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YOUTH FIELD XPRESS
ISSN 1440-8651
June 2007, n.130, p. 1 2 3
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ACYS news to Education
ACYS NEWS
The June 2007 edition of our journal, Youth Studies Australia, has been released. For an overview of its contents, including subscription information, see the ACYS website, at: http://www.acys.info/journal/overview
ARTS, MUSIC
J Arts Crew
The Program, the Australia Council's national youth arts and culture website, has announced it will continue to partner with Triple J to run the J Arts Crew for 2007. This media partnership joins up what’s online, on-air, and offline. The Program aims to connect young people to all things creative, while Triple J is Australia’s only national youth radio network dedicated to the expression of youth culture in all its forms. The J Arts Crew will be coordinated centrally and its new recruits will be mentored by a producer at Triple J, with fortnightly segments being broadcast through local ABC studios. See: http://www.theprogram.net.au or contact Monique Zammit, Australia Council for the Arts on (02) 9215 9191 or by email: m.zammit[AT]ozco.gov.au
BULLYING AND VIOLENCE
Rollout of a bullying prevention program
The Friendly Schools and Families Program is widely used in Western Australia, where it was developed by Dr Donna Cross and Dr Erin Erceg of Edith Cowan University. The program addresses bullying at the individual, group, family and school community levels, and helps services to design, develop, implement, disseminate and evaluate a social skill-building and comprehensive anti-bullying program that is an evidence-based, whole-school approach to reducing bullying. See: http://www.friendlyschools.com.au
Youth anti-violence project
The 'No more violence, We're breaking the silence' anti-violence campaign, developed by the Western Australia Family and Domestic Violence Unit and the Western Australia Office for Children and Youth, won an award in 2006 for outstanding initiatives provided to the West Australian community by workers in the public sector. It's the first public awareness campaign specifically targeted at young people affected by family or dating violence and consists of a website, posters and an information kit. So far, almost 60,000 kits have been distributed to service providers in WA who work with children and young people at risk. The campaign is being used as the basis for a Family and Domestic Violence Peer Education Program being piloted in three schools. See: http://www.youthsayno.wa.gov.au (Source: 'Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse Newsletter', n.27, summer 2006/07, pp.7-8.)
Helping young men to get a GRIPP
The Victorian Department of Justice launched the Gain Respect, Increase Personal Power (GRIPP) program in early 2007. It aims help young aged 13 to 17 years who have come into contact with the Dandenong Magistrates' and Children's Courts or local police as a result of their aggressive or violent behaviour. The holistic program helps young men to change their behaviour and develop respectful, non-violent relationships. (Source: 'Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse Newsletter', n.28, autumn 2007, p.11.)
CARE AND PROTECTION
Thoughts on residential care and young people
The first edition of the 'Children Australia' journal for 2007 (v.32, n.1) contains an interesting opinion piece on the use of residential programs (such as group homes and institutions) as part of the out-of-home care system for children and young people in Australia. The piece was written by Dr Frank Ainsworth, a senior principal research fellow at the School of Social Work and Community Welfare, James Cook University, as a response to a number of recent reports on residential programs which offered somewhat different perspectives on these programs: one highlighted the problem of abuse within these programs, while the other called for 'the reclaiming of residential care as a positive choice for children and youth'. Dr Ainsworth believes that '[I]n Australia, any move towards a wider use of residential programs as part of the out-of-home care system ... would be disastrous unless there is clarity about the theoretical foundations and function of these programs'. Dr Ainsworth is keen for people to write rejoinders to his piece in order to continue the debate about the role of residential programs within the out-of-home care system in Australia. (Source: 'Children Australia', v.32, n.1, 2007, pp.32-35.)
CRIME AND JUSTICE
Head injury and violent offending
In mid-June, the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research released the report, 'The relationship between head injury and violent offending in juvenile detainees'. It describes the findings of researchers at the University of Sydney who have found a link between head injury -- causing unconsciousness -- and severely violent offending, such as homicide and grievous bodily harm. For more about the report, see BOCSAR's website, at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au or contact Dianna Kenny, ph: 0425 358 275, or Chris Lennings, ph: (02) 9751 2047; http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au
The young adult outcomes of childhood and adolescent antisocial behaviour: An Australian cohort
This report emerges from a project titled, 'The young adult outcomes of childhood and adolescent antisocial behaviour: An Australian cohort' funded by the Criminology Research Council, and is written by William Bor, Tara Renae McGee, Reza Hayatbakhsh and Jake Najman. It discusses the patterns of offending behaviour in young people in Australia, which is problematic from a number of perspectives, but focuses on one domain of the problem, namely the link between types of childhood and adolescent antisocial behaviour and young adult outcomes. See: http://www.aic.gov.au/crc/reports/200405-27.html
SACOSS community consultation on young repeat offenders
The South Australian Council of Social Service is concerned over an increase in recommendations for 'get tough' initiatives in that state regarding law and order and juveniles. 'We consider that this increasing focus on criminal justice and an escalation of punitive sanctions has been the result of the dual processes of media sensationalism and political hysteria. These negative and populist environments are further exacerbated by baseless suggestions of "crime waves" by youth in particular. Unfortunately through this discourse, opinion is manipulated in the community to accept that our society is unsafe and that harsher penalties against youth will make us all feel safer' ('Community Consultation on Young Repeat Offenders', March 2007). As a way forward through this debate, SACOSS points to the recommendations of a 2005 report of the Select Committee on the Youth Justice System, as it had emphasised the need to minimise young people's engagement with the youth justice system and for the use of intervention and prevention strategies in young people's formative years. (Source: South Australian Policy Online, http://www.sapo.org.au/pub/pub8483.html, viewed 18 June 2007.)
DRUGS
The Living with Drugs in the Family Project
This project is exploring the needs and issues of the siblings of illicit drug users, and is interested in finding out about their experiences of growing up with a brother or sister who has used, or is currently using, illicit drugs. It is hoped that this project will help to gain a better understanding of the issues for siblings, and to determine what things assist family members to cope. It will also explore what type of services and supports, if any, would be helpful for family members where a sibling is using drugs. The research is being conducted by David Rose, Dr Lou Harms, and Dr Lynda Campbell through the School of Social Work, University of Melbourne (http://www.siblingdrugproject.org). The research involves completion of an anonymous online survey that can be found at: http://www.siblingdrugproject.org To take part in the survey, you should be between 18 to 35 years old.
Australian Winter School 2007
The 20th annual Australian Winter School is to be held at the Sebel and Citygate King George Square Hotel in Brisbane from 2-4 July. An initiative of the Alcohol and Drug Foundation, Queensland, it aims to help workers in the alcohol and other drugs sector to increase their knowledge and professional skills and to inform delegates about the latest research in this field. The conference program, abstracts and presenter details are at: http://www.winterschool.info or further information, email the conference Secretariat: winterschool[AT]adfq.org (Source: 'ADCA News', n.35, May 2007, p.16.)
Adult ADHD among psychostimulant users
The March 2007 edition of 'CentreLines', the newsletter of the National Centres for Drug and Alcohol Research, contains a short piece by National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre research fellow Sharlene Kaye about her proposed research into the relationship between Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and psychostimulant use among adults. Current data estimates that up to 6 per cent of the adult population may have ADHD, although many adults could remain undiagnosed, and it's been hypothesised that individuals with undiagnosed or untreated ADHD may use psychostimulants as a form of self-medication. To investigate this relationship, Kaye and her colleagues hope to conduct research comparing the prevalence of ADHD among psychostimulant users, opioid users and non-drug users; comparing the different pattern of illicit drug use among adults taking ADHD medication; examining the impact of ADHD medication on illicit drug use and drug of choice; and exploring the relationships between illicit drug use and different subtypes of ADHD. (Source: 'CentreLines', March 2007, p.2.)
Post traumatic stress disorder and illicit drug use
The National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre has received funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council to conduct a randomised control trial of Concurrent Treatment of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Substance Use Disorder (CTPSD), an intervention used in the USA in the effective treatment of PTSD among people with a concurrent cocaine dependence. The Australian trial will be the to examine the use of exposure therapy for PTSD among substance users. (Source: 'CentreLines', March 2007, p.4.)
Resource to address professionals' attitudes towards drug users
Medical professionals' negative and judgmental attitudes towards those who use drugs are a known barrier for those with substance use problems in accessing adequate clinical services. The National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction (based at Flinders University) has created a resource for those who train and educate health professionals to help them explore and evaluate their attitudes towards people who use drugs, for example, their assumptions about 'deservingness' and medical care. The resource can be downloaded from: http://www.nceta.flinders.edu.au/documents/AttitudesBookletFinal.pdf (Source: 'Of Substance', v.5, n.2, April 2007, p.6.)
Methamphetamine position paper
In January 2007, the Australian National Council on Drugs (ANCD) released a position paper on methamphetamine in response to growing public concern about the use of the drug in this country. The paper indicates that around 73,000 Australians are dependent upon methamphetamines, well above the number of Australians who regularly use heroin (approximately 45,000). Although 1.5 million Australians have tried methamphetamines, most of the harms associated with its use (such as psychotic symptoms, physical health problems, crime, aggressive or violent behaviour and deterioration in social functioning) are found among dependent users. Effective treatment for dependent users is therefore critical to addressing the methamphetamine problem in Australia. Other recommendations from the paper include the development of partnerships between health and law enforcement personnel, providing drug treatment services with the capacity to identify, treat and refer patients with comorbid mental health problems, and understanding and overcoming the barriers that those who use drugs face when attempting to access treatment. The position paper is available for download at: http://www.ancd.org.au/publications/pdf/pp_methamphetamines.pdf (Source: 'Of Substance', v.5, n.2, April 2007, p.7.)
EDUCATION
DEST/EU joint declaration
Julie Bishop, Minister for Education, Science and Training, and Jan Figel, the European Commissioner for Education, Training, Culture and Youth, signed a Joint Declaration on Cooperation in the Fields of Education and Training in Sydney in April 2007. The joint declaration expresses their willingness to further strengthen co-operation by promoting policy dialogue and joint projects between higher education and vocational education and training institutions in the European Union and Australia. The declaration identifies the Bologna Process (higher education harmonisation in Europe) as an issue of potential policy dialogue between the EU and Australia. See: http://aei.dest.gov.au/AEI/MIP/ItemsOfInterest/07Interest26.htm
Australian young people: Their stories, their families and post-school plans
The Australian Council for Educational Research prepared this report, released in May, for the Smith Family. Its authors are: Jennifer Bryce, Michelle Anderson, Tracey Frigo, and Phillip McKenzie (ISBN: 1 876833 42 4 48pp.) It looks at how families help to shape the choices that young people make after they leave or finish school. It's the fifth report in their series of reports on the challenges faced by Learning for Life students in making successful post-school transitions. Using a combination of a research literature review and interviews, the authors found there were several main factors that helped young people and their families in making these decisions. The report is available on The Smith Family's website, at: http://www.thesmithfamily.com.au/index.cfm?pid=2535&pageid=2882 or get there via: http://tinyurl.com/22mdfs (Source: Infoxchange Australia, viewed 22 May 2007; and http://www.thesmithfamily.com.au/, viewed 22 May 2007).
Overcoming disadvantage through student-centred learning
'Crossing the bridge: Overcoming entrenched disadvantage through student-centred learning', by Rosalyn Black, Education Foundation Australia ' is the report of a research project conducted by Education Foundation Australia with funding from The R.E. Ross Trust to document the experience of schools in a disadvantaged area of Melbourne that have implemented student-centred learning in the middle years. 'The OECD’s surveys of the performance of 15-year-olds in reading, mathematics, science and problem solving show that Australian education is of high quality. Australia’s weakness lies in the magnitude of the influence of social background on educational achievement. The influence is much smaller in countries such as Canada, Finland and the Republic of South Korea which can be characterised as high-quality and high-equity while Australia languishes with a high-quality, low-equity label' (Foreword, 'Crossing the bridge'). The report shows that student-centred approaches improve learning for students in our most disadvantaged communities, but that schools in these communities need new solutions to support their work. The project looks at outcomes for student learning and engagement, analyses what supports or hinders these schools in the development, implementation and maintenance of student-centred learning and identifies what can be done to enable other schools to implement a similar approach. 'Crossing the bridge' is available at http://www.educationfoundation.org.au (registration n. A0018452R) or as a PDF file at: http://www.educationfoundation.org.au/downloads/Ros%20Black%20Crossing%20The%20Bridge.pdf or get there via: http://preview.tinyurl.com/2cmtmr For details, contact Education Foundation Australia, ph: (03) 9650 4277, email: enquiries[AT]educationfoundation.org.au, http://www.educationfoundation.org.au
Shakespeare makes it to rural Australia
The Federal Government has announced an injection of $1 million into the Bell Shakespeare Company's Actors at Work education program. The extra funding will mean that the program, which sees professional actors travelling to schools to perform and workshop works of Shakespeare with students and teachers, will be able to be delivered to more schools in rural and remote areas. The company also awards scholarships to 12 teachers from regional and remote secondary schools each year to develop these teachers' confidence in teaching Shakespeare, and offers one scholarship each year to enable a student to work with the company for a week. For further information, visit the Bell Shakespeare Company's website: http://www.bellshakespeare.com.au (Source: 'Education Review', v.17, n.3, 2007, p.7.)
Crisis management planning in schools
A car crash, accident or death by suicide involving a member or members of a school community can have serious effects on students and teachers alike. A recent edition of 'Education Review' (16 May 2007) contains a feature on the importance of crisis management planning in schools. It contains advice from John Cortese, principal of Red Cliffs Secondary College in Mildura, Victoria, a school which lost three students following a car crash in February 2006, long-time school counsellor Diane Russell and Mardie Whitla, author of the book 'Crisis management and the school community'. These individuals highlight the importance of providing accurate and appropriate information about the tragedy, immediate and ongoing care and support to all students attending affected schools, and the need to include students in organising memorials on significant anniversaries or birthdays related to the tragedy and those involved. (Source: 'Education Review', v.17, n.3, 2007, pp.10-11.)
At-risk students research post-school options
Last year, Year 10 students from Redcliffe State School in Queensland completed a Learning Engagement Online (LEO) project in which they investigated the barriers that prevent students from attending university after finishing Year 12. The project aimed to re-engage at-risk students in learning through an ICT-rich learning environment. Students involved in the project surveyed their peers and presented the results in a short documentary DVD called 'Destination uni: Way to go!'. Students are planning to market this DVD to other schools this year. LEO teacher Kylie Smith said that the program helped students to develop multimedia, multi-literacy and higher order thinking skills. Students presented their research at the Engaging Boys in Literacy Conference held at the Sunshine Coast University in April this year. For more information, contact Kylie Smith: ksmit88[AT]eq.edu.au (Source: 'Connect', n.164-65, April-June 2007, p.8.)