Organisations
Web site: http://www.hreoc.gov.au/
The HREOC site includes Australian Human Rights: Youth Challenge, a human rights education program developed by the HREOC that aims to educate school students about human rights through guided activities, surveys, personal stories and prompted questions for discussion. HREOC is a national independent statutory government body established in 1986 by an Act of the federal Parliament, the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Act, and the federal Attorney General is the Minister responsible in Parliament for the Commission.
DCI-Australia: The Australian Section of Defence for Children International
Web site: http://www.dci-au.org/
DCI-Australia is a non-government organisation, part of a global chain of children's rights agencies recognised by the United Nations. The DCI's actions and campaigns are guided by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which focuses on people under 18 years of age and sets out the principles of children's rights to protection, provision, promotion and participation.
This is a community legal centre dedicated to addressing human right issues for children and young people through legal change. 'The Centre is at the forefront of public advocacy for the rights of children and young people. It lobbies governments and decision-making bodies to recognise and apply the provisions of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.'
Youth services of the NCYLC include:
Lawmail : This is an initiative whereby lawyers at the NCYLC will reply to young people's requests for legal information, and serves the needs of rurual and isolated youth and the disabled.
Childrens Commissioners
Many Australian states and territories now have childrens' commissioners.
Examples include:
-
NSW Commission for Children and Young People
http://www.kids.nsw.gov.au/
Other resources on legal and rights issues
Web site: http://www.liac.sl.nsw.gov.au
Based in the State Library of NSW, LiAC is a source of free legal information and is networked throughout the public library system in NSW. It offers plain-language legal resources as well as help with complex inquiries and primary materials in the State Library. LIAC's series, 'Hot topics: legal issues in plain language', is useful for students.
Workplace Ombudsman
http://www.wo.gov.au
The law handbook: A legal tool kit contains a chapter on children and young people, with practical information about the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, children and criminal law, including the Children's Court, young offenders, the care and protection of children, employment and income issues, discrimination, the age of consent and children's services, adoption, school. (10th edition, 2007).
Australasian Legal Information Institute
http://www.austlii.edu.au/
The AustLII project is a joint facility of the law faculties at the University of Technology, Sydney and the University of New South Wales. AustLII provides free Internet access to Australian legal materials including information about federal and state legislation and cases. AustLII's broad public policy agenda is to improve access to justice through better access to information.
Community legal centres:
The AustLII website contains a list of Australian Community Legal Centres: http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/other/clc/
Examples of youth-focused legal centres include:
- the Youth Advocacy Centre QLD, http://www.yac.net.au;
- the Logal Youth Legal Service, http://www.yfs.org.au/legal/
- the Shopfront Youth Legal Centre in Victoria, http://www.theshopfront.org/
- the Youth Legal Service Inc. in WA, http://www.youthlegalserviceinc.com.au/
Web site: http://www.alrc.gov.au/
This is a permanent, independent federal statutory corporation operating under the Australian Law Reform Commission Act 1996 (Cth.) The commission works on major activities referred to it by the federal Attorney-General. Although the Commission does not initiate its own inquiries, it can suggest areas in need of reform. Their site includes an extensive list of publications, many of them in full text and relevant to family law.
Web site: http://www.austlii.edu.au/
AustLII is one of the largest sources of legal materials on the net, providing free access to a wide variety of Australian legal materials, including information about Federal and State legislation and cases. AustLII's broad public policy agenda is to improve access to justice through better access to information. AustLII is a project of the law faculties at the University of Technology, Sydney and the University of New South Wales.
Journal articles on this topic (from Youth Studies Australia):
- Itemise which particular article(s) or issue(s) you require on the order form.
- Return the form to us with your payment. Costs are given on the order form.
Who is upholding the rights of young workers? A profile of advocacy groups in Australia, by Paula McDonald and Kerriann Dear.
v.24 n.3, 2005, pp.10-16.
Public space: A rights-based approach, by Anna Copeland (peer reviewed article)
v. 23, n.3, 2004, pp.40-45.
Ten arguments against mandatory sentencing, by R. White.
v.19, n.2, 2000, pp.22-24.
Human rights for young Australians in the 21st century, by L. Schetzer.
v.19, n.1, 2000, p.13.
Points of view: Mandatory reporting of abuse, by D. Sandor.
v.13, n.1, 1994, p.53.
Legal problems and youth workers, by R. White, R. Underwood and S. Omelczuk.
v.11, n.4, 1992, pp.41-45.
A rising star in the prosecution of juveniles in Victoria, by C. O'Grady.
v.11, n.4, 1992, pp.35-40.
Tipping the scales: Intended and unintended outcomes of changes to Victorian child welfare and juvenile justice legislation and practice, by C. O'Grady.
v.11, n.4, 1992, pp.28-34.
Convention on the Rights of the Child, by Convention Report
'Youth Studies and Abstracts: Bulletin of the National Clearinghouse for Youth Studies'.
v.8, n.4, 1989, pp.48-53.
Rights and responsibilities of youth workers, by M. White
'Youth Studies and Abstracts: Bulletin of the National Clearinghouse for Youth Studies', 1989 v.8 n.3, pp.41-43.
The role of an advocate for young people, by M. Rayner
'Youth Studies and Abstracts: Bulletin of the National Clearinghouse for Youth Studies', 1989 v.8 n.2, pp.2-9.
Youth, AIDS and the limits of the law, by G.T. Lansdell and M.J. Le Brun
'Youth Studies and Abstracts: Bulletin of the National Clearinghouse for Youth Studies', 1988/89 v.7/8 n.4/1, pp.18-23.
Ignorance is bliss?, by F. Staden
'Youth Studies and Abstracts: Bulletin of the National Clearinghouse for Youth Studies', 1987 v.6 n.3, pp.33-37.
Civil liberties and young people, by I. Gray
'Youth Studies and Abstracts: Bulletin of the National Clearinghouse for Youth Studies', 1987 v.6 n.3, pp.30-32.
Enhancing youth access to legal services, by I. O'Connor and C. Tilbury
'Youth Studies and Abstracts: Bulletin of the National Clearinghouse for Youth Studies', 1987 v.6 n.3, pp.22-29.