FEATURES

Australian Youth Forum and a new Australian peak body for youth affairs

The Australian Youth Forum was formally launched at the Nexus Multicultural Arts Centre in Adelaide on 2 October by the Hon. Kate Ellis, Australia's Minister for Youth, marking, as its new website says, "a new chapter in conversation between the Australian Government and the youth of the nation. The AYF is an exciting new initiative, which will enable young Australians to be engaged in discussions with the Australian Government about important issues. The establishment of the AYF shows this Government places significant value on the voices and views of young Australians, their creativity, unique perspectives and capacity to contribute to public debate. The AYF gives young people input into the policy making process and a say on how their future will be shaped." (Source: AYF website, http://www.youth.gov.au/ayf, viewed 2 October 2008.)

The Australian Youth Affairs Coalition: Australia's national youth affairs peak body

The announcement of the Australian Youth Forum included the funding of a youth peak body as a central pillar in the Government's engagement with young people and those who work with them. This funding will establish an independent voice for young Australians. The role of the youth peak body will be to undertake policy development and advocacy on youth affairs issues and also enhance the ability of the youth sector to deliver services to young people. See: http://www.ayac.org.au (Source: Alan Wu, Australian Youth Affairs Coalition, AYAC welcomes honoured election commitment, media release, 2 October 2008.)

ARACY Report Card on the wellbeing of young Australians

The Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth (ARACY) has developed a report card on the wellbeing of children and young people in Australia. The Report Card has been developed with the support of UNICEF Australia and the Allen Consulting Group. The ARACY Report Card will help to increase community knowledge of child and youth wellbeing in Australia and will draw on UNICEF's global Innocenti Report Card 7, 'Child poverty in perspective: An overview of child well-being in rich countries', produced by the UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre in 2007 (http://www.unicef-irc.org/publications/pdf/rc7_eng.pdf).
Innocenti Report Card 7 was mentioned in this newsletter in June 2007 (Youth Field Xpress, n.130, http://www.acys.info/publications/newsletter/archived_editions/130/ -- navigate to part 2 or go to: http://tinyurl.com/3swlgh). The Innocenti report card series arises out of UNICEF's mandate to advocate for children in every country, and focuses on the wellbeing of children in industrialised countries. Each report card brings an international perspective to national statistics, and includes a league table ranking OECD countries according to their record on the subject under discussion -- past topics included child poverty, child deaths resulting from injuries, educational disadvantage in rich nations. The report cards are published annually and are designed to appeal to a wide audience while maintaining academic rigour. See: http://www.unicef-irc.org/, viewed 16 October 2008.
From Tuesday 21 October, the ARACY Report Card will be available at: http://www.aracy.org.au/reportcard (effective from that date). In the meantime, the UNICEF and ARACY websites provide some information about the ARACY Report Card. The report card aims to create a baseline against which improvement in outcomes can be measured over time. It will consist of a succinct summary, as well as a comprehensive technical supporting document to ensure it is of use to all. It includes key indicators under eight domains, modelled on a framework used by UNICEF and the European Union: material wellbeing; health and safety; educational wellbeing; peer and family relationships; behaviours and risks; subjective wellbeing; participation; and environment. It will provide qualitative comments on each of the indicators and underlying trends.
The ARACY Report Card will focus on the underlying drivers in improving health and wellbeing, rather than simply the symptoms of problems, and will contain three sets of data: indicators for Australia as a whole, for Indigenous Australia, and for international or OECD performance. Its data sources include the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare and various OECD data sources, such as UNICEF, the World Health Organization and the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA).
Sources: UNICEF website, 'UNICEF Australia partners with ARACY in developing unique Australian Report Card', at: http://www.unicef.org.au/GetInvolved-Subs.asp?GetInvolvedID=89, and the Australian Research Alliance for Children & Youth (ARACY) http://www.aracy.org.au/AM/Template.cfm?Section=ARACY_Report_Card (http://tinyurl.com/4kbfnc), viewed 16 October 2008. NOTE: From Tuesday 21 October, the report card will be available at: http://www.aracy.org.au/reportcard (effective from that date).

ARTS, MUSIC

AccessibleARTS and AART.BOXX

AART.BOXX is an exhibition and cultural initiative that highlights the current and diverse art practices of young and emerging artists with a disability. Initiated by AccessibleARTS, the peak arts and disability body in NSW, AART.BOXX aims to "extend and challenge current discourses within contemporary art by including art practices that are informed by cultures of disability". AART.BOXX 08 opens on 18 October and runs until 8 November. For information on the exhibition, free lectures and tours and to make bookings, contact Josie Cavallaro, email: jcavallaro[at]aarts.net.au Website: http://www.aarts.net.au

BULLYING

New cyber-bullying and cyber-crime research

An article, 'Cyberbullying: New phenomenon or the playground gone online?' by John Trimmer, published in the September 2008 edition of the Journal of School Health (v.78, n.9, pp.496-505) investigated the issue of cyber-bullying. Of the 1,454 teenagers in the study, at least two-thirds of the group reported an incident that could be described as cyber-bullying, and nearly 20 per cent reported seven or more such incidents. The likelihood of cyber-bullying was affected by the amount of time spent online and whether or not the young person had also experienced bullying off-line. The belief that online anonymity is germane to these incidents was undermined by the fact that 75 per cent of the victims felt they knew who had harassed them. See: http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20081003-cyberbullying-takes-the-playground-online.html, viewed 17 October 2008. (Source: Creative Economy Weekly Update, 9 October 2008.)
A related article by Lynn Roberts, 'Cyber-victimisation in Australia: Extent, impact of individuals and responses' in the Tasmanian Institute of Law Enforcement Studies' Briefing paper n.6, looks at individual victims of cyber-crimes, the nature of cyber-crime, how common it is, its impact on victims and how society should respond. Solutions to cyber-crime, identity theft, the sexual harassment of children online are discussed in relation to educational, technical, legal and industry responses. The TILES briefing paper can be downloaded from the Creative Economy website: http://www.creative.org.au/linkboard/results.chtml?filename_num=234301, viewed 17 October 2008.

CAREERS

Western Sydney Young Leadership Program - Resource kit

The Young Women's Leadership Program was delivered across Western Sydney for three years until 2008. To help other organisations to replicate the program, the Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils has developed a resource kit for developing an innovative leadership program for young women. The kit contains information on goals, objectives and a list of critical success factors, as well as a DVD of testimonies called Leading women, inspiring stories. For details, see: http://www.wsroc.com.au/page.aspx?pid=58&vid=1&fid=395&ftype=True The kit can be ordered from the Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils Ltd, ph: (02) 9671 4333; email: admin[at]wsroc.com.au

Promoting careers in the trades

Pathways to success is an initiative to encourage school leavers into trades and apprenticeships, launched recently by Group Training Australia, the peak body representing over 150 group training organisations employing over 41,000 apprentices and trainees. A series of information podcasts and vodcasts promote the high earning capacity and work opportunities for school leavers. Half of all Australian high schools now offer vocational education, and this resource gives young people the chance to hear from those already in the workforce about the benefits of apprenticeships and traineeships. See: http://www.apprenticetrainee.com.au, viewed 16 October 2008. (Source: Daily Telegraph, 20 September 2008, p.4.)

CRIME AND JUSTICE

Parliamentary forum on justice issues for drug users

Government ministers, members of parliament, the Australian Federal Police and representatives of the mental health and drug and alcohol sectors met at a forum at Parliament House on 16 October to discuss critical issues relating to the justice system and drug and alcohol use in Australia. The Australian National Council on Drugs (ANCD) and the Mental Health Council of Australia (MHCA) issued a joint media release after the forum, which was facilitated by Gino Vumbaca, Executive Director of the ANCD. The brief media release outlined the major points made by speakers, who included Bob Debus (Minister for Home Affairs), Ursula Stephens (Parliamentary Secretary for Social Inclusion), Mick Keelty (AFP Commissioner and ANCD Deputy Chair), and David Crosbie (Mental Health Council of Australia CEO). A panel of experts took questions from attendees on issues such as Australia's National Drug Strategy, international and regional engagement on drug issues and the use of the death penalty for drug offenders in some countries. (Source: email from Tracey Kristiansen, ANCD Policy and Project Officer, posted to Youthgas email discussion list, 16 October 2008.)

DISABILITIES

New national disability studies and research centre at UNSW

The Disability Studies and Research Centre (DSARC) at the University of New South Wales was established in July 2008. Its creation as a university-based centre follows on from a five-year record of research success established by the Disability Studies and Research Institute, a collaborative community/university research centre. The new centre is aligned with the Social Policy Research Centre, the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and the Faculty of Law at the University of New South Wales, and plans to contribute to undergraduate and postgraduate applied degree programs and offer a mentoring program for researchers, particularly those with disability. For more information contact the centre at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, UNSW, ph: (02) 9385 6893; fax: (02) 9385 1175; email: dsarc[at]unsw.edu.au; web site: http://www.sprc.unsw.edu.au/, viewed 16 October 2008.

'Stepping into ...' programs for final-year university students

The Australian Employers' Network on Disability has developed a series of work experience programs for final-year university students with a disability. The 'Stepping into ...' programs are designed to help students with disabilities to gain technical and professional skills, experience and contacts that will help them to find employment after graduation. Eligible students are offered four weeks' paid work experience within a professional organisation operating in their area of expertise. Programs are currently offered in the fields of accounting, law, banking, public policy and research, human resources, information technology, and marketing. Participating organisations undertake disability awareness training and a review of their workplace's accessibility requirements. Contact Mark Lazaroo, ph: (02) 9261 3922, email: mark.lazaroo[AT]aend.org.au or visit: http://www.aend.org.au (Source: Graduate Grapevine, n.10, 2008, pp.12-14.)

DRUGS

Drugs and prisons: The plan

In May 2008 the Ministerial Council on Drug Strategy approved the first-ever National Corrections Drug Strategy for Australia. Gino Vumbaca, Executive Director of the Australian National Council on Drugs (ANCD) is the author of an article on the new strategy, in the current issue of Of Substance (v.6, n.4 pp.16-17, 'Drugs and prisons: The plan'). In a review of Australian prisons' drug policies and programs commissioned a few years ago, the ANCD had found that many prison systems did not provide the necessary range of drug treatment options. The new strategy acknowledges the need to have a balance between reducing the supply of drugs in correctional settings, reducing the demand for drugs by prisoners, detainees and parolees through treatment and education, and reducing the harm that drug use can cause, particularly the transmission of HIV and hepatitis C. Although Australia's "effective and pragmatic responses to drug use and its associated harms" have long been acknowledged in the community, in other contexts, such as in adult prisons, juvenile detention centres and community corrections settings, the national approach to drugs was different, causing a weak link: those who were "caught up in problematic drug use which resulted in criminal convictions were potentially being exposed to a range of harms and risks, undoing any good work undertaken in the community-based sector", and hence the new strategy "is an important milestone in Australia's approach to addressing drug use. The National Corrections Drug Strategy which was supported and assisted in its development by the ANCD in consultation with all correctional authorities provides a unique opportunity to see correctional authorities work towards implementing a range of policies and programs to also reduce the demand and harm from drugs, as well as working better with the community-based programs that often see the same people." (Source: Vumbaca, G., 2008, 'Drugs and prisons: The plan', Of Substance, v.6, n.4 pp.16-17.)

Assessing the misuse of over-the-counter painkillers

Media reports about people experiencing health problems, or even dying, from the abuse of some over-the-counter painkillers sold in pharmacies have been increasing, but few studies about the subject exist -- many of the reports are anecdotal, making it hard to know the extent of the problem and the solution to marketing analgesics. The latest issue of Of Substance takes stock of what we know of this problem, the kind of treatments available and how to reduce harm, in an article titled, 'Over the counter, down the hatch...' (Of Substance, v.6, n.4, pp.18-19). Drawing on two Victorian-based reports, the article shows that those in treatment for this problem do not match the profile generally seen by drug treatment services. While a "small but significant" number of opioid analgesic-dependent clients with substantial medical comorbidities are indeed being referred to hospitals or specialist clinics, many more are not in treatment, and cases of misuse of painkillers are probably under-reported, according to responses in an online forum for people addicted to codeine.
The burden of reducing harm from non-prescription opioid misuse would seem to fall on the shoulders of pharmacists. Other strategies include reducing package sizes or changing prescription regulations to restrict access to these substances. In an address to the National Press Club in July 2008, the president of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia suggested that Australia should adopt a notification system for opioid analgesic medications similar to that used for pseudoephedrine medications. (Source: Mundy, J. (2008) 'Over the counter, down the hatch...', Of Substance, v.6, n.4, pp.18-19.)
Note: this Of Substance article cites the following useful sources on this topic:
* 'Over the counter, down the hatch: Complications of non-prescription opioid use', conference paper presented at the Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs conference in Auckland in November 2007 by Dr Matthew Frei;
* M.J. Dutch, 2008, 'Nurofen Plus misuse: An emerging cause of perforated gastric ulcer', Medical Journal of Australia, v.188, n.1, pp.56-57; and
* N.Moore et al, 1999, 'The PAIN study: Paracetamol, asprin and ibuprofen new tolerability study', Clinical Drug Investigation, v.18, n.2, pp.98-98.

State and territory information on tobacco, alcohol and illicit drug use

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) released the second of its planned three outputs from its 2007 National Drug Strategy Household Survey in late August 2008, titled, 2007 National Drug Strategy Household Survey: State and territory supplement.
The 16-page report presents data on patterns of drug use in each of Australia's states and territories, and supplements the report of national findings published as '2007 National Drug Strategy Household Survey: first results' in April 2008. The results are based on a survey of more than 23,000 Australians, conducted in 2007, the ninth such survey in a series that began in 1985. The survey covered drug-related attitudes, beliefs and behaviours, as well as support for various drug-related policy options. Survey topics were related to the use of tobacco, alcohol and illicit drugs (including non-medical use of pharmaceuticals). (Source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2008) 2007 National Drug Strategy Household Survey: State and territory supplement (Drug statistics series n.21, AIHW cat. n.PHE 102), Canberra; http://www.aihw.gov.au/publications/index.cfm/title/10579, viewed 14 October 2008.
AIHW, State and territory supplement on tobacco, alcohol and illicit drug use now available, media release, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 27 August 2008, http://www.aihw.gov.au/mediacentre/2008/mr20080829.cfm, viewed 15 October 2008.

EDUCATION

Teaching boys

The August 2008 edition of Education Review includes a feature article of the effective teaching of boys. The piece contains comments from a number of experts in the field. New Zealand author and parenting expert Celia Lashlie talks about the factors that female teachers need to consider when dealing with boys, including speaking slower and in a lower voice, and using more non-verbal cues. "We also need to accommodate the physicality of boys," she says. While University of Newcastle researcher Deborah Hartman and Andrew Martin, a professor of educational psychology at the University of Sydney, both acknowledge the fact that studies indicate that the gender of teachers does not have an impact on student academic achievement, they highlight the importance of having more male teachers in schools as role models for male students. (Source: Education Review, v.18, n.5, August 2008, pp.10-11.)

Future directions in vocational skills for youth: report on a recent forum

In the September 2008 edition of Professional Educator, Martha Kinsman reports on the Future directions in vocational skills for youth forum held in Hobart in April this year. According to Kinsman, the focus of the forum was on the 10 to 20 per cent of young people who "become disengaged or marginalised from both work and study between the crucial transition ages of 16 and 22". Kinsman says failing to engage with this group of young people will make it hard for the Rudd Government to achieve its 2020 goal for 90 per cent of young people to complete Year 12 or a VET equivalent. The forum included keynote papers from a number of high-level experts, e.g. Emeritus Prof. Denise Bradley, senior DEEWR officer Rebecca Cross, the federal Minister for Employment Participation Brendan O'Connor, Megan Lilley from the Australian Industry Group and Geoff Hawke, a senior VET researcher at the University of Technology, Sydney. Detailed case studies from experienced educators in both the TAFE and the secondary school sectors reflected the current understanding of the complexity and the diversity of the post-compulsory transition experience for young people in Australia. The forum was jointly sponsored by TAFE Directors Australia (TDA) and the Australian College of Educators, with funding from the Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR), and a full report on the forum is available from the TDA website: http://www.tda.edu.au (Source: Professional Educator, v.7, n.3, 2008, pp.30-31.)

A plea to bring vocational and university learning closer together

The Dusseldorp Skills Forum (DSF), in conjunction with Dr Bob Birrell of the Centre for Urban Research and Population at Monash University, has submitted a significant report and recommendations to the Bradley Review (the review of higher education in Australia, http://www.dest.gov.au/HEreview). In a media release about the submission, DSF's Executive Director, Oona Nielssen said Australia's education effort must focus on "both vocational and university learning -- rather than setting these sectors at odds" because, "in a carbon constrained future, Australia's prosperity will rely on the skills and ingenuity of our people, not just our natural resources. The innovation Australia needs will depend on increased public investment in and greater cooperation between universities and the VET sector." See: http://www.dsf.org.au/papers/205.htm

Making research matter

This is the title of a thought-provoking paper by Francesca Beddie, manager of research at the National Centre for Vocational Education Research, an independent body responsible for collecting, managing and analysing, evaluating and communicating research and statistics about vocational education and training (VET). Her keynote address, Making research matter, delivered to the Regional Centre for Vocational and Technical Education and Training of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organisation in Bali in July 2008, discusses the role of evidence-based research in public policy and how research contributes to both better policy and innovation.
She argues that the right institutional and cultural settings need to be in place before research can play its proper role in policy-making. Key messages of her paper are:
* The vast growth in the volume and access to information in the 21st century presents opportunities to applied research organisations. They can assume the role of knowledge-brokers, the people who sift through the vast, confusing mass of information, and help others, politicians and citizens alike, to make sense of it.
* In addition to the typical skills that researchers bring to their craft, those aiming to influence policy must develop a good understanding of the context in which their work may be used, especially political awareness. These attributes must, however, be balanced against rigorous and independent research.
* Evaluations have a place in applied research programs. To be effective in informing policy and practice, they need to be frank about failures as well as successes. This requires a greater tolerance of risk than prevails in Australian policy and research circles.
* Clearly articulated research findings, which are disseminated in a timely fashion, will also increase the impact of research efforts and, in turn, help to establish the parameters in which research is embraced as a policy tool.
(Source: National Centre for Vocational Education Research website: http://www.ncver.edu.au/publications/2046.html, viewed 16 October 2008.)

EMPLOYMENT

How young people are faring: 10th annual report released

The How young people are faring series of reports was initiated by the Dusseldorp Skills Forum "to draw attention to the need to improve Australia's levels of school completion, to enhance the participation of young Australians in productive and worthwhile learning and work, and to focus attention on the economic and social cost of young Australians not able to ride the up escalator of economic opportunity".
The 10th in the How young people are faring series, released in October 2008, is the first to be published under the banner of the Foundation for Young Australians in alliance with the Education Foundation. Prepared by Stephen Lamb and Kate Mason, researchers at the Centre for Post-compulsory Education and Lifelong Learning at the University of Melbourne, the report shows that young people might have tough times ahead of them. The How young people are faring report suggests there has been insufficient full-time job growth in the youth labour market. This is based on the finding that full-time job opportunities for young people have not kept pace with full-time job growth for older Australians, despite economic growth. The report also shows:
* One in 10 teenagers (aged 15 to 19 years) and one in five young adults (aged 20 to 24 years) are not engaged in either full-time earning or learning.
* Early school leavers are at greater and ongoing risk of labour force marginalisation. Importantly, these young people are still most likely to be from low socioeconomic backgrounds and in regional and remote areas.
* Teenagers living in areas of high socioeconomic status are twice as likely to be in full-time education as those living in areas of social disadvantage; and
* Almost every second 19-year-old living in a major city is engaged in full-time education, compared with less than one in five in regional areas, and barely one in 20 in remote areas.
The report raises doubts as to whether the federal government will be able to achieve its target of 90 per cent Year 12 completion rate by 2020. Releasing the report, Adam Smith, CEO of the Foundation for Young Australians, commended the federal government for its renewed commitment to youth transition, including the COAG agenda, and for setting "such bold targets for Year 12 or equivalent retention", but noted that the How young people are faring report indicates that "while we have just seen a period of immense economic prosperity in Australia, things are not changing fast enough. In order to achieve its targets we will need to see nationwide improvement at double the rate measured between the 2001 and 2006 census. The need to address this becomes all the more urgent when we can see that the last two economic slow-downs hit those in transition the hardest". (Source: Foundation for Young Australians, Major research shows one in five young Australians are not engaged in either full-time earning or learning, media release, 15 October 2008, http://www.fya.org.au/ )

Update: The report itself can be downloaded from the DSF website at: http://www.dsf.org.au/papers/206.htm.

Youth unemployment statistics

The Parliamentary Library produces a Monthly statistical bulletin (ISSN 1835-6389), updated each month by the Parliamentary Library's Statistics and Mapping Section at http://www.aph.gov.au/library/pubs/MSB/. It contains a selection of the latest economic and social statistics and is issued during the first week of each month. It contains statistics available on or before the day of release. All figures are original data unless otherwise noted. Section 1.5 of the bulletin provides an overview of youth unemployment: see: http://www.aph.gov.au/library/pubs/MSB/15.htm

ACER's Study into the assessment and reporting of employability skills of senior secondary students

In June 2007, the Australian Council of Educational Research (ACER) investigated the most effective ways of assessing senior secondary students' employability skills. ACER has now released a report that highlights six approaches by which senior secondary students' employability skills can be assessed and reported. The report notes that the inclusion of employability skills in student learning helps students to make a more successful transition from school to work. The eight employability skills underpinning the study are: communication; teamwork; problem-solving; initiative and enterprise; planning and organising; self-management; learning; and technological aptitude. The study was overseen by an advisory group consisting of representatives from the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Business Council of Australia, the Australian Council of State School Organisations and representatives from national parent groups, principal groups and independent groups. See: http://tinyurl.com/3ltxma, or http://www.deewr.gov.au/employabilityskills, viewed 16 October 2008.

ETHNIC YOUTH

Newly Arrived Youth Support Service Project

The Newly Arrived Youth Support Service initiative (NAYSS), funded by the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA), provides culturally appropriate services ranging from early intervention to transition, for newly arrived young people aged 12 to 21 who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
NAYSS providers at locations around Australia help newly arrived young people to improve their level of engagement with family, work, education, training and the community. NAYSS uses a variety of strategies to achieve its goals, such as counselling, family mediation and offering practical support. The Centre for Multicultural Youth is the lead provider for NAYSS and sees its role as lead provider as a collaborative effort, working with FaHCSIA and NAYSS providers to develop and share good practice, document findings and take a national perspective on this important area of service delivery. Contact Tania Groba ph: (03) 9340 3700, or email: tgroba@cmy.net.au, website: http://www.cmy.net.au/nayss
The Reconnect/NAYSS Section in FaHCSIA National Office is located at: Reconnect/NAYSS Section, Homelessness Branch, PO Box 7576, Canberra Business Centre, ACT 2610. The Reconnect/NAYSS Helpdesk phone number is 1800 813 750. Their new fax number is (02) 6244 7844; email: nayss@fahcsia.gov.au (Source: http://www.fahcsia.gov.au/internet/facsinternet.nsf/housing/nayss_selection.htm)

FUNDING AND SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Applications open for the 2009 Reg Waite Award

The Reg Waite Award is offered annually to young Australian citizens (between the ages of 18 - 25) to further their education in any chosen field. Applicants need to demonstrate a high degree of achievement, honesty, integrity and leadership. They also need to describe what they hope to achieve with the funds provided by the award to further their education, and how the award will assist them in bettering the nation. Three monetary grants are available, and applications close on 5 December 2008. Details at: http://www.regwaite.com.au

HEALTH

Making progress: The health, development and wellbeing of Australia's children and young people

This report issued in September 2008 by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare was developed in response to a need for a "timely, targeted indicator-based report drawing together key summary statistics integral to child and youth health and wellbeing" in order to inform the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) and social inclusion agendas (Making progress, preliminary material, p.8). This report finds that, while many young Australians are doing well, some experience "considerably worse health, poorer developmental and learning outcomes and generally reduced wellbeing than others in the population, and there are many areas where further gains in health and wellbeing could be achieved" (Making progress, preliminary material p.9.) The report describes both the areas where progress has been made (e.g. a reduction in rates of smoking, risky alcohol intake and illicit drug use) as well as areas of concern (e.g. high levels of youth unemployment and under-employment). While the Year 12 retention rate for Indigenous students has increased, Indigenous youth are over-represented in juvenile justice supervision (with no change in those rates in six years). The report is distinct from previous AIHW reports, as it presents measures of progress for children and young people in a summary, indicator-based format. These indicators were selected from the high level objectives of the Australian Government's social inclusion and COAG Reform agendas (Making progress, p. 5) and apply to the general population aged 0-19 years old. .
The report builds on work undertaken by the AIHW over the last decade on the development and reporting of key national indicators of child and youth health, development and wellbeing, and more recently work undertaken on the COAG-endorsed headline indicators. The overarching indicators discussed in the report are: mortality; jobless families; child abuse and neglect; disability; family economic situation; and homelessness. The specific indicators for adolescence (13-19 years) are: injury and poisoning; mental health; overweight and obesity; substance use; Year 12 retention and completion; youth participation; and crime. (Source: AIHW, Making progress - how Australia's children measure up, media release, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 28 September 2008, http://www.aihw.gov.au/mediacentre/2008/mr20080924.cfm, viewed 15 October 2008, and Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2008) Making progress: The health, development and wellbeing of Australia's children and young people, Canberra: AIHW; http://www.aihw.gov.au/publications/index.cfm/title/10653, viewed 4 October 2008.)

Inside anorexia: the experiences of girls and their families, by Christine Halse, Anne Honey and Desiree Boughtwood

Prof. Christine Halse is chief researcher of the four-year Australian Research Council-funded Multiple Perspectives of Eating Disorders in Girls Project. The co-authors of this book (published in 2008 by Jessica Kingsley Publishers) are her colleagues from the University of Western Sydney. Their research has examined the many different forms of anorexia, as well as the long-term impact of the illness on families. Further information is available at: http://pubapps.uws.edu.au/news/index.php?act=view&story_id=2155

Youth Health Forum DVD is out now

The New South Wales Centre for the Advancement of Adolescent Health (NSW CAAH) held a forum in August on 'The risks of adolescence: Can we keep young people safe?' A DVD of the forum is now available, with presentations on:
* creating protective environments for young people
* keeping young people safe on the net
* teenagers, risks and unintentional injury: what can we do?
* adults never want us to have any fun
* a panel discussion joined by all speakers on the day.
For the program, speakers' notes and a DVD order form, see: http://www.caah.chw.edu.au/resources/speaker_notes/ (Source: YC eBulletin, the e-bulletin of the Youth Coalition of the ACT, 13 October 2008.)

INCOMES AND EXPENDITURES

Children's perspectives on economic adversity: A review of the literature

Although initially released months ago in April 2008, the discussion paper, Children's perspectives on economic adversity: A review of the literature, by Gerry Redmond, published by the UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre, is topical. It reviews some of the recent qualitative literature on children's perspectives on economic disadvantage. "The idea of asking people who experience disadvantage about their own situations is still a relatively new one in the social sciences, and the idea of asking children about their own perceptions of economic and social disadvantage is even more recent." Nine analyses, all published since 1998, and all involving in-depth interviews or group work with children aged between 5 and 17, are examined in detail... The studies cover issues relating to economic disadvantage, including exclusion from activities and peer groups at school and in the community; perceptions of "poor" and "affluent" children; participation in organised activities outside of school hours; methods of coping with financial hardship; support for parents in coping and in seeking and keeping employment, and aspirations for the future. (Source: UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre, website: http://www.unicef-irc.org/cgi-bin/unicef/Lunga.sql?ProductID=497, viewed 16 October 2008.)

INDIGENOUS YOUTH

Campaign highlights Aboriginal opportunities

Aboriginal Employment Strategy, an Aboriginal-managed and not-for-profit employment organisation, has launched its first national advertising campaign in its 11-year history in order to increase Aboriginal traineeship and employment opportunities in corporate Australia. The campaign aims to challenge the perceptions some Australians have when it comes to Aboriginal youth and Indigenous employment. Currently, the AES partners with banks, including ANZ, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, NAB and Westpac, as well as other large Australian organisations, including Accor and Sydney City Council. The AES campaign plans to publish full-page advertisements in national print media, highlighting existing partnerships with large Australian organisations, and using tag lines such as "You can bank on employing young Aboriginals. ANZ are", and showcasing successful AES trainees. (Source: http://www.bandt.com.au/news/43/0C05A043.asp, cited by Indigenous Alert, FaHCSIA, 9 September 2008.)

INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVES

North American youth work practice

The Forum for Youth Investment in the USA has an occasional series of reports called the 'Out-of-School Time Policy Commentary' series. Number 12, 'Unpacking youth work practice', was released in the middle of the year, and although youth work practice in the USA might be very different to Australian practice, workers at the coal face might find 'Unpacking youth work practice' a useful document to read. It can be downloaded from: http://www.forumforyouthinvestment.org/node/452
The document is also cited by the August 2008 edition of 'Next Generation Bulletin', a publication of the Next Generation Youth Work Coalition. This USA group brings together "individuals and organisations dedicated to developing a strong, diverse after-school and youth development workforce that is stable, prepared, supported and committed to the well-being and empowerment of children and youth". The August 2008 bulletin also reports that, in North America, "not enough is known about higher education opportunities in youth work (coursework, certificates, degrees). To address this gap and to strengthen connections between education, compensation and retention, this partnership with the University of Minnesota will expand our systemic knowledge of what is available in post-secondary settings in selected states. A related protocol will be developed for states to look at demand for post-secondary opportunities in youth work, obstacles, and more. This work began in July and continues through September." See: http://nextgencoalition.org/?q=node/37

Continued in part 2 ...