MOVEMENTS, CHANGES, MILESTONES
* The May 2007 edition of the Alcohol and other Drugs Council of Australia reports that Mr David Crosbie has been appointed as the new CEO of the Mental Health Council of Australia. (Source: 'ADCA News', n.35, May 2007, p.7.)
* The Australian Vice-Chancellors' Committee (AVCC) has become Universities Australia with the adoption of a new constitution and a new focus. All existing members of the AVCC are inaugural members of Universities Australia.
PARTICIPATION
Enrolling to vote
Given that much work in the youth field involves issues of participation and the prevention of exclusion, a very practical way to ensure that youth become active citizens is to encourage their participation in elections. Consequently, many newsletters in the youth field are highlighting the issue that thousands of potential young Australian voters face in getting onto the electoral rolls due to the change of deadlines for closing the electoral rolls once an election is called. In May, more than 1,700 secondary schools participated in Australia's first national 'Enrol to Vote Week' which aimed to boost the enrolment rate among 17 and 18-year-olds, an age-group that will have to beat the clock to get themselves or their changed details onto the electoral roll on the same day that the forthcoming election is called. 'Enrol to Vote Week' was part of a national media advertising campaign launched in May by the Australian Electoral Commission. The AEC is encouraging all Australians to value their vote and to enrol before this year’s federal election, and is especially urging young people to get on the electoral roll, given the tight deadline for enrolling. Enrolment status can be checked online at http://www.aec.gov.au, by calling 13 23 26 or by visiting an AEC office. Enrolment forms are available on the AEC website or at any AEC office or Australia Post outlet.
Democracy rules for schools
The Australian Electoral Commission will be distributing an educational resource to every primary and secondary school later this year. Their ‘Democracy Rules’ book and CD-ROM aims to 'help students become active citizens and learn about Australia’s electoral system'. More at: http://www.aec.gov.au/Education/Teachers_resources/Resource/Democracy_Rules/index.htm or get there via: http://preview.tinyurl.com/2v3tju
Bright Minds Bright Futures seeks young leaders
Bright Minds, Bright Futures is a trial project of the Foundation for Young Australians. The FYA is currently looking for passionate 25- to 40-year-old community and business leaders to get involved through contributing a small amount of money and attending two one-day workshops. The project is an alternative to existing models of philanthropy and offers a higher level of engagement with how the contributed funds are spent. Once recruited, the group will identify young people to become part of the decision-making entity. They will come together for a day of setting goals, vision and outcomes as well as learning about youth issues and philanthropy in Australia. The group will decide how they want to spend their contributed funds working alongside the FYA. Bright Minds, Bright Futures will also provide a unique opportunity for people to build networks with other successful and like-minded leaders and will create an opportunity for young people to be involved in decision-making. To receive more information on the project, contact Susie te Velde, Co-investment Manager, FYA, ph: (03) 9670 5436.
Model SRC constitution workshop format
The April 2007 edition of the newsletter of the Professional Association of Student Representative Council Teacher/Advisors (PASTA) contains a model format for a workshop that can be conducted with student representative council members to develop a written SRC constitution. The model was created and revised by PASTA based on a one-day workshop held at Kelso High School in Bathurst, NSW, in 2005. For further details, email PASTA Vice-President Charles Kingston: kingstons[AT]exemail.com.au (Source: 'PASTA Newsletter', n.53, April 2007, pp.18-21.)
Participation resource for high-school students
SoundOut, a US-based organisation promoting student participation in schools, has published a limited release of its resource 'SoundOut student voice curriculum: Lesson plans for engaging students as partners in school improvement'. The resource consists of eight modules to help students learn about student voice, the education system and school improvement, and the package includes a facilitator's guide and a copy of 'Meaningful student involvement guide to students as partners in school improvement'. For copies, email Adam Fletcher: info[AT]soundout.org or visit the SoundOut website: http://www.soundout.org (Source: 'Connect', n.162, December 2006, p.25.)
Rights-based approaches to student participation
The April-June double issue of 'Connect' magazine contains a piece by Rys Farthing, a youth work lecturer at RMIT University, about rights-based approaches to student participation. This approach involves valuing student participation in and of itself rather than viewing it as a means to other desirable ends such as young people's health and wellbeing and civics and citizenship education. Farthing outlines the rights-based approach as codified in several United Nations conventions, namely, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child. She then examines a range of pros and cons related to using the language of rights as a structure for student participation, particularly in relation to student representative councils. Finally, she shows how the rights-based approach could be applied to a range of problems commonly faced by SRCs. (Source: 'Connect', n.164-65, April-June 2007, p.23-27.)
POLICY
Youth-related items in the 2007-2008 Federal Budget
Luke Bo'sher from the Youth Coalition of the ACT has prepared a comprehensive summary of youth-related items included in the recent Federal Budget. These include $4.2 million in funding over two years for the Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth (ARACY), increased funding for universities through the creation of a Higher Education Endowment Fund and $79.5 million in funding over four years for the Non-Government Organisation Treatment Grants Program to increase the number of drug treatment places and to increase service capacity. This summary is available in PDF format from the Youth Coalition of the ACT website: http://www.youthcoalition.net (Source: 'YAPRap', v.17, n.5, May 2007, pp.14-18.)
PUBLICATIONS
Growing up with risk, edited by Betsy Thom, Rosemary Sales and Jenny Pearce. The Policy Press, May 2007; 296 pages, ISBN 1861347316.
ACYS has not yet received a copy of this book, but it is said to provide 'a critical analysis of ways in which risk assessment and management are defined and applied in policy, theory and practice in relation to children and young people. It offers valuable insight into the complexities of balancing responsibility for protecting the young with the benefits of risk taking and the need to allow young people to experiment'. More at: http://www.policypress.org.uk/
The Millennial adolescent, by Nan Bahr and Donna Pendergast, 2007. ACER Press.
This book aims to help teachers old and new to better understand the generation they are teaching. Assoc. Prof. Pendergast notes that the challenge for the education profession and for practitioners 'who are most likely (to be) Baby Boomer and Xgen' is to be 'responsive to these "new" students. Practices that worked 20 years ago may not be the most appropriate for today's students'. The book looks at the characteristics of Generation Y, or the Millennial Generation, and points out what teachers need to know about a generation who are 'digital natives, team-oriented, confident, multi-taskers, high achievers, and a generation unlike any other'. Although written for an Australian audience, the book also makes reference to international trends and global patterns. It deals with a range of issues important to teachers embarking on a career with adolescent students, including an exploration of the historical understandings of adolescence, a comprehensive and scholarly treatment of physical, cognitive, emotional and social aspects of adolescence from the perspective of teaching practice, recent initiatives in education leading to reforms in adolescent schooling, and an investigation of the challenges facing teachers of contemporary adolescents. (Source: ACER Press 2007, 'Teaching for the new millennium', media release, 16 May; and http://shop.acer.edu.au/acer-shop/product/0864316933)
RESILIENCE
Inspiring young people to 'Reach' their potential
Since 1994, Reach has been running personal discovery workshops, weekends away and large-scale events designed to help young people to build their confidence and resilience and to inspire them to pursue their dreams. Reach was founded by former AFL star and youth motivator Jim Stynes, and drama coach and film director Paul Currie. Reach programs are run by members of the Reach Crew, young people aged 18 to 23 years selected by Reach to receive training and support to lead these programs. While Reach is based in Victoria, it holds student workshops and teacher training workshops across the country. See: http://www.reach.org.au (Source: Reach website, viewed 6 June 2007.)
RIGHTS
Children in Detention Advocacy Project
The Children in Detention Advocacy Project 'provides free legal advice and representation to young people who may be able to sue for false arrest, unlawful detention, malicious prosecution and/or the use of excessive force by the police, state transit authorities and/or private security companies. Where no legal action can be taken, the project aims to improve the 'system' through research, lobbying, using the media and meeting with the police, government and other relevant organisations'. The project is a joint initiative of the Public interest Advocacy Centre, the Public Interest Law Clearinghouse Inc and Legal Aid NSW. For further information on the project, please contact Alexis Goodstone at PIAC ph: (02) 8898 6500. (Source: 'YAPRap', v.17, n.5, May 2007, p.19.)
SEXUALITY
Beyond 'That's so gay'
This is the title of an article written by Daniel Witthaus, who developed the 'Pride and Prejudice' anti-homophobia program for schools. The article suggests a range of approaches that teachers (and other adults working with young people) can take to challenge young people's use of the word 'gay' as a negative adjective. The article can be downloaded from the following website: http://www.aeutas.org.au/fileadmin/user_upload/Pink_Desk/Resources/_Beyond_that_s_so_gay__.pdf For further information about Daniel Witthaus and the Pride and Prejudice program, visit: http://www.prideandprejudice.com.au (Source: email, 28 May 2007.)
STATISTICS
Children and Youth Statistical Portal
As part of it's work on developing a National Data Network, the Australian Bureau of Statistics is working closely with the Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth (ARACY) to develop a Children and Youth Statistical Portal. The portal's goal is to become an integrated tool for researchers, agencies and organisations that are active within the children and youth sphere, connecting them with a wide range of statistical resources. The Children and Youth Statistical Portal will be released in September 2007. Working across all levels of government, the project has representatives from key federal agencies and includes lead state and territory government agencies on children and youth. The support of a wide range of organisations will be key to the development of the portal; as anyone researching children and youth will know there are many complexities surrounding access to relevant data due to privacy, confidentiality and legislative restrictions. Portal information updates will be available at http://www.nationaldatanetwork.org (Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics; email, 6 June 2007.)
SUICIDE
Concern over increase in young male deaths due to suicide
In March, the Australian Bureau of Statistics released data on deaths by suicide in Australia recorded in 2005. These data indicated a 16 per cent increase in the number of deaths by suicide among young men aged 15 to 24 years between 2004 and 2005. In 2005, deaths by suicide accounted for over 25 per cent of deaths among young men aged 20 to 24 years and around 16.5 per cent of deaths among young women in the same age group. The ABS data can be viewed at: http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage/3309.02005?OpenDocument or get there via: http://tinyurl.com/yrwfdq (Source: YAPA's newsletter, 'YAPRap', v.17, n.4, April 2007, p.15.)
YOUTH WORK
Consultation with the ACT youth sector on the Youth Work Code of Ethics: Implementation Plan 2007-2008
The youth sector in the ACT has agreed to adopt a Youth Work Code of Ethics (ACT). A Youth Work Code of Ethics Implementation Plan has been drafted to 'promote and support ethical practice in the youth sector through the voluntary implementation of the Youth Work Code of Ethics in the ACT'. After a period of consultation, the plan will be re-drafted and circulated to the sector at the end of June. For details, contact: Carrie Fowlie, Deputy Director, Youth Coalition of the ACT: email: carrie[AT]youthcoalition.net or ph: (02) 6247 3540.
New access and equity manual for working with young people
'Opening the Doors', a manual containing practical advice on access and equity issues for those working with young people, is now available online. The manual was produced by the Youth Action and Policy Association of NSW (YAPA) and the Nepean Access Project Reference Group for the Nepean Better Futures Strategy. The manual examines the barriers to service access faced by different groups of young people. Despite being produced for a specific strategy in a specific area, the manual would be useful for those working with young people in other areas of NSW and across Australia. It can be downloaded from the YAPA website: http://www.yapa.org.au/openingdoors (Source: YAPA's newsletter, 'YAPRap', v.17, n.4, April 2007, p.15.)