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  • Youth Field Xpress February 2007

    Issue no. 126, February2006

    ACYS NEWS

    Survey of YFX readers:

    Please take a minute or two and do our short survey, it's especially for you, the readers of this newsletter. It's on the Survey Monkey website, at:
    http://www.tinyurl.com/39kcu6 We'd value your feedback!

    Essential for youth studies: 'Youth Studies Australia'

    Due out next month: the March 2007 edition of 'Youth Studies Australia'. Now in its 26th volume, this journal is the flagship publication of the Australian Clearinghouse for Youth Studies (ACYS), the publishers of this newsletter. More at: http://www.acys.info/publications/

    Moral panics in Australia

    A new book from ACYS Publishing, 'Outrageous! Moral panics in Australia', edited by Scott Poynting and George Morgan, is due for release at the end of March 2007. This collection of essays by experts in the field describes and analyses a comprehensive range of case studies of moral panic in this country. Tertiary institutions: pre-order for quick delivery (For more details, and the PDF order form, see: http://www.acys.info/publications/books/outrageous

    ARTS, MUSIC

    The National System of Youth and Children's Orchestras of Venezuela

    In Venezuela, 'The System' is an ambitious program that's been instilling a love of classical music in young people as well 'broader lessons' in work ethics and moral values for over three decades. The program began in 1975 in a garage with 11 students and volunteer teachers. It serves about 250,000 youth, some as young as two, some living in barrios beset by drug abuse and violence, and some of whom are 'semi-abandoned'. 'Their music education, fully-funded by a succession of Venezuelan governments, has become an international model that has spurred the creation of similar programs in about a dozen countries in Latin America', according to a report in 'The Washington Post'. The program has been praised by acclaimed conductors, and its young musicians often find their way to European concert halls. There are now 200 youth orchestras and 136 centers throughout Venezuela. More at: http://preview.tinyurl.com/veafz

    CARE AND PROTECTION

    For child and family protection practitioners

    The 2nd annual conference of the Australian College for Child and Family Protection Practitioners is coming up soon, and the program and registration brochure is available at:
    http://www.accfpp.org.au/events.htm

    Increasing numbers in out-of-home care

    The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare publication, 'Child protection Australia 2005-06', shows the number of children in out-of-home-care has increased by 40 per cent over the past five years. The report contains data on children in out-of-home care, children on care and protection orders, and children subject to child protection notifications, investigations and substantiations. In most jurisdictions, the most common reason for substantiation was emotional abuse, followed by neglect and physical abuse. The AIHW media release states: 'Although the quality of the data on Indigenous status varies between states and territories, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children were clearly over-represented in the child protection system', and compared with other children, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children were nearly five times as likely to be the subject of a substantiated claim, over six times as likely to be on a care and protection order, and more than seven times as likely to be in out-of-home care'. (Source: AIHW, http://www.aihw.gov.au/mediacentre/2007/mr20070125.cfm; and the Child Protection Discussion List, 25/1/07; http://www.aifs.gov.au/nch/dlist.html)

    Queensland's youth

    Snapshot 2006 is the fourth report in a series from the Queensland Commission for Children and Young People and Child Guardian, and gives a composite picture of the safety and wellbeing of Queensland's youth. See: http://www.ccypcg.qld.gov.au (Source: Child Protection Discussion List, 25/1/07; http://www.aifs.gov.au/nch/dlist.html)

    ... and Tasmania's

    A report on child protection services in Tasmania, by Alison Jacob and David Fanning, was released by that State's Department of Health and Human Services in late 2006. See:
    http://preview.tinyurl.com/2udr8o (PDF 673K).

    CRIME AND JUSTICE

    Indigenous Justice Clearinghouse

    This clearinghouse is a collaborative partnership between the Attorney General's Department of NSW and the Australian Institute of Criminology. The pilot website was launched in November 2006 and will be reviewed in mid-2007. See:
    http://www.indigenousjustice.gov.au/

    Youth justice conferencing pays off

    'Reoffending among young people cautioned by police or who participated in a youth justice conference' is a recent report from the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research. It shows that juveniles who receive a caution or a youth justice conference are less likely to re-offend than those who are referred to the Children's Court. See:
    http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/bocsar

    DRUGS

    Tackling tobacco with young people: why worry and what works?

    This is a free one-day training course for youth workers, to be held at The Junction in Newcastle on 6 March 2007, is sponsored by the Cancer Council NSW and the NSW peak body, Youth Action and Policy Association (YAPA). The workshop presenter is Matt Stubbs, the Manager of the Ted Noffs Institute. See details on the YAPA website,
    http://www.yapa.org.au/yapa/events/index.php, or contact YAPA's Joanne Bennett, ph: (02) 9319 1100 ext. 3, or ph: 1800 627 323 or email: info@yapa.org.au

    Guidelines for residential treatments

    In a first for Australia, a set of clinical guidelines for the treatment of drug or alcohol dependent people in a residential setting has been developed by the Network of Alcohol and Other Drugs Agencies (NADA) and the NSW Health Department. The guidelines will provide clear practice directions for the delivery of residential rehabilitation treatment and on the most effective ways of providing that treatment. For more details about the release of the guidelines, contact NADA, ph: (02) 9698 8669 (Source: 'Of Substance', v.5, n.1, January 2007.)

    On ice

    Research carried out for the 2006 Illicit Drug Reporting System (IDRS) and the Ecstasy and Related Drugs Reporting System (EDRS) has not supported recent media speculation that crystal methamphetamine or 'ice' has become the preferred drug of people who use illicit drugs. The two studies, which are conducted annually, were coordinated by the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, and confirmed there are different groups of people using drugs in a variety of ways. While methamphetamine use was common among those the researchers spoke to, people are using all forms of the drug, not just ice. The IDRS found that injecting drug users are likely to be heavier users of methamphetamines than ecstasy users, but that those who prefer ecstasy will use methamphetamines and other illicit drugs less frequently yet are likely to binge when they do so. (Source: 'Of Substance', v.5, n.1, January 2007.)

    EDUCATION

    Reaching beyond learning differences

    The November issue of this newsletter foreshadowed the resource, 'Reaching High: Hands supporting each other'. The book has now been released. It tells the story of 14 years of literacy work with the Reaching High program in north central Victoria, where some students have taken control of their own learning needs. The book also includes inspiring stories from a range of older and younger adult role-models who either had or have, learning differences, who have found interesting and diverse careers for themselves. For copies, contact the publisher, Roger Holdsworth, 'Connect', ph: (03) 9489 9052 or r.holdsworth@unimelb.edu.au (ISBN 13 978 0 9803133 0 7). Cost including postage and GST: $33 or $27.50 for 'Connect' subscribers.

    EMPLOYMENT

    Child employment in Australia

    In response to increased interest in the level and nature of child employment in Australia, the Australian Bureau of Statistics conducted the Child Employment Survey throughout Australia in June 2006. The survey collected details about whether children worked, when they worked, their reasons for working and their working arrangements. The ABS has now published Child Employment, Jun 2006 (ABS catalogue no.6211.0), available at:
    http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/6211.0?OpenDocument

    Youth in the labour market in OECD countries,

    Starting well or losing their way? The position of youth in the labour market in OECD countries, by Glenda Quintini and Sebastien Martin and published by the OECD has also just been released. The paper highlights the trends in youth labour market performance over the past decade using a wide range of indicators. It also presents new evidence on the length of transitions from school to work; the wages, working conditions and stability of jobs performed by youth; and the degree of 'over-education' (the gap between the skills of young people and the jobs they get). See: http://caliban.sourceoecd.org/rpsv/cgi-bin/wppdf?file=5l9dpf45dkd8.pdf (PDF file)

    GRANTS, FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES, SPONSORSHIPS

    Telstra Foundation Community Development Fund grants

    This fund supports community-based projects that connect children and young people to their communities, with priority being given to projects for children and young people in the 0 to 24 year age-bracket who are socially or geographically isolated. The fund will spend $1.8 million over three years in new grants to help these young people to have a better quality of life through is three new program areas: Social Innovation Grants, the Indigenous Community Development program, and the Spotlight Issue which, for 2007, is the prevention of child abuse and neglect. Further information on the Telstra Foundation's Social Innovation Grants is available at:
    http://www.telstrafoundation.com, and details are also available on the Communitybuilders NSW website at:
    http://www2.communitybuilders.nsw.gov.au/funding/2231.html Applications opened on 1 February and close on 20 April 2007. Successful grant applications will be announced in July.

    Other opportunities

    The St. George Foundation Ltd provides financial support to charitable organisations throughout Australia to help them to assist children and young people up to 18 years of age with special needs. The foundation supports innovative projects that enable disadvantaged and disabled children to reach their potential, e.g. early intervention services; educational equipment and assistance; youth workers; recreational and respite programs; counselling and therapy; new technologies; and medical equipment. The twice-yearly cut-off dates for applications are 23 February 2007 and 22 June 2007; applications must be made online. See:
    http://www.stgeorgefoundation.com.au/stgeorgefoundation/gift.asp

    The Foundation for Young Australians' Spark fund provides funding for support for young people aged 12 to 25 for ideas and initiatives that would make a positive contribution to the community and enhance skills and experience, both their own and that of other youth in their communities. See:
    http://www.youngaustralians.org/downloads/Spark_Fund_Guidelines_2007.doc

    Robert Riley Scholarships, offered by the Foundation for Young Australians, exist to promote the pursuit of justice and human rights for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians through support for the education of young Indigenous people in these fields. Four scholarships of up to $5,000 each will be awarded for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged up to 25 years to pursue study in these areas. See:
    http://www.youngaustralians.org/downloads/RR_Scholarship_Guidelines_2007.doc

    The deadline for applications for Churchill Trust fellowships is rapidly approaching: 28 February 2007. See:
    http://www.churchilltrust.com.au/

    More funding opportunities concerning young people are listed on the Communitybuilders NSW website, at:
    http://preview.tinyurl.com/2mjzcv

    GAMBLING

    YouthBet.Net

    YouthBet.Net aims to prevent youth gambling problems through its interactive, multimedia website. Based on a public health approach, using public health strategies, such as health promotion, harm reduction and problem prevention, the site is designed by youth for youth, and features a variety of games and information to help protect youth from gambling-related harm. Research on the project was reported recently in the 'Canadian Journal of Public Health' (v.97, n.6, 2006). See:
    http://www.youthbet.net

    HEALTH AND WELLBEING

    Health of children in Australia

    The Australian Bureau of Statistics released the seminal document, Health of Children in Australia: A Snapshot 2004-2005 (ABS catalogue no.4829.0.55.001) has just been released, and is available at:
    http://preview.tinyurl.com/3bs8d9

    A major report from UNICEF on child wellbeing in rich countries (see International perspectives below) and the ABS snapshot of the health of Australian children, were the subject of the Life Matters program this morning on ABC Radio National: see the podcast of the program at: http://www.abc.net.au/rn/lifematters/stories/2007/1849863.htm

    HIV prevention among young people: Life Skills Training Kit

    The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) developed a training kit to support the efforts of governments, civil society institutions and youth-workers engaged in training young people on health issues. The training kit's intended for facilitators who train peer educators on HIV/AIDS and substance abuse. See:
    http://www.unescap.org/publications/detail.asp?id=1147

    Diversity Health Institute Clearinghouse

    This relatively new clearinghouse is a central access point for information on multicultural health in Australia and brings together a host of work on multicultural health in Australia. The clearinghouse website contains a number of databases for easy searching, including services, resources, research, training and events. Though Australian in focus, its content is also relevant to an international audience. The Diversity Health Institute is funded by the NSW Government. See:
    http://www.dhi.gov.au/clearinghouse/

    Easing the transition of those with chronic illness to adult-based services

    In the case of youth with a mental illness, the issue of the provision of youth-specific vs. adult-based services is increasingly a sore point. However, those with chronic illness in NSW will be heartened to know that attention is being paid to young persons aged 12-24 with a chronic illness/disability. The planning needed for them to move from children's to adult-based health services is the focus of working groups convened by NSW's Greater Metropolitan Clinical Taskforce Transition Program. They've been looking at transition issues specific to young people with a range of chronic illnesses /disabilities, such as diabetes, other endocrine disorders, spina bifida, gastroenterology and neurological disorders especially cerebral palsy. Young people with developmental disability have also been identified as having unique transition needs and a group is being convened to look at their issues. More at:
    http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/gmct/transition

    Student wellbeing

    The Australian Council for Educational Research has been funded by the Australian Scholarships Group to analyse responses to ACER's Social-emotional Wellbeing Survey. The analysis will investigate the impact of students' gender, year level and socioeconomic status on their wellbeing. Seminars on the findings of this research work will be conducted in Australia's major capital cities in late 2007.

    INDIGENOUS YOUTH

    Same kids, same goals: Principals and Indigenous education workers working together

    The Dusseldorp Skills Forum reports that Indigenous education workers, when properly skilled and effectively supported, are a crucial feature of the successful education of Indigenous Australian students in mainstream school settings. Same Kids Same Goals is a project conducted by the DSF in partnership with Dare To Lead and is aimed at addressing the importance of an effective working relationship between school principals and Indigenous education workers. See:
    http://www.dsf.org.au/samekidssamegoals/

    SNAICC National Conference 2007

    The Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care (SNAICC) conference, Ngadluko Ngartunnaitya – For our children, is to be held in September 2007. It's a conference for service providers, policy-makers, researchers and others whose work is focused on the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families. SNAICC is the national non government peak body in Australia representing the interests of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families. Details at:
    http://www.snaicc.asn.au/news/NationalConference2007.html

    INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVES

    The state of young people's human rights across the Tasman

    The major finding in the first-ever comprehensive report on the state of human rights in New Zealand is that the people who are most at risk from human rights abuses in New Zealand are children and young people. See: http://preview.tinyurl.com/2n6ppn

    Child wellbeing in rich countries

    The media have paid a lot of attention to the recent UNICEF report, 'Child poverty in perspective: An overview of child wellbeing in rich countries' (Innocenti Report Card 7, 2007, published by the UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre in Florence).

    The report uses six dimensions to measure the wellbeing of children:
    1) material wellbeing;
    2) health and safety;
    3) education;
    4) peer and family relationships;
    5) behaviours and risks; and
    6) young people's own subjective sense of wellbeing.
    The landmark report shows that no single OECD country leads in all six of these areas and that there are improvements to be made among all of the 21 OECD countries. Two of the sources drawn upon extensively in this Report Card are the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and the World Health Organization's survey of Health Behaviour in School-age Children (HBSC) 2001. The report shows that the smaller North-European countries have high rates of child wellbeing (the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark and Finland) and that there is not a strong or consistent relationship between a country's per capita GDP the wellbeing of its young. In terms of children's educational wellbeing, Finland, Canada, Australia and Japan head the table. Material goods and leisure activities were not a top priority for children. Relationships with family were seen as the most important determinant of wellbeing, followed by friends, school, and pets (the fact that 'health and safety' did not feature highly in children's priorities shows that there is still a place for adult input in the selection of indicators).
    UNICEF subtitles the report as being 'the most comprehensive assessment to date of the lives and wellbeing of children and adolescents in the economically advanced nations' but says this first ever overview is 'best regarded as a work in progress, in need of improved definitions and better data' ... 'When we attempt to measure children's wellbeing what we really seek to know is whether children are adequately clothed and housed and fed and protected, whether their circumstances are such that they are likely to become all that they are capable of becoming, or whether they are disadvantaged in ways that make it difficult or impossible for them to participate fully in the life and opportunities of the world around them. Above all we seek to know whether children feel loved, cherished, special and supported, within the family and community, and whether the family and community are being supported in this task by public policy and resources. The measures used in this report fall short of such nuanced knowledge ... But a start has been made.'
    To download a copy of the report, visit: http://www.unicef-icdc.org/

    The UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre

    This centre, formally known as the International Child Development Centre, generates research into current and future areas of UNICEF's work. Its prime objectives are to improve international understanding of issues relating to children's rights and to help facilitate the full implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child in both industrialized and developing countries.

    LEGAL ISSUES

    'When Can I?' is a legal information handbook for young people in the ACT, and a new edition has been launched recently. It's distributed in hard copy to high schools, colleges, youth centres and community organisations free of charge, and an electronic version will be available from the websites of both the ACT's Legal Aid Office and the Youth Law Centre ACT.
    Staying in the ACT, draft legislation has been released for public comment there. The Children and Young People Bill 2007 is an exposure draft of a Bill to repeal and replace the ACT's Children and Young People Act 1999. There are significant policy changes in the draft, particularly in the areas of care and protection, youth justice and child care services. The changes have been informed by community consultation with young people and key community, government, legal and advocacy agencies. See:
    http://www.legislation.act.gov.au

    MEDIA

    Entries for the Reelife Short Film Festival, a creative project of Vibewire, close on 5 March 2007. See:
    http://www.vibewire.net/Reelife

    MENTAL HEALTH

    'Count Me In': Innovative community based approaches to better mental health

    The Mental Health Coordinating Council in NSW is planning to hold a conference in partnership with the Centre for Mental Health and Drug and Alcohol Programs at the Sydney Masonic Centre from 1 to 2 March 2007. The conference will address current issues facing the mental health sector, including progress on an all-of-government approach, proposed mental health service models, workforce development, capacity-building, change management, wellbeing in Indigenous communities, cultural and linguistic diversity, mental illness and substance abuse, psychosocial rehabilitation, services for families and carers, consumer run-services, and more. Contact the MHCC, ph: (02) 9555 8388; fax: (02) 9810 8145; or see:
    http://www.mhcc.org.au

    More on the Cool Teens CD-ROM

    Last year, the ACYS journal, 'Youth Studies Australia', published an article on the development of Cool Teens, a computer-based, self-help program to reach adolescents with an anxiety disorder who do not access traditional psychological services. (Cunningham, M.J., Rapee, R.M., and Lyneham, H.J. (2006). The Cool Teens CD-ROM: A multimedia self-help program for adolescents with anxiety. 'Youth Studies Australia', v.25, n.1, pp.50-56.) An update on this project from Macquarie University's Anxiety Research Unit has been published in a recent edition of the 'Australian e-Journal for the Advancement of Mental Health' (AeJAMH). It outlines how adolescents rated the program, their multimedia preferences and attitudes towards a prototype of the Cool Teens CD-ROM. See: Cunningham, M.J., Rapee, R.M., and Lyneham, H.J. (2006). Feedback to a prototype self-help computer program for anxiety disorders in adolescents. 'Australian e-Journal for the Advancement of Mental Health', v.5, n.3 (December); ISSN: 1446-7984;
    http://www.auseinet.com/journal/vol5iss3/index.php or as a PDF document at:
    http://www.auseinet.com/journal/vol5iss3/cunningham.pdf
    Also in the December issue of AeJAMH are articles on suicide, and an article, 'Do internet self-harm discussion groups alleviate or exacerbate self-harming behaviour?' AeJAMH is a forum for advancing promotion, prevention and early intervention approaches to mental health and is a peer reviewed, online, open access journal published by the Australian Network for Promotion, Prevention and Early Intervention for Mental Health (Auseinet),
    http://www.auseinet.com/journal

    Community of Youth Services: Round one of headspace funding offers due to be announced soon

    headspace, Australia's new National Youth Mental Health Foundation, will be providing funding to selected organisations/consortia from across the country to establish a Community of Youth Services (CYS). Information about the successful applicants for round one of headspace funding will be posted in February, and the second headspace funding round is due to open in the early part of 2007. See:
    http://www.headspace.org.au/ To register with headspace to receive their notifications, go to: http://www.headspace.org.au/subscribe.html

    Boosting the Sparks: School-based mental health promotion (conference) Perth

    The Australian Guidance and Counselling Association, in conjunction with Intercamhs and School Psychologists' Association (WA) is holding this preconference seminar in Perth on 20 February 2007 prior to the three-day 'Kindling the flame' mental health promotion conference. Contact: Grania McCudden, Convenor, 10 Almondbury St., Bayswater, WA 6053; ph: (08) 9264 4080; fax: (08) 9264 4754.

    Parents' cues to boys on mental health conditions are influential

    The Research and Training Center for Family Support and Children's Mental Health at Portland State University works in collaboration with the Research and Training Center for Children's Mental Health at the University of South Florida and issues a series of 'Data trends' that might interest some YFX readers. An example is their November 2006 paper, 'The influence of gender and parent attitudes on teen perceptions of mental health care', which reports on a study that shows 'perceived stigma and parental attitudes play essential roles in children's willingness to seek support and mental health services', with the implication that it's 'important for parents to be aware of the messages they give to their children – especially boys – about mental health conditions and those who treat them'. Email contact: datatrends@pdx.edu, or http://www.rtc.pdx.edu

    MOVEMENTS, CHANGES, MILESTONES


    The National Child Protection Clearinghouse, and its host organisation, the Australian Institute of Family Studies, will be at their new premises at 485 La Trobe Street, Melbourne as of 26 February 2007.

    The Equity Research Centre has moved to: 106/134 Cambridge St., Collingwood, Victoria 3066; ph: (03) 9417 5355; fax: (03) 9417 5941; admin@equityresearch.org.au; http://www.equityresearch.org.au

    The New South Wales Association for Adolescent Health (NAAH) has moved to Suite 4 , Level 1, 619 Elizabeth St., Redfern NSW 2016; postal address PO Box 613, Strawberry Hills, NSW 2012. Ph: (02) 9699 1033; fax: (02) 9699 3131; email: eo@naah.org.au NAAH is specifically aimed at the youth health sector, youth workers and anyone else with a passion for youth health issues, and produces an excellent email newsletter.

    PARTICIPATION

    Research on participation in decision-making

    The National Youth Affairs Research Scheme (NYARS) is funding a research project looking at diversity in young people's participation in community and government decision-making. This research seeks to understand what promotes or inhibits partipation in decision-making by Indigenous young people, young people with a disability, young people from lower socio-economic backgrounds, culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and young people who've been under the guardianship of the Minister. The research is being conducted by Cultural and Indigenous Research Centre Australia (CIRCA), Dr. Ariadne Vromen at the University of Sydney and the Inspire Foundation, and the researchers are working with a youth advisory group. For more details on this project, contact Johanna Bell at CIRCA Research, ph: (02) 8585 1353.

    Young people and democracy

    It's timely to remind young Australians that they should consider enrolling to vote now, or risk losing the opportunity to participate in the democratic process of voting in the Australian elections due to be held at some time in 2007.

    Turning 18 and voting

    The Australian Electoral Commission has produced a Youth Enrolment poster to encourage young people to enrol to vote. It is available to all educational institutions and is particularly relevant to senior secondary students, with the clear message, 17=enrol, 18+vote. See the PDF version of the poster, at:
    http://www.aec.gov.au/_content/How/education/resources/youth_poster.pdf
    Those aged 17 needing to get onto the voters' role, as well as those over 18 years of age who need to enrol or whose circumstances have changed recently will find the relevant forms at any Australia Post shop/office, Australian Electoral Commission office, or state/territory electoral office, and on the AEC website, at: http://www.aec.gov.au/_content/what/forms/index.htm
    The Australian Electoral Commission website's FAQ explains: If a person is 17 years old and an Australian citizen, they may enrol, but are not entitled to vote until they turn 18. Those who will turn 18 years old between the announcement of the election (date of the writ) and polling day and have not already applied for provisional enrolment, will have until close of rolls to apply for enrolment. The electoral roll is continuously updated; however, following the issue of the 'writ' for an election, which sets the election timetable, the roll for the election is closed. The roll for the election closes at 8.00 p.m. local time on the third working day after the writ is issued and cannot be updated after that date. In Australia, voting is compulsory for every Australian citizen aged 18 years or older. (Source: http://www.aec.gov.au/_content/What/enrolment/faq_general.htm)

    Young people, new technologies and political engagement

    Abstracts of proposals are due by 23 February 2007 for this event coming up in the UK at the University of Surrey on 24-25 July 2007. The seminar is being organised by the British Sociological Association's Youth Study Group in association with the University of Surrey's Institute of Advanced Studies and the Social Policy Association. The organisers write that there is now 'a large body of literature which has explored the potential of "digital democracy" to revitalise political life and challenge conventional forms of political participation. Separately, youth researchers have provided considerable insights into the way new technologies are influencing, and are themselves influenced by, the lives and identities of young people' but it is only recently that significant research attention has begun to 'focus upon the particular relationships -- potential and actual -- between new technologies and political engagement amongst the young'. For further information, contact Dr Paul Hodkinson (P.Hodkinson@surrey.ac.uk) or see:
    http://www.soc.surrey.ac.uk/ias/

    POVERTY

    'Youth bulges', participation and poverty reduction

    At a recent World Bank conference on young people and Poverty Reduction Strategic Processes -- or PRSPs -- Richard Curtain, a public policy consultant specialising in evidence-based policy analysis, presented an analysis of 55 PRSP papers to determine the extent to which young people were consulted and involved in action plans targeting poverty reduction. PRSP papers are written by developing nations as a requirement for debt relief. Curtain found that only half of the PRSP papers he'd reviewed showed signs of consulting youth about poverty reduction strategies. Few mentioned how many youth had been consulted, or how. His findings reflect many countries' practices of not involving young people in the planning and decision-making processes of national youth service policies. He also found that poor countries that had 'youth bulges' (where the proportion of 15- to 24-year-olds was greater than the adult population) had a corresponding likelihood of experiencing national conflict. Despite this, many countries with large youth bulges did not address young people's issues in their action plans, thus missing the chance to mitigate against conflict. As young people form a significant proportion of developing countries' populations, reducing poverty is inexorably linked to strategies for dealing with youth issues, yet, to date, few countries acknowledge in their PRSP papers the importance of developing any such strategies. The countries with the largest youth bulges and with no reference to youth in their PRSP papers, were Nigeria, Pakistan and Nepal. More about PRSPs is at: http://www.worldbank.org/prsp (Source: 'Service News Worldwide', n.40, February 2007. 'Service News Worldwide' is produced by Innovations in Civic Participation as a resource for current news and events related to service and the in-depth discussion of different types of service and the issues that accompany them. To subscribe, send an email to: info@icicp.org)

    PROGRAMS AND PRACTICE

    The Pathways to Prevention Project: The first five years 1999-2004

    The December issue of YFX made brief mention of the 132-page report on this key project in the youth field: Pathways to Prevention Project: The first five years 1999-2004, by Ross Homel, director of the Kate Freiberg, Cherie Lamb, Marie Leech, Angela Carr, Anne Hampshire, Ian Hay, Gordon Elias, Matthew Manning, Rosie Teague and Sam Batchelor.

    The project is part of the larger, Prevention and Development Pathways program at the Key Centre for Ethics, Law, Justice and Governance (KCELJG) at Griffith University. The Prevention and Development Pathways program forges links between research, policy and practice. It works towards the development of models of prevention, intervention and assessment that are nationally and internationally applicable for improving the quality of life in our communities, especially for the more vulnerable and marginalised ('at-risk' children, youth, prisoners families and sections of the community with multiple agency support needs). With its focus on community engagement, early intervention and developmental prevention, the program links up research experts in crime prevention, developmental and forensic psychology, criminology and corrections theory, all levels of government and NGO service delivery organisations, and practitioners -- professionals, such as social workers, psychologists, community and welfare support staff, teachers and government service delivery agencies -- to engage directly with local communities.
    As part of the Pathways program, the Pathways to Prevention Project is an ongoing partnership between Mission Australia and the KCELJG. Planning began in 1999, so the project is one of the longest established activities of the centre. The project report, launched by the Prime Minister on 7 December 2006 contains many insights about the research and collaboration process that might interest those working in the youth field, whether in research, policy or practice:
    'Universities are not community agencies and are simply not equipped to implement, on a sustainable basis, the kinds of community-based programs that we have described in this report' and yet universities 'contain an enormous reservoir of knowledge and expertise that can be invaluable to community organisations searching for new ways of thinking and of doing business'. The report's authors propose 'not just the proliferation of Australian Research Council Linkage Grants, although these represent a very successful model of university-industry research partnership, but a much more fully-developed and multifaceted relationship that is sustained over many years and that takes both partners in new directions. It would be very helpful if governments recognised the value of such relationships in this field and encouraged their formation and maintenance through explicit funding and policy arrangements.' They describe the partnerships that 'comprised the scaffolding that made the Pathways to Prevention Project possible. Partnerships operated at the community level through working relationships between university and Mission Australia staff and families, ethnic communities, schools, and other agencies', saying that ' ... partnerships with the federal and state governments and with the philanthropic foundations created, in a real sense, the overall positive climate in which the project could flourish' -- a climate that arose not simply from financial support but from encouragement and 'the maintenance of a progressive policy environment'. At its heart, the network of relationships that made Pathways possible were forged by practitioner-researcher links, as well as Mission Australia's advocacy and fund raising. The report's authors underline the importance of communication within a large organisation, and also the influential role of a partnership of researchers and practitioners in shaping 'policy agendas both within organisations and beyond.' The report can be downloaded as a PDF from: http://www.griffith.edu.au/centre/kceljag), (Source: 'The Owl's Beak', 2006, annual newsletter of the key Centre for Ethics, Law, Justice and Governance, Griffith University; and the centre's website at: http://www.griffith.edu.au/centre/kceljag).

    RESOURCES

    'Developing Practice' call for papers

    'Developing Practice', the journal published by the Association of Childrens Welfare Agencies and NSW Family Services, is aimed at practitioners and managers who provide programs and services for vulnerable children, young people and families. As of its winter edition (n.19, August 2007), it will be a peer reviewed journal. Its editors invite contributions relating to direct service delivery or research and policy with a direct application to practice; contributions about practice and services which have been evaluated are particularly encouraged. More at: http://www.acwa.asn.au/acwa/publications/Journal/journal.html

    STATISTICS

    New releases from the Australian Bureau of Statistics


    Year Book Australia 2007 (ABS publication catalogue n.1301.0) at: http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/1301.0?OpenDocument

    Australia at a Glance, 2007 (ABS publication catalogue n.1309.0) at: http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/1309.0?OpenDocument

    ABS products are available free of charge on the ABS web site at: http://www.abs.gov.au/ (Charges may apply for products in hard copy format that are mailed out: for details, see: http://www.abs.gov.au/about/pricing )

    TECHNOLOGY

    An overview of the phenomenon of social networking websites and adolescents is given in a report of the Pew Internet and American Life Project in the USA, at:
    http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/198/report_display.asp

    TRANSITIONS

    Service-learning's benefits in youth transitions

    In the USA, the National Youth Leadership Council's final report on the National Survey on Service-Learning and Transitioning to Adulthood has been released. The survey shows that, in terms of their civic engagement, pursuit of higher education, career development and personal relationships, those who participate in service-learning programs carry the benefits of their participation into adulthood. See:
    http://www.nylc.org/happening_newsarticle.cfm?oid=5453

    UNITED NATIONS NEWS

    'UN Youth flash' is a service of the UN Programme on Youth, and the most recent issue (v.4, n.1, January 2007) focuses on enabling youth living with disabilities. See:
    http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unyin/flash.htm

    The full text of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in the UN's six official languages is at:
    http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/enable/rights/convtexte.htm

    VIOLENCE

    NSW Ombudsman reports on policing of domestic violence

    The NSW Police responds to around 120,000 domestic violence calls each year, and the NSW Ombudsman tabled a special report in the NSW Parliament in December 2006 following a comprehensive 12-month review of domestic violence policing across NSW. The report makes 44 recommendations aimed at achieving better protection and support for victims of domestic violence, and highlights the importance of strong communication and cooperation between government and non-government agencies. Copies of the Ombudsman's report are available at http://www.ombo.nsw.gov.au

    YOUTH AFFAIRS

    National Youth Week 2007

    National Youth Week takes place soon on 14-22 April 2007. The theme is Launch Yourself. This year, NYW is planning to have a national calendar of events around the country. More details at: http://www.youthweek.com; email: youthweek@facsia.gov.au or call the NYW hotline on 1300 663 500.

    YOUTH POLICY

    NSW's youth action plan

    The NSW Youth Action Plan was released in December 2006. The plan gives an overview of mainstream and youth-specific supports that the NSW Government provides and over 40 actions that it proposes for the next four years for the following priority action areas:
    * belonging to family and community;
    * learning and earning;
    * feeling good and staying healthy;
    * engaging in culture, sport and recreation;
    * feeling and being safe.
    The plan shares more than half of the priorities identified for the NSW State Plan. As part of its focus on participation, the Youth Action Plan includes funding for a youth participation grants program, which will give young people the opportunity to create and run local projects that also encourage their peers to get involved in the community. The NSW Department of Community Services is providing $250,000 for this program, which is being developed in partnership with the NSW peak body, the Youth Action and Policy Association. For more details, contact Liz Hurst, Principal Project Officer, Youth Strategy and Participation at the Communities Division, Department of Community Services, Locked Bag 28, Ashfield NSW 1800; ph: (02) 9716 2877; fax: (02) 9716 2870.

    YOUTH WORK

    Victorian code of ethical practice for youth workers

    The Youth Affairs Council of Victoria is currently developing a draft Code of Ethical Practice for Youth Workers in Victoria. In February, YACVic convened a series of briefings and consultations on the code with employers of workers with young people, and with TAFEs and RTOs that teach youth work courses. As a result of these meetings, YACVic will be issuing a draft document for broader consultation in March and April, and intends to launch their Code of Ethical Practice at the National Youth Affairs Conference in Melbourne in May 2007. For more information, contact YACVic's Georgie Ferrari, email: gferrari@yacvic.org.au or call (03) 9267 3711.

    DID YOU KNOW?

    Who's 'hard-to-reach'?

    In local government, 'hard to reach' is a term sometimes used to describe those sections of the community that are difficult to involve in public participation. In a working paper, Who is hard to reach and why? Nicola Brackertz of the Institute for Social Research, Swinburne University of Technology, looks generally at the use of the term in the literature. See: http://www.sisr.net/publications/0701brackertz.pdf (PDF file)