's Department of Families, Communities, and Indigenous Affairs produces a series of occasional papers on a range of topics. Recently released papers concern Australia's Indigenous community and are titled:
* The 'growing up' of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children: a literature review (Occasional Paper No. 15);
* Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander views on research in their communities (Occasional Paper No. 16); and
* Growing up in the Torres Strait region: A report from the Footprints in Time trials (Occasional Paper No. 17).
They're at: http://www.facs.gov.au/Internet/facsinternet.nsf/News/op15_16_17.htm

INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVES

A new report aims to put child and youth on the agenda in North America: 'Growing up in North America' is a collaborative effort of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the Canadian Council on Social Development, and the Children's Rights Network in Mexico. (Source: 'Child Trends', 8 September 2006.)

The European Sociological Association's 8th conference is on the theme of 'Conflict, Citizenship and Civil Society' and will be held in Glasgow on 3 to 6 September 2007. See: http://www.valt.helsinki.fi/esa/conferences.htm and http://www.esa8thconference.com/

MENTAL HEALTH

Medicare and psychology

This item updates a previous story in this newsletter about claiming for psychotherapies through Medicare. The Primary Mental Health Care Network website has the latest information on this matter on their website. Follow the links to the 'Better Access to Psychiatrists, Psychologists and General Practitioners through the Medicare Benefits Schedule' initiative at: http://preview.tinyurl.com/yjj746

Self help for teenagers

RU-OK is about you helping yourself: coping with common, and sometimes serious problems, as well as using your strengths. http://www.ru-ok.com/index.html

Getting a handle on dual diagnosis: Australian GPs 'Can do'

The 'Can Do' Initiative, Managing Mental Health and Substance Use in General Practice, promotes as it says, a 'Can Do' approach for GPs to meet the challenge of mental health and substance use. The initiative is currently in the development phase. It focuses on education, training and networking between two multidisciplinary teams of health professionals: general practice teams and community health teams (especially those engaged in alcohol and drug service, community pharmacy and mental health service delivery). It's being coordinated by the Australian Divisions of General Practice and you can read about it at: http://www.primarymentalhealth.com.au/site/index.cfm?display=15142

Responding to young people's mental health issues in the youth sector

On Tuesday, 21 November, the Youth Affairs Council of South Australia (YACSA) launched its study into young people's mental health in South Australia. Their report, called 'Getting through: Responding to young people's mental health issues in the youth sector', looks at the mental health needs of young South Australians and youth workers, who are often the first point of contact for young people with mental health concerns. See: http://preview.tinyurl.com/y2f4nr, which takes you to the YACSA report -- find out more information on YACSA's website at http://www.yacsa.com.au

Aboriginal Mental Health First Aid Program

In 2005, the Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) program, auspiced by ORYGEN Research Centre at the University of Melbourne, developed specialised MHFA training courses for Croatian, Vietnamese and Italian communities. A specialised version of the course for those working with youth was mentioned in last month's newsletter. Now there's news of an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-focused course being developed by the MHFA team, in conjunction with an Aboriginal Working Group containing representatives from the Commonwealth Office for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health, the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation and Auseinet, as well as Aboriginal psychiatrist Dr Helen Milroy. Between January 2007 and June 2008, 120 Aboriginal instructors will be accredited to run the course. For more information, contact ORYGEN Research Centre's Len Kanowski email: Len.Kanowski[AT]mh.org.au or visit the MHFA website: http://www.mhfa.com.au (Source: 'Auseinetter', v.27, n.2, 2006, p.24.)

MindMatters pilot project for Aboriginal youth

A pilot Aboriginal mental health project has been developed and implemented in the New England area of northern NSW to deliver adapted content from the MindMatters mental health promotion program to a young Aboriginal audience. 'Feeling deadly not shame', A MindMatters approach is the product of a joint partnership between the Yaamanhaa Aboriginal Men's Group, School Link, the NSW Department of Education, Newcastle University's University Department of Rural Health and MindMatters. The project is designed to 'provide techniques and activities particularly for young Aboriginal people to address negative impacts and provide positive, affirmative coping mechanisms to enhance resilience and stay 'strong, deadly and safe' within their community'. For further information about the project, contact Kanat Wano, NSW MindMatters Project Officer, ph: (02) 9244 5520; email: kanat.wano[AT]det.nsw.edu.au (Source: 'Auseinetter', v.27, n.2, 2006, p.22.)

'KidsMatter': A mental health initiative for primary school students

The 'KidsMatter' Australian primary schools mental health promotion, prevention and intervention initiative began at the end of this year as a trial. Stage One of KidsMatter involves a two-year trial and evaluation of the approach in 100 schools representing all states, territories and educational sectors. In Stage Two, resources and materials developed under the initiative will be offered to all primary schools in Australia. To find out more, see: http://www.apapdc.edu.au/kidsmatter/or contact 'KidsMatter' National Coordinator Mignon Souter, Australian Principals Associations Professional Development Council, ph: (08) 8245 9809; email: mignon@apapdc.edu.au (Source: 'Auseinetter', v.27, n.2, 2006, pp.12-13.)

MOVEMENTS CHANGES MILESTONES

An Australian university voted Commonwealth University of the Year

At an award ceremony in London, the University of Wollongong was awarded the inaugural Times Higher Education Supplement award for Commonwealth University of the Year, thanks to UOW's community engagement initiatives. It was the only Australian university to be short-listed for the award, open to all higher education institutions in the Commonwealth, excluding those from the UK.

Dutch youth research changes

From 1 January 2007, the Nederlands Instituut voor Zorg en Welzijn (Nederlands Institute for Care and Welfare or NIZW) will cease to exist in its present form. Three new organisations will be created from the amalgamation of the NIZW with seven other institutions. The youth section of the NIZW International Centre will merge with NIZW Jeugd (NIZW Youth) to become the Nederlands Jeugdinstituut (Netherlands Youth Institute) or NJi. The NJi will get a five-year subsidy from the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport to collect information on youth. For more information, see: http://www.nederlandsjeugdinstituut.nl

PARENTING

The new Australian Family Relationships Clearinghouse has issued its second briefing paper: 'The changing role of grandparents', by Gay Ochiltree . See:
http://www.aifs.gov.au/afrc/pubs/briefing/briefing2.html

PARTICIPATION

Enrolling to vote

The ABC Radio service for young people, TripleJ, has embraced the issue of encouraging young people to enrol to vote through its Rock Enrol competition, offering Big Day out tickets as prizes, reminding young people that anyone aged 17 years and older can enrol to vote. See their website and follow the links to ROCK ENROL at: http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/rockenrol/ (Source: the ACT 'Youth Coalition E-Bulletin', 6 December 2006.)

'Connect: supporting student participation' ISSN 0158-4995

As this newsletter goes to press, the December issue of Roger Holdsworth's magazine on student participation, 'Connect', has been released. 'Connect' has been published bi-monthly since 1979. It covers issues related to student participation, and carries news about related educational approaches and initiatives. It exists to support teachers with reflective practices and to help them develop and share resources. For subscriptions, and to contribute copy, contact the editor and publisher, Roger Holdsworth, at 12 Brooke St, Northcote Victoria 3070; ph: (03) 9489 9052; fax: (03) 8344 9632.

PUBLICATIONS

Short notes on some recent overseas publications on youth issues are listed on our website at: http://www.acys.info/resources/research_tools/book_reviews/youth_studies

SUICIDE PREVENTION

Youth suicide prevention: It's everybody's business

The general manager of Kids Help Line's counselling services, Wendy Protheroe, says the number of young people and children considering or committing suicide is alarming, and that the community 'needs to understand that for every young person who contacted us intending to take their lives, there were at least another three experiencing suicidal thoughts or fears' and that as a society, we 'need to realise that all suicide attempts, or even suicidal thoughts are a sign of extreme emotional distress, unhappiness and possibly even mental illness'. If you do see warning signs, 'it is important to listen and encourage the young person to talk, show that you are taking their concern seriously, and offer to link them to professional support'. See: http://www.kidshelp.com.au for more advice and information on this extremely serious topic.

Suicide prevention email alert service

The Life: National Suicide Prevention website, managed by Auseinet, provides a regular suicide prevention email alert service. The service provides information on the latest research, events, resources and initiatives related to suicide prevention both in Australia and overseas. To subscribe to the service, contact Auseinet ph: (08) 8201 7670; email: auseinet[AT]flinders.edu.au; website: http://www.livingisforeveryone.com.au (Source: 'Auseinetter', v.27, n.2, 2006, p.5.)

Pacific youth suicide prevention resource

'No one is an island – You are NOT alone' is a mental health/depression awareness project aimed at young people from Pacific communities living in the Mt Druitt area of NSW. A depression awareness poster and information pamphlet have been produced in English, Fijian, Samoan and Tongan As part of this project . These resources can be downloaded from the Sydney West Area Health Service website: http://www.swahs.health.nsw.gov.au/services/publicaffairs/publications.htm (Source: 'Auseinetter', v.27, n.2, 2006, p.37.)

Suicide prevention in country South Australia: Towards a coherent approach

This is the title of a feature article in the November 2006 edition of 'Auseinetter', the Australian Network for Promotion, Prevention and Early Intervention for Mental Health, written by Kathleen Stacey, managing director and principal consultant at human services research and consultancy firm beyond... (Kathleen Stacey & Associates) and Nicole Keller, the Country Mental Health Manager for Country Health SA. Designed to 'contribute to reductions in self-harm and suicidal behaviour amongst young people in regional areas', the suicide prevention initiative has a particular focus on Aboriginal young men. The overall initiative aimed to make 'a collective contribution to suicide prevention in country SA through cross-regional learning, networking and collaboration. Besides describing the model of operation adopted for the overall initiative, the article contains vignettes describing the goals and outcomes of several of the local initiatives. There is a book on the initiative in the pipeline, and it will be made available through Auseinet. A description of the Social Inclusion Initiative can be found at: http://www.socialinclusion.sa.gov.au, while information about the suicide prevention initiative can be found at: http://www.socialinclusion.sa.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=81 (Source: 'Auseinetter', v.27, n.2, 2006, pp.6-11.)

TRANSITIONS

'With the end of another school year thousands of teenagers are coming to a crossroad in their life. The decisions they make now will greatly impact on their future. Teenagers who have grown up in poverty will often drop out of school early and with limited education, few skills and little confidence, they will find themselves unemployable, just like their parents did before them. Today's economy requires education, skills, social support and flexibility. Without these resources young people will never get further than the bottom rung of the employment ladder.' So says the chairman of Brotherhood of St Laurence, Bishop Phillip Huggins. It is his strong desire to see 'every kid who exits prematurely from the schooling system, for whatever reason, on a real pathway to appropriate training and employment ... so every kid feels, and knows, that they are valued and can live with dignity.' See: http://www.bsl.org.au/

Family expectations and post-school plans

The Smith Family has commissioned the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) to conduct a study of Family Expectations and Post-School Plans. The project will combine a major literature review with around ten case studies of young people and their families. The young people are from disadvantaged backgrounds and participating in the Smith Family's Learning for Life program. The project began in August 2006 and will conclude in March 2007. (Source: 'ACER eNews', n.46, October 2006; http://www.acer.edu.au.)

Middle schooling: NSW's new strategy to help students make the transition to high school

A new strategy in the NSW to support students in Years 5 to 9, particularly during their transition from primary to secondary school was announced at the conference, 'Our Middle Years Learners: Engaged, Resilient, Successful' -- the Middle Years Conference-- held recently at Brighton-le-Sands (Source: 'The Communicator', newsletter from EdNA, n.33, 12 October 2006; ISSN 1449 - 051X;
https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/newsroom/yr2006/oct/helpstudents.htm.)

VIOLENCE

Swarming and the social dynamics of group violence

Riots are a difficult area to research, as the number of events in Australia is typically low, fortunately. However their impact can be high. In a recent paper by Prof. Rob White of the University of Tasmania, titled, 'Swarming and the social dynamics of group violence' (Australian Institute of Criminology, 'Trends and issues in crime and criminal justice', n.326) you'll find a broad overview of the issue. See the Australian Institute of Criminology website, at: http://www.aic.gov.au/publications/tandi2/tandi326.html and Australian Policy Online, http://www.apo.org

WELFARE

Employment agencies: Catholic Social Services Australia report

In November 2006, Catholic Social Services Australia released a discussion paper titled, 'A Job Network for job seekers'. The result of a detailed analysis and reflection on some of the current circumstances of Job Network, the report examines the appropriateness of current services, provider incentives and government administration of Job Network with respect to assisting disadvantaged job seekers. Catholic Social Services Australia is the peak body for the Catholic Church's social services in Australia and official representative of the Australian Catholic Bishops on social policy and services. The organisation participates in Job Network as 'Centacare Employment', which delivers services from 18 sites in 15 employment services areas in most states and territories. The report explores the tensions and frustrations felt by Job Network in relation to the task of both 'doing the best for their disadvantaged clients as well as maintaining the bottom line'. (Source: Infoxchange Youth News, at:
http://www.youth.infoxchange.net.au/news/detail.chtml?filename_num=117860 .)

YOUTH AFFAIRS

National Youth Week 2007

Unbelievably the year has flown and it is time to start talking about National Youth Week once again. Grant applications are now open in some States and Territories. NYW 2007 will take place from 14-22 April 2007. The main source of information for National youth week is the website at: http://www.youthweek.com

YOUTH WORK

CYC-net online journal

The December 2006 issue (n.95) of CYC-Online was released on 1 December. See: http://www.cyc-net.org and click on CYC-Online.

'New transitions' in Queensland

The Youth Affairs Network of Queensland (YANQ) Inc, like all other Australian State youth peak organisations, issues a regular newsletter, but is also home to a more substantial magazine, New Transitions, released irregularly in recent years. In 'New transitions' v.10, n.1, you can find articles on the relationships between government and indigenous people in Australia; racism; and articles titled, 'What is a "peak body"?'; 'Young people's participation and representation during the Howard decade'; 'Do children have rights? Homeless youth in the country: Exploring options for change'; and 'Take-home lessons for gay, lesbian, transgender and bisexual school students'. The article on peak bodies is a summary of a more comprehensive paper by Suzi Quixley, 'What is a peak body?: Summary and analysis of key documents, 1995-2005', published by YANQ in 2006. See: http://www.yanq.org.au

CONTRIBUTE YOUR NEWS

This newsletter is a generalist survey of news and developments for researchers, policymakers and for those working with young people in all sectors. It does not aim to be comprehensive, and reflects news to hand at the time of publication.

As a clearinghouse, ACYS invites you to share your information and news about successful initiatives undertaken in the youth field with our wide readership. Contributions of news items can be emailed to anne.hugo@utas.edu.au, ph. (03) 6226 2591). Your contribution will make its way either into this newsletter or into one of our other services -- the ACYS and Youth Facts and Stats website, the AYIN discussion list or its weblog. In addition, news items often find their way into the EXTRA columns in our journal, 'Youth Studies Australia'. (For our call for papers for the journal, see above.)

Youth Field Xpress and everyone at the Australian Clearinghouse for Youth Studies wish you a safe, peaceful, relaxing and restoring holiday. Because the next full edition of this newsletter is due out in mid-February, and the January 2007 edition of YFX is a short house-keeping edition, keep an eye on the weblog over the holiday season at: http://www.australian-youth.info/news