Youth Field Xpress, n.147, November 2008
To subscribe to the email edition, send an email to: join-yfx@edna.edu.auYOUTH FIELD XPRESS
ISSN 1440-8651
n.147, November 2008
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ACYS NEWS: WHAT'S NEXT?
Overview of the feature articles in the next edition of Youth Studies Australia
Here is an overview of the feature articles in the next issue of YSA, due for release in December 2008.
Youth Studies Australia (1998-2007): A review and content analysis, by Brian Hemmings
Brian Hemmings analysed 252 articles published in Youth Studies Australia during the period 1998-2007. He classified them into 15 categories, and considered characteristics of the contributors and the type of submission and the approach/framework used. Hemmings concludes by discussing the implications of the findings of the various analyses for future research and the reporting of that research in subsequent issues of Youth Studies Australia.
Curriculum for youth work: The experience of the English youth service, by Jon Ord
For the past 20 years, youth services in England have increasingly articulated their work in terms of curriculum, yet youth work academics have consistently maintained that a youth work curriculum is anathema. This paper argues that youth work necessarily has a curriculum; however, it is not the formal school curriculum, nor is it explicitly focused on either the efficient transmission of knowledge or the successful achievement of pre-specified outcomes, rather it is based on the 'process' of learning. The explicit articulation of the process of youth work through a curriculum promotes and sustains its unique practice against the external threats of unfavourable government policy. While the curriculum debate is unique to the English youth services, it is believed that it offers important lessons for the articulation of youth work in other settings.
Happy to talk, to a point: Bereaved young men and emotional disclosure, by Andrew McNess
This study focuses upon the social experiences of bereaved young men, with particular emphasis on the social costs of bereavement-related personal disclosure. Their experiences of regulating their social behaviour were suggestive of the persistence of 'traditional' notions of masculine identity (e.g. hegemonic masculinity). While this study cautions that opportunities for emotional disclosure should not be viewed as the only form of social support for bereaved young men, its principal assertion is the necessity for emotional disclosure to be socially recognised as a legitimate form of male social expression.
Rethinking the Digital Divide: Findings from a study of marginalised young people's ICT use, by Michelle Blanchard, Atari Metcalf, Jo Degney, Helen Herrman and Jane Burns
This paper presents findings from a study that investigated young people's ICT use and the capacity of service providers to utilise these technologies in their practice. The results suggest that ICT may be an important resource for mental health promotion, particularly in relation to engaging young people. It was found that young people experiencing marginalisation access and engage with ICT although the quality of the access available to them is often limited. The findings also suggest that there is a pressing need to provide training for service providers to increase their capacity to use ICT.
Exploring young people's beliefs and images about sun safety, by Katherine White, Natalie Robinson, Ross Young, Peter Anderson, Melissa Hyde, Susan Greenbank, Julie Keane, Toni Rolfe, Paul Vardon and Debra Baskerville
To understand young people's low levels of sun protection behaviour, 145 young people (aged 12 to 20 years) were recruited from Queensland, to participate in a one-hour focus group where they discussed issues related to sun protection and images of tanned and non-tanned people. Responses were content analysed to identify common sun protection beliefs and perceptions. Key barriers and motivators for sun protection were identified. Despite young people's awareness of the advantages of sun protection, health promotion efforts still need to focus on not only reducing beliefs about the costs of performing sun protection but also decreasing the positive view of tanned images among youth.
Cyberbullying: An ethnographic case study of one Australian upper primary school class, by Damian Maher
The issue of cyberbullying has been reported on widely in the press with extreme cases generally presented as the norm. In this article, the interactions of Australian primary children aged 11 to 12 years are presented to illustrate some bullying practices that young people engage in. The findings suggest that while cyberbullying occurs, it is generally not extreme in nature. Some differences in cyberbullying between girls and boys were found and examined. The article concludes with several recommendations to help minimise and manage cyberbullying.
FEATURE ARTICLES
The rights of Indigenous youth with cognitive and mental health issues: A call for governments to skill up services that work with them
The report, 'Preventing crime and promoting rights for Indigenous young people with cognitive disabilities and mental health issues' shows that, all too often, young people with cognitive disabilities or mental health issues, such as developmental disability or autism, fall through the cracks of social services and end up in custody. Launching the report in mid-November, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner Tom Calma called for the 'skilling up' of existing services that work with Indigenous young people with cognitive or mental health issues in order to halt their slide into the juvenile justice system. One of the new report's recommendations is that governments focus on working with Indigenous communities and health workers to skill them up in assessing cognitive disabilities and mental health issues. The report profiles successful holistic early-intervention programs that are already making a difference in young people's lives, but there is a demonstrable need to strengthen early detection and assessment programs, and a great need for health workers, educators and the judiciary to be given the tools to help them distinguish between bad behaviour and a cognitive or mental health problem. The report, funded by the Indigenous Law and Justice Branch of the federal Attorney General's Department, can be found at: http://www.humanrights.gov.au/social_justice/publications/preventing_crime/
New inquiry into combining school and work: supporting successful youth transitions
The House of Representatives Education and Training Committee public inquiry into 'Combining study and work: Supporting successful youth transitions' is currently inviting submissions to the inquiry. Managing the demands of study and part-time or casual employment is part of everyday life for the majority of Australian school students. The impact of potentially competing demands is not well known, and there is little provision of information or guidance to schools or employers on the effect that combined study and work has on the lives of young people generally, and more specifically on their career development and prospects for successful transitions.
The committee's review of the impact of combined study and work on the success of youth transitions and Year 12 attainment will focus on:
* providing opportunities to recognise and accredit employability and career development skills gained through students' part time or casual work;
* identifying more flexible, innovative and/or alternative approaches to attaining a senior secondary certificate which support students to combine work and study;
* support that may be required to assist young people combining work and study to stay engaged in their learning, especially where work and study intersect with income support;
* the potential impact of combined study and work on educational attainment (including the prospects for post-compulsory qualifications and workforce productivity); and
* the effectiveness of school-based training pathways and their impact on successful transitions, including opportunities for improvement (particularly in relation to pathways to employment for disadvantaged young people).
Announcing the inquiry, the committee chair, Sharon Bird, MP, said there was "anecdotal evidence to suggest that in some cases, students are spending almost as many hours undertaking paid work as they are at school" and that through this inquiry, the committee hopes to "identify and examine some possible flexible approaches to completing high school which promote a healthy balance of work and study, in order to make practicable recommendations to government". Its terms of reference are outlined at: http://www.aph.gov.au/edt and submissions need to be made by 16 January 2009. For more information on making a submission, the terms of reference, or any other information on the inquiry, see the website at: http://www.aph.gov.au/edt, or ph: (02) 6277 4573; email: edt.reps[at]aph.gov.au
The committee's review of the impact of combined study and work on the success of youth transitions and Year 12 attainment will focus on:
* providing opportunities to recognise and accredit employability and career development skills gained through students' part time or casual work;
* identifying more flexible, innovative and/or alternative approaches to attaining a senior secondary certificate which support students to combine work and study;
* support that may be required to assist young people combining work and study to stay engaged in their learning, especially where work and study intersect with income support;
* the potential impact of combined study and work on educational attainment (including the prospects for post-compulsory qualifications and workforce productivity); and
* the effectiveness of school-based training pathways and their impact on successful transitions, including opportunities for improvement (particularly in relation to pathways to employment for disadvantaged young people).
Announcing the inquiry, the committee chair, Sharon Bird, MP, said there was "anecdotal evidence to suggest that in some cases, students are spending almost as many hours undertaking paid work as they are at school" and that through this inquiry, the committee hopes to "identify and examine some possible flexible approaches to completing high school which promote a healthy balance of work and study, in order to make practicable recommendations to government". Its terms of reference are outlined at: http://www.aph.gov.au/edt and submissions need to be made by 16 January 2009. For more information on making a submission, the terms of reference, or any other information on the inquiry, see the website at: http://www.aph.gov.au/edt, or ph: (02) 6277 4573; email: edt.reps[at]aph.gov.au
NEWS ITEMS continued:
ABUSE
'Better outcomes for children and young people experiencing domestic abuse -- directions for good practice'
This literature review was prepared for the Scottish Government as a current evidence base to inform the 2008-2011 delivery plan for their National Strategy to Address Domestic Abuse in Scotland. It contains chapters outlining the research evidence on children and young people experiencing domestic abuse, participation of children and young people experiencing domestic abuse, protection for children and young people experiencing domestic abuse, provision for children and young people experiencing domestic abuse, and the primary prevention of domestic abuse through education. The literature review, 'Better outcomes for children and young people experiencing domestic abuse -- directions for good practice', is available from the Scottish Government website: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/08/04112614/0 (Source: 'Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse Newsletter', n.34, spring 2008, p.9.)
ARTS, MUSIC
Virtual exhibition for young artists experiencing difficult circumstances
The Artful Dodgers Studios form part of the Jesuit Social Services Gateway Program, which aims to help young people aged 15 - 28 with multiple and complex needs to access education, employment and training. The Artful Dodgers Studios are innovative and creative spaces for young people whose lives have been affected by difficult circumstances. Young people work in fully equipped art and music studios with experienced artists and musicians, exploring and developing their creative skills, meeting and connecting with other artists and musicians, and getting involved in high profile projects, exhibitions and other public outcome events. Some works from a recent online exhibition of young artists' work can be seen on their virtual exhibition at: http://v3.artfuldodgers.tv/exhibition/. The studios are open from Monday to Friday and are located at 1 Langridge Street, Collingwood, Melbourne. For more details on Jesuit Social Services, see: http://www.jss.org.au/ (Source: Youth Affairs Coalition of Victoria, email newsletter, 'YACVic Announce', 22 October 2008, and http://v3.artfuldodgers.tv)
BULLYING
The November 2008 edition of 'Professional Educator' contains an edited version of a paper on cyberbullying written by David Ford, President of the NSW Chapter of the Australia and New Zealand Education Law Association (ANZELA). Mr Ford originally presented this paper at the ANZELA NSW Chapter's 'Cyber safety in schools' seminar, held in August this year. The paper examines "the extent to which schools have a responsibility to take steps to minimise the risk of their students being bullied in cyberspace" and then considers "the potential liability on schools where they fail to fulfil that responsibility". Finally, he gives a number of recommendations for reasonable steps that teachers ought to take to minimise the risks that students may face due to cyberbullying. (Source: 'Professional Educator', v.7, n.4, 2008, pp.38-41.)
DRUGS
National Binge Drinking Strategy
This strategy to tackle the problems of excessive alcohol consumption is about to be launched, and a website for the strategy will be available within a few days, at: http://www.australia.gov.au/drinkingnightmare (as of 23 November 2008). The website is due to launch with the campaign. (Source: email, Talisha Holley, Department of Health and Ageing, 18 November 2008.)
In the first round of federal government grants for grassroots community work on this issue, 19 community projects across the country have received $3.6 million. The grants will enable community groups and organisations to combine to combat binge-drinking through strong, effective partnerships with community members and organisations such as police, health and youth workers, cultural groups and local government authorities.
The Australian Drug Foundation's National Policy Manager, Geoff Munro, has welcomed the federal government's funding of these community level initiatives. However he commented that while "effective community programs are essential", communities alone "cannot perform miracles" with $3.6 million in the face of the millions of dollars spent by alcohol brands in promoting drinking. "Effective prevention needs long-term funding ... Unsafe drinking has become a normal part of Australian society and changing that is going to require a long-term, continuous investment from all levels of government". Just as it has taken three decades for drink-driving to be regarded as anti-social, so too it "will take many years to change the nation's attitude toward binge drinking because tolerance for excessive drinking is part of the country's DNA." (Source: Australian Drug Foundation, 'ADF welcomes community funding to reduce binge drinking', media release, 17 November 2008; Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing media release at: http://www.health.gov.au/internet/ministers/publishing.nsf/Content/mr-yr08-nr-nr156.htm and the 'Update mailing list', 17 November 2008 and 18 November 2008.)
In the first round of federal government grants for grassroots community work on this issue, 19 community projects across the country have received $3.6 million. The grants will enable community groups and organisations to combine to combat binge-drinking through strong, effective partnerships with community members and organisations such as police, health and youth workers, cultural groups and local government authorities.
The Australian Drug Foundation's National Policy Manager, Geoff Munro, has welcomed the federal government's funding of these community level initiatives. However he commented that while "effective community programs are essential", communities alone "cannot perform miracles" with $3.6 million in the face of the millions of dollars spent by alcohol brands in promoting drinking. "Effective prevention needs long-term funding ... Unsafe drinking has become a normal part of Australian society and changing that is going to require a long-term, continuous investment from all levels of government". Just as it has taken three decades for drink-driving to be regarded as anti-social, so too it "will take many years to change the nation's attitude toward binge drinking because tolerance for excessive drinking is part of the country's DNA." (Source: Australian Drug Foundation, 'ADF welcomes community funding to reduce binge drinking', media release, 17 November 2008; Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing media release at: http://www.health.gov.au/internet/ministers/publishing.nsf/Content/mr-yr08-nr-nr156.htm and the 'Update mailing list', 17 November 2008 and 18 November 2008.)
Schoolies week
Schoolies week falls at different times for different states and territories in Australia, depending on that state's exam timetabling. Queensland students are usually the first to celebrate and Victorian students the last. The DrugInfo Clearinghouse has a page devoted to mitigating the harms associated with Schoolies week. See: http://druginfo.adf.org.au/hidden_articles/banner_pages/teenage_drinking.html and see their alert, 'Staying safe during schoolies week', at: http://druginfo.adf.org.au/newsletter.asp?ContainerID=staying_safe_schoolies_week, which includes links to other useful websites.
AIC resources on schoolies week for researchers, teachers, young people and parents
As Year 12 school leavers prepare for their group celebrations, the Australian Institute for Criminology (AIC) has prepared a fact sheet on schoolies week, outlining some basic planning and preparation suggestions for use by researchers, teachers, parents and young people themselves. For a practical guide and other resources that aim to mitigate the potential for danger and harm, see the AIC fact sheet and resources on schoolies week at: http://www.aic.gov.au/research/jjustice/schoolies.html
'What a waste'
In an article in 'The Courier Mail' (18 November 2008), psychologist Michael Carr-Gregg stressed the dangers of drug use, which often carry a very high risk of overdose. See:
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,24671097-3102,00.html For a taste of the reality and bitter finality of drug overdose, see the sad tributes posted this year on Overdose Awareness Day for those lost to drug use, at: http://www.salvationarmy.org.au/SALV/STANDARD/PC_61902.html
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,24671097-3102,00.html For a taste of the reality and bitter finality of drug overdose, see the sad tributes posted this year on Overdose Awareness Day for those lost to drug use, at: http://www.salvationarmy.org.au/SALV/STANDARD/PC_61902.html
Teaching resource on adolescents and alcohol
To help alter the perceived binge drinking culture among young people, Equipe Industries, as providers of adolescent life skills training in Western Australia, have produced an educational DVD resource for classroom use to reach those in their early adolescent years. The resource consists of three episodes on the theme of binge drinking, written, directed and produced by young Australians in a cinematic style. The resource also includes lesson plans and teacher notes and approaches the issue of binge drinking from a variety of perspectives, focusing on the social consequences of drinking, using a social norms research approach. Due to be released on 1 December 2008, the resource can be obtained through Jason Schroeder, Equipe Industries, email: jase[at]equipeindustries.com.au Also see their website, via: http://tinyurl.com/64vwr7, viewed 18 November 2008. (Source: Email, Equipe Industries, 10 November 2008)
Stepping stones to help families cope with loved ones who use drugs
The Australian Drug Foundation (ADF) issues a regular pamphlet that very clearly outlines good resources to inform those who use drugs, and those who work with the users of drugs. The ADF 'resource catalogue' also lists materials for support people and families, tools for health and treatment professionals and resources for drug education in schools. The latest ADF 'resource catalogue' (n.52, summer 2008-09) promotes a new resource about to be published called 'Stepping stones'. It is a workbook for families coping with problematic drug use by their loved ones, and has been developed by Family Drug Support in collaboration with the ADF. The workbook gives a step-by-step guide to helping people turn a crisis into coping, and gain control of their lives. Due for publication in mid-December 2008, orders and inquiries about price and availability can be obtained from the ADF: ph: 1300 858 584. Also see: http://www.bookshop.adf.org.au and http://www.druginfo.adf.org.au
Using social norms to reduce youth alcohol misuse
Dr Clarissa Hughes, a research fellow at the University of Tasmania's Department of Rural Health, has written an article on the social norms approach to school-based alcohol education programs, which appears in the November 2008 edition of 'Professional Educator'. Dr Hughes outlines the results of a trial of an approach conducted in Tasmania in recent years, called the Social Norms Analysis Project (SNAP). An earlier paper written by Dr Hughes and her SNAP colleagues, which also outlined findings from the project, was published in the June 2008 edition of 'Youth Studies Australia' (v.27, n.2, pp.26-35). The social norms approach works on the premise that young people's alcohol consumption is influenced by their perceptions of their peers' attitudes towards and consumption of alcohol, and that most young people overestimate their peers' alcohol consumption. In the social norms approach, educators provide young people with more accurate information about their peers' use of and attitudes towards alcohol. The SNAP project has led to the creation of the resource, '4Real: An Australian guide to alcohol-focused social norms interventions' for schools interested in trying similar interventions in their own settings. For further information, contact the Tasmanian Institute of Law Enforcement Studies (TILES), ph: (03) 6226 2328; email: tiles[AT]utas.edu.au (Source: 'Professional Educator', v.7, n.4, 2008, pp.24-27.)
Youth RISE and the forthcoming 'Harm reduction and human rights conference
Youth RISE, an international harm reduction network for young people, has launched a campaign encouraging organisations to sponsor young leaders to attend the international conference on harm reduction and human rights, which will take place in Thailand in April 2009. The Youth RISE 'Take two to Thailand' campaign encourages organisations to sponsor a young person to attend that event. For more about the conference, contact Jennifer Curcio, email: Jennifer.curcio[at]ihra.net or visit the website http://www.ihra.net/Thailand/Home, and for more information about the youth attendance program, contact Youth RISE, email: info[at]youthrise.org
EDUCATION
AMP/NATSEM ask, 'What price the clever country?'
A new report on the cost of tertiary education is about to be launched. The 21st AMP.NATSEM report, 'What price the clever country?' will be available on AMP's media centre website at: http://media.amp.com.au/ from 12.01 am on Tuesday 25 November. The report looks at Australian tertiary students today, who they are, how they meet their costs of living while they study, how much they pay for their university education compared to what the rest of the world pays, how they repay their HECS debts and the financial value of a tertiary qualification over a lifetime. NATSEM is a research centre associated with the University of Canberra that undertakes research and analysis specialising in the use of microdata and microsimulation modelling to address ongoing and emerging research agendas and client demand and contribute to and enhance social, economic and business decision-making. (An embargoed copy of the report will be issued on Monday 25 November at 7.30 am. For further information, contact AMP's Emily Ritchie, ph: (02) 9257 5615, email: emily_ritchie[at]amp.com.au)
The trouble with science and maths
The October 2008 edition of 'Education Review' contains an article on the issue of declining student enrolments in science, technology and mathematics subjects across all levels of education in Australia, with particular reference to poor university enrolments and inadequate teacher qualifications in these fields. The article highlights one of the NSW Department of Education and Training's initiatives to address this issue: the reconfiguration of Macquarie Boys' Technology High School in western Sydney as Lachlan Macquarie College, a specialist maths, science and technology education facility providing programs for gifted students from local schools in the area and those planning to enter trades with "a significant technology component", as well as offering professional development for public-school maths, science and technology teachers and pre-service teachers (Source: 'Education Review', v.18, n.7, 2008, pp.8-9.)
Senior students value career advice
Almost all students access career advice in the final years of high school and believe that the advice received is appropriate to their individual needs, according to an Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) report released in October. The report 'Career advice in Australian secondary schools: Use and usefulness', by Sheldon Rothman and Kylie Hillman, is research report number 53 in ACER's Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) program.
The study was based on information collected from a group of more than 8,000 young Australians who were aged 15 in 2003. Most were in Year 10 at that time. Information on how much career advice they accessed, and their perceptions of the usefulness of that advice, were collected through annual phone interviews conducted between 2003 and 2005. Findings indicate that careers advice programs need to include a wide range of activities to meet students' changing needs. ACER chief executive Professor Geoff Masters said that one of the study's "pleasing" findings was "that career advice appears to be delivered equitably to students across all schools and within schools". The report can be downloaded from the ACER website: http://www.acer.edu.au/news/index.html#LSAY53 (Source: ACER 2008, 'School career advice well received by student's, media release, 7 October, ACER, Camberwell, Victoria, viewed 12 November 2008, http://www.acer.edu.au/news/index.html#LSAY53 )
The study was based on information collected from a group of more than 8,000 young Australians who were aged 15 in 2003. Most were in Year 10 at that time. Information on how much career advice they accessed, and their perceptions of the usefulness of that advice, were collected through annual phone interviews conducted between 2003 and 2005. Findings indicate that careers advice programs need to include a wide range of activities to meet students' changing needs. ACER chief executive Professor Geoff Masters said that one of the study's "pleasing" findings was "that career advice appears to be delivered equitably to students across all schools and within schools". The report can be downloaded from the ACER website: http://www.acer.edu.au/news/index.html#LSAY53 (Source: ACER 2008, 'School career advice well received by student's, media release, 7 October, ACER, Camberwell, Victoria, viewed 12 November 2008, http://www.acer.edu.au/news/index.html#LSAY53 )
Transitions and social partnerships in the VET sector
An article in the November 2008 edition of 'Professional Educator' outlines findings from 'Sustaining effective social partnerships', a research report published by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) in June this year. The research report documents the findings from the second phase of research into the processes of forming, maintaining and sustaining social partnerships within the vocational education and training (VET) sector. Four such social partnerships were observed over a 14-month period. The research identified five key aspects to effective social partnerships: shared purposes and goals, good relations between partners, the capacity for partnership work, good governance and leadership, and trust and trustworthiness. While the research found that social partnerships make "a significant contribution to VET in Australia", it found that these partnerships are often fragile, and that their sustainability "relies upon the fact that goodwill and individual commitment cannot replace realistic funding of reasonable duration; availability of personnel with appropriate skills to meet skill needs and succession; authority delegated through government endorsement; and a democratic foundation that gives them legitimacy in their communities". The report 'Sustaining effective social partnerships' can be downloaded from the NCVER website: http://www.ncver.edu.au/publications/1985.html (Source: 'Professional Educator', v.7, n.4, 2008, pp.33-35.)
Most early leavers engaged in education, training or employment
An Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) report released in October indicates that only four per cent of 17-year-olds had not completed Year 12, participated in an alternative vocational program or found full-time employment. The report 'School non-completers: Profiles and initial destinations', by David D. Curtis and Julie McMillan, is research report number 54 in ACER's Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) program. Findings from this study indicate that TAFE courses and apprenticeships can make an important contribution to the Council of Australian Governments' (COAG's) goal for a 90 per cent Year 12 or equivalent completion rate by the year 2020. The study tracked 8,691 young people from 2003, when they were aged 15, until 2005, finding that the majority of those who did not complete Year 12 were fully engaged in employment, education or training (80 per cent of males and 58 per cent of females). Those most likely to have left school early were low academic achievers, Indigenous young people, those from families where parents worked in blue-collar occupations or were not university-educated, those not living with both parents, those from non-metropolitan locations, those from government schools, males and those born in Australia. The report can be downloaded from the ACER website: http://www.acer.edu.au/news/index.html#LSAY54 (Source: ACER 2008, 'Early school leavers take up education, training and employment', media release, 23 October, ACER, Camberwell, Victoria, viewed 12 November 2008, http://www.acer.edu.au/news/index.html#LSAY54 )
ICAN: School retention in South Australia
The Innovative Community Action Networks (ICAN) is an initiative that arose from the South Australian Government's Social Inclusion 'Making the Connections' School Retention Action Plan, which brings together young people, families, schools, community groups, businesses and different levels of government to find solutions to local issues that prevent young people from completing their education. The initiative takes a social inclusion approach to school retention and is focused on young people aged 12 to 19 years who are on the cusp of disengagement or who have dropped out of learning altogether.
The new ICAN Works Strategy is an integration of three key initiatives, with three government departments working closely in a focused partnership to deliver brighter futures for youth at risk of early school leaving. The first department, and the one that leads ICAN, is the SA Department of Education and Children's Services -- DECS is at the centre of the strategy, delivering the broadest and fullest range of educational and case management support. The second ICAN Works partner is the SA Department of Further Education, Employment, Science and Technology, which continues to support young people at risk of early leaving by encouraging them to participate in the Alternative Learning Options Program and to continue their education through vocational education and training pathways. The third ICAN Works partner is the SA Department of Families and Communities. Young people who are under the guardianship of the Minister are particularly at risk of disengagement, and therefore Families SA, through the Assertive Management initiative, uses key workers to provide wrap-around services statewide for young people who are under the Minister's care. The focus is particularly on tackling any barriers, both social and educational, to engagement in learning that young foster people are experiencing. These collaborative partnerships are key to the strategy's success, with shared responsibilities for learning and earning pathways. Schools and training sectors work in collaboration with other SA government and non-government departments, businesses and industry, agencies and community groups. ICAN's state manager is Phillipa Duigan, ph: (08) 8226 1726. (Source: ICAN website, http://www.ican.sa.edu.au, viewed 18 November 2008; Government of South Australia, Department of Education and Children's Services, http://tinyurl.com/5seun7 or http://www.decs.sa.gov.au/portal/students.asp?group=stayingschool&id=ican, viewed 2 November 2008, and 'ICAN Newsletter', n.9, October 2008.)
The new ICAN Works Strategy is an integration of three key initiatives, with three government departments working closely in a focused partnership to deliver brighter futures for youth at risk of early school leaving. The first department, and the one that leads ICAN, is the SA Department of Education and Children's Services -- DECS is at the centre of the strategy, delivering the broadest and fullest range of educational and case management support. The second ICAN Works partner is the SA Department of Further Education, Employment, Science and Technology, which continues to support young people at risk of early leaving by encouraging them to participate in the Alternative Learning Options Program and to continue their education through vocational education and training pathways. The third ICAN Works partner is the SA Department of Families and Communities. Young people who are under the guardianship of the Minister are particularly at risk of disengagement, and therefore Families SA, through the Assertive Management initiative, uses key workers to provide wrap-around services statewide for young people who are under the Minister's care. The focus is particularly on tackling any barriers, both social and educational, to engagement in learning that young foster people are experiencing. These collaborative partnerships are key to the strategy's success, with shared responsibilities for learning and earning pathways. Schools and training sectors work in collaboration with other SA government and non-government departments, businesses and industry, agencies and community groups. ICAN's state manager is Phillipa Duigan, ph: (08) 8226 1726. (Source: ICAN website, http://www.ican.sa.edu.au, viewed 18 November 2008; Government of South Australia, Department of Education and Children's Services, http://tinyurl.com/5seun7 or http://www.decs.sa.gov.au/portal/students.asp?group=stayingschool&id=ican, viewed 2 November 2008, and 'ICAN Newsletter', n.9, October 2008.)
ENVIRONMENT
Gen Green: How green are young workers?
The Dusseldorp Skills Forum (DSF) is asking young tradespeople about what they do, how they learn and how much they care about green practices in the workplace. The survey is being conducted with past WorldSkills National Competitors, and the results will be used to scope future DSF projects. The results of the study will be posted on the DSF website in early December 2008, at: http://www.dsf.org.au For more details, contact Judy Turnbull, ph: (02) 9571 8347 or email: judy[at]dsf.org.au
FAMILIIES
The Family-School Partnerships Framework
On 5 November 2008, the Minister for Education, Julia Gillard, announced that all Australian schools and parent associations would soon receive a copy of the Family-School Partnerships Framework. The framework underpins the ideals of the recently established Family-School and Community Partnerships Bureau, and will complement the work of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Productivity Agenda Working Group. Copies of the framework are available at: http://www.familyschool.org.au/pdf/framework.pdf (PDF format). The Family-School and Community Partnerships Bureau is at: http://www.familyschool.org.au/ The framework acknowledges that families have a major influence on their children's achievement in school and throughout life; evidence shows that when schools, parents and communities work in partnership, children tend to do better in school, stay in school longer and enjoy school more. The framework sets out the principles of effective partnerships and outlines the strategies that schools and parents could use to form effective partnerships. (Sources: http://mediacentre.dewr.gov.au/mediacentre/Gillard/Releases/SupportingFamiliesandSchoolstoWorkTogether.htm; and the Australian Council of State School Organisations, 'ACSSO Australian Education Digest', v.2, n.42, 18 November 2008.)
HEALTH
Eating disorders and young men
Concerns about obesity and media messages about body image and are contributing to an increase in the number of boys and young men developing anorexia and other eating disorders, according to an article in the 'Sydney Morning Herald'. Sloane Madden, head of the Eating Disorders Unit at the Children's Hospital at Westmead, said that GPs and families often failed to recognise eating disorders in males because they assume that the problem only affects females (Source: 'YAPRap', v.18, n.10, 2008, p.2.)
INDIGENOUS YOUTH
Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience
A group of young Aboriginal tertiary graduates has developed a mentoring program to encourage Aboriginal teenagers to stay in school. The Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience (AIME) operates in 21 public and private schools around Sydney, pairing university students with Indigenous high school students for weekly one-on-one sessions. For further information, visit the AIME website: http://www.aimementoring.com (Source: 'YAPRap', v.18, n.10, 2008, p.3.)
World Indigenous People's Conference on Education comes to Melbourne
The WIPC:E conference is expected to attract 3,000 people from around the world and is centred on the theme, 'Indigenous education in the 21st century: Respecting tradition, shaping the future'. To view the program, see: http://www.wipce2008.com (Source: 'SNAICC news' (Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care) October 2008, p.12.)
MENTAL HEALTH
"headspace centres: Someone else to go to"
headspace, Australia's Youth Mental Health Foundation, has launched a major media campaign aimed at overcoming the barrier of resistance to seeking help that stands between young people and the excellent services that are now available to them through the 30 headspace centres recently established in every state and territory. These centres offer free or low cost help for general health, mental health and counselling, education, employment and alcohol and other drug issues. Chris Tanti, headspace's CEO, believes that the campaign's launch marks a major milestone in helping the community to recognise the importance of youth mental health problems and the need to take them seriously. The headspace campaign highlights the fact that all to often, young people who reach out to others can receive unhelpful advice, and that headspace offers "something different, a physical service with someone else to go to and receive help and advice for whatever struggle the individual may be encountering". A range of ways for young people to become aware of headspace have been launched, and YFX readers might consider playing a part in promoting these through, for example:
* On YouTube, at: http://www.youtube.com/user/headspace7
* On Facebook, at:
http://www.new.facebook.com/apps/application.php?id=34009891860 (To add the Facebook application to your Facebook profile, see:
http://tinyurl.com/5vswsf or
http://apps.new.facebook.com/causes/26670?h=shb&m=e4612a2f&recruiter_id=7331784)
* On MySpace, at:
http://www.myspace.com/whatsinyourheadspace
More at: http://www.headspace.org.au; the headspace media campaign website is at: http://www.headspace.org.au/home/my-headspace/downloads/second-campaign/, or get there via: http://tinyurl.com/65tjnp.
Note: The headspace media release of 8 November ('headspace centres: Someone else to go to') includes the useful citation to the 2005 article by D. Rickwood and others, titled 'Young people's help-seeking for mental health problems', which appeared in the 'Australian e-Journal for the Advancement of Mental Health', v.4, n.3 (supplement).
* On YouTube, at: http://www.youtube.com/user/headspace7
* On Facebook, at:
http://www.new.facebook.com/apps/application.php?id=34009891860 (To add the Facebook application to your Facebook profile, see:
http://tinyurl.com/5vswsf or
http://apps.new.facebook.com/causes/26670?h=shb&m=e4612a2f&recruiter_id=7331784)
* On MySpace, at:
http://www.myspace.com/whatsinyourheadspace
More at: http://www.headspace.org.au; the headspace media campaign website is at: http://www.headspace.org.au/home/my-headspace/downloads/second-campaign/, or get there via: http://tinyurl.com/65tjnp.
Note: The headspace media release of 8 November ('headspace centres: Someone else to go to') includes the useful citation to the 2005 article by D. Rickwood and others, titled 'Young people's help-seeking for mental health problems', which appeared in the 'Australian e-Journal for the Advancement of Mental Health', v.4, n.3 (supplement).
"A national emergency": headspace's Patrick McGorry on the newly released 'National survey of mental health and wellbeing: Summary of results, 2007'
A summary of results from the 2007 National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing, conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) from August to December 2007 was released in November (ABS catalogue n.4326.0, National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing: Summary of Results, 2007,
http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/4326.0?OpenDocument). In response to the release of the ABS survey, Professor Patrick McGorry, head of the Orygen Research Centre (the lead agency behind headspace) and one of Australia's leading experts on youth mental health, said the report's figures showed that youth mental health had not improved in 10 years, which suggests a systemic failure in treatment. He told 'The Age' recently, "This is a national emergency, it's a huge, big public health problem". He said that great investment and political support is needed to address youth mental health to avoid continuing deterioration: "Imagine if there was increased level of heart disease or cancer but the service system was not responding to it; there would be an outcry". Prof. McGorry also warned parents that the ABS figures in the report could be an underestimate: "Everyone who's got a teenage kid must realise that they have got a one-in-three chance of developing a significant mental health problem by the age of 25", he said. (Source: 'The Age', 24 October 2008, http://www.theage.com.au/national/mental-illness-ravaging-nations-youth-20081023-57go.html
The 'National survey of mental health and wellbeing: Summary of results, 2007' reports the results of a survey that collected information from approximately 8,800 Australians aged 16-85 years and was focused on the prevalence of three mental disorders (anxiety disorders, affective disorders, and substance use disorders. The report provides information on these disorders, the level of impairment, the health services used for mental health problems, physical conditions, social networks and care-giving, as well as demographic and socio-economic characteristics. The report shows one in five of those surveyed had a mental disorder in 2007, with anxiety disorders being the most common, affecting 14 per cent of people. Affective disorders, such as depression, affected 6 per cent, while substance use disorders affected 5 per cent. Younger people were more likely to have a mental disorder than older people, and 26 per cent of people aged 16 to 24 had a disorder, compared with 6 per cent of people aged 75 to 85. Substance use disorders were more common for younger people (13 per cent) than other age groups, while anxiety disorders were more common in people aged 35 to 44 (18 per cent). The report's approach is described in greater detail at:
http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/4326.0?OpenDocument (Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, 'One in five Australians have a mental illness', media release, 23 October 2008, http://tinyurl.com/63oqpp.)
http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/4326.0?OpenDocument). In response to the release of the ABS survey, Professor Patrick McGorry, head of the Orygen Research Centre (the lead agency behind headspace) and one of Australia's leading experts on youth mental health, said the report's figures showed that youth mental health had not improved in 10 years, which suggests a systemic failure in treatment. He told 'The Age' recently, "This is a national emergency, it's a huge, big public health problem". He said that great investment and political support is needed to address youth mental health to avoid continuing deterioration: "Imagine if there was increased level of heart disease or cancer but the service system was not responding to it; there would be an outcry". Prof. McGorry also warned parents that the ABS figures in the report could be an underestimate: "Everyone who's got a teenage kid must realise that they have got a one-in-three chance of developing a significant mental health problem by the age of 25", he said. (Source: 'The Age', 24 October 2008, http://www.theage.com.au/national/mental-illness-ravaging-nations-youth-20081023-57go.html
The 'National survey of mental health and wellbeing: Summary of results, 2007' reports the results of a survey that collected information from approximately 8,800 Australians aged 16-85 years and was focused on the prevalence of three mental disorders (anxiety disorders, affective disorders, and substance use disorders. The report provides information on these disorders, the level of impairment, the health services used for mental health problems, physical conditions, social networks and care-giving, as well as demographic and socio-economic characteristics. The report shows one in five of those surveyed had a mental disorder in 2007, with anxiety disorders being the most common, affecting 14 per cent of people. Affective disorders, such as depression, affected 6 per cent, while substance use disorders affected 5 per cent. Younger people were more likely to have a mental disorder than older people, and 26 per cent of people aged 16 to 24 had a disorder, compared with 6 per cent of people aged 75 to 85. Substance use disorders were more common for younger people (13 per cent) than other age groups, while anxiety disorders were more common in people aged 35 to 44 (18 per cent). The report's approach is described in greater detail at:
http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/4326.0?OpenDocument (Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, 'One in five Australians have a mental illness', media release, 23 October 2008, http://tinyurl.com/63oqpp.)
Current models of child and adolescent mental health service delivery
This is the title of an article in the Medical Journal of Australia ('eMJA', 3 November 2008) by Vicki Degotardi, Senior Lecturer in the School of Medicine (Rural Clinical Division) at the University of Queensland. The article argues that for the best outcomes for child and adolescent mental health patients and their families, a multidisciplinary team approach provides a much safer and more efficient method of service delivery than a case management approach. The full text is accessible at the eMJA website once you have registered for free access; see: http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/189_09_031108/deg10375_fm.html (Also cited by the Youth Coalition of the ACT, 'ebulletin', 18 November 2008.)
Reach Out resources
Since 1999, Reach Out has been helping to improve the mental health and wellbeing of young Australians through their web-based resources. The latest edition of their email newsletter 'Reach Out! RAW' gives news of some of their latest resources, including their Online Community Forums, which are now open three nights per week (http://reachout.com.au/default.asp?ti=3191 ), tips on safe partying (http://reachout.com.au/default.asp?ti=2602 ), and advice on managing exam stress (http://reachout.com.au/default.asp?ti=1342 ). For further information, visit the Reach Out website: http://www.reachout.com.au (Source: 'Reach Out! RAW', email newsletter, viewed 5 November.)
MENTORING
'A guide to engaging business for youth mentoring organisations', and tools for better mentoring
In late October, the Victorian Government's Office for Youth launched 'A guide to engaging business for youth mentoring organisations', prepared by Whitelion on behalf of the Victorian Government. The resource was developed in partnership with the Victorian Youth Mentoring Alliance, youth mentoring organisations and business, and is aimed at helping not-for-profit youth mentoring organisations by showing them how to engage with business and how to turn their projects into a showcase of corporate social responsibility in action. More at: http://tinyurl.com/6gmcc7
Recruiting mentors for the Ucan2 program
The Centre for Multicultural Youth (CMY) is recruiting peer mentor volunteers for its Ucan2 program. Ucan2 aims to increase social, education, training and employment opportunities for people who are aged 16-24 years and who are from refugee backgrounds. The program is expanding in 2009 and the centre is hoping to recruit 35 to 40 volunteer mentors. Mentors will be provided with formal training, supervision and support from CMY. For more information, contact Rebekah Barson, ph: (03) 9340 3700; email: rbarson[at]cmy.net.au. (Source: Centre for Multicultural Youth, http://www.cmy.net.au/, email, Rebekah Barson, 23 October 2008.)
MOVEMENTS, CHANGES, MILESTONES
The current edition of 'SNAICC news' (Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care, October 2008, p.3) carries the news that the long-standing executive officer of the national non government peak body in Australia, Julian Pocock, will be stepping out of that role at the end of March 2009. Julian reiterated his commitment to working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, but says that after 11 years he will be taking a break, saying it has been a fantastic experience working for SNAICC.
SNAICC is 25 years old this year and, to celebrate, invites stories of your experiences with SNAICC or your service's involvement with the organisation. Send contributions to: publications[at]snaicc.asn.au , or contact SNAICC via phone, (03) 9489 8099, or via its website: http://www.snaicc.asn.au
SNAICC is 25 years old this year and, to celebrate, invites stories of your experiences with SNAICC or your service's involvement with the organisation. Send contributions to: publications[at]snaicc.asn.au , or contact SNAICC via phone, (03) 9489 8099, or via its website: http://www.snaicc.asn.au
National Community Safety Award goes to the Local Government Association of Queensland for their Disaster Education Resources for Children and Young People Project
Given the recent devastation in Queensland, and the recent federal infrastructure grants to local government councils, the LGAQ's winning of an award for their Disaster Education Resources for Children and Young People Project is topical. The project was recognised in the Emergency Management Australia (EMA) awards recently, and won the top award at the National Community Safety Awards, presented by the Attorney General. While the 'Red Alert!' DVD and 'Get Ready Kidna's' CD resources are already well known to many Queensland councils who use them to inform, educate and prepare children and young people for disasters in their community, the resources are also of interest to a wider audience. The DVD contains a collection of disaster stories told by young people about their experiences in cyclones, floods, bushfires and severe storms, and the package is designed to be easy to use, fun and educational. The resources had an interesting gestation as the LGAQ and the Department of Emergency Services developed them with the support of local councils, schools, youth organisation, private companies and not-for-profit organisations. The project was managed through the Disaster Management Alliance, an initiative of the LGAQ and Department of Emergency Services with support from the Commonwealth's Emergency Management Australia. The resources are a "great example of partnerships resulting in the best possible outcomes for the community, in this instance for the children and young people of the community. No single agency could have done this alone, but together we have produced award winning results" (LGAQ President, Cr Paul Bell). Both resources can be downloaded from the web:
Red Alert!, http://www.emergency.qld.gov.au/redalert.asp
Get Ready Kidna's, http://www.emergency.qld.gov.au/kids/kidnas
For more information, contact: Michael Dickinson, DM Alliance Project Officer, ph: (07) 3238 5611 or Rachael Uhr, Youth Policy Officer, Local Government Association of Queensland, ph: (07) 3000 2238, fax: (07) 3252 4473.
Red Alert!, http://www.emergency.qld.gov.au/redalert.asp
Get Ready Kidna's, http://www.emergency.qld.gov.au/kids/kidnas
For more information, contact: Michael Dickinson, DM Alliance Project Officer, ph: (07) 3238 5611 or Rachael Uhr, Youth Policy Officer, Local Government Association of Queensland, ph: (07) 3000 2238, fax: (07) 3252 4473.
NEW PUBLICATIONS
Beyond the classroom, building school networks, by Rosalyn Black
Ros Black will be known to many readers of this newsletters for her work with the Education Foundation. The Education Foundation is now in alliance with the Foundation for Young Australians, where Ros Black is now Senior Research Manager. Her book, 'Beyond the classroom, building school networks' is published by ACER Press, and was launched on 18 November. The book is based on the findings of research carried out by the Education Foundation, and its thrust is that tinkering around the edges of schooling will not provide solutions to the widening gaps in education that result in restricted opportunities for many young Australians. The book proposes networks, consisting of schools, parents, community and businesses, and for new models of schooling that recognise that the future of young people is the responsibility of the whole community. Such new models could form the basis of a new social alliance across school systems that would enable all young people to take an active, if not a leading, role in their community. For all details including costs, see the ACER Press website at: http://shop.acer.edu.au/acer-shop/product/A4058BK/35 (viewed 18 November 2008). (Source: Australian Council for Educational Research, 'ACER eNews', n.71, 14 November 2008.)
Youth health and welfare: The cultural politics of education and wellbeing, by Johanna Wyn
'Youth health and welfare: The cultural politics of education and wellbeing', by Johanna Wyn (Director of the Australian Youth Research Centre at the University of Melbourne) is published by Oxford University Press and will be available in Australia in December 2008. 'Youth, health and welfare' gives a "critical, policy and practice-oriented inter-disciplinary perspective on the changing nature of young people's lives and how this affects their health and wellbeing", while maintaining a focus on young people's experiences, priorities and attitudes in relation to risk, wellbeing and health in a changing world. Drawing on the latest research from a variety of Australian and international sources, it takes a lively, research-based and critical approach to young people's health and wellbeing in contemporary society. It includes an introduction to current debates and theoretical ideas, an analysis of key health and wellbeing issues, and discusses the challenges for health and education professionals and the ways in which health and educational approaches frame youth. (Adapted from the publisher's blurb at:
http://www.oup.com.au/titles/higher_ed/health_sciences/9780195560466)
http://www.oup.com.au/titles/higher_ed/health_sciences/9780195560466)
Young people making a life, by Ani Wierenga
'Young people making a life', by Ani Wierenga (Research Fellow at the Australian Youth Research Centre at the University of Melbourne) is published in the UK by Palgrave Macmillan and will be available in Australia in January 2009. This book is the culmination of a 12-year longitudinal study of a group of young people in a remote Australian community. With its backdrop of social inequalities and rapid social change, the book reveals what helps young people to find meaning and connectedness in their lives. It provides an integrated discussion of topics, such as young people's learning and work, their creativity, their wellbeing and their active citizenship. We are shown how their lives, though shaped by context, are also importantly built around trust in relationships, and the book shows the vital role of story, both individual and shared, in young people's lives. (Adapted from the publisher's blurb at:
http://www.palgrave.com/Products/title.aspx?PID=280297
http://www.palgrave.com/Products/title.aspx?PID=280297
PARTICIPATION
Call for NSW government to stick to its principles
In the October 2008 edition of 'YAPRap', the newsletter of the Youth Action and Policy Association NSW (YAPA), YAPA executive officer Rey Reodica revisits the issue of the apparent slowness of NSW Government agencies to implement the government's 'Best practice principles for youth participation', an issue first raised in the June edition of that newsletter. Mr Reodica reports that, in the past few months, a letter by an anonymous youth worker addressing this topic has been circulating around youth networks in the state. According to Mr Reodica, the letter "raises concerns as to cuts in staffing levels in the government's youth policy area (which supports programs such as the Youth Advisory Council, Youth Week and Better Futures) that are inconsistent with the government's 'Best practice principles' and its 2004 review of the Youth Advisory Council Act. The letter goes on to note the apparent lack of implementation by government departments of the 'principles' and seek action from the sector". Mr Reodica says that YAPA is interested in being "kept in the loop" if any youth networks and interagencies intend to raise this issue with their local members of parliament. (Source: 'YAPRap', v.18, n.10, 2008, pp.7-8.)
REFUGEE YOUTH
'Pathways and transitions: Post-compulsory education, work and refugee young people'
This report, prepared by the Post-compulsory Working Group of the Victorian Settlement Planning Committee (VSPC) and published by the Centre for Multicultural Youth (CMY), is the result of consultations with service providers and agencies involved in assisting refugee young people and other young migrants with histories of disrupted education to "move from refugee or 'refugee-like' experiences overseas to active participation in Australian education, work and society". These consultations identified "a consistent set of themes and a widely understood set of key principles for productive work" with these young people. The report provides case studies of programs, practices and initiatives adopted by education, transition and employment organisations that have been successful in helping refugee young people to negotiate the many "key but complex transition points" they face in their pathways to education and employment in Australia. It also includes a series of recommendations for the improvement of cooperation between the agencies involved in this work, and a list of useful resources. For further information about the report, contact CMY, email: info[AT]cmy.net.au ; website: http://www.cmy.net.au (Source: Victorian Settlement Planning Committee 2008, 'Pathways and transitions: Post-compulsory education, work and refugee young people', Centre for Multicultural Youth, Carlton, Victoria, viewed 12 November 2008, http://www.cmy.net.au/AllCMYPublications )
RELIGION, SPIRITUALITY
Discussion paper calls for input on freedom of religion and belief in the 21st century
The Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC, or as it was previously known, HREOC) has commissioned the Australian Multicultural Foundation in association with RMIT University and Monash University, to prepare a report on Freedom of Religion and Belief in the 21st Century. A discussion paper and call for submissions have been issued. The discussion paper provides the background and context to the Freedom of Religion and Belief in the 21st Century project, and submissions are due by 31 January 2009. A final report will be produced and released in early 2010. It will consist of the core report as prepared by the researchers, and eight supplementary papers that address related issues. "This report will inform governments, faith communities, NGOs and relevant organisations, and contribute to the ongoing debates around culture, faith, identity and national unity. The report will be published and distributed by HREOC and will also be available online. Project material will be available in government and professional publications." (Source: Australian Human Rights Commission website, http://www.humanrights.gov.au/frb/frb_2008.html, viewed 18 November 2008, and Australian Policy Online, 17 November 2008, http://www.apo.org.au, viewed 17 November 2008.)
RESEARCH
Action for Young Australians program
"Action for Young Australians" is a new ARACY program (Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth) to increase the uptake of evidence on "what works best" in policy and practice to address key issues facing young Australians. The program will focus on identifying the gap between what is known and what is done when addressing key problems affecting the wellbeing of children and young people. Once this gap is identified, a program to create change is begun. The Action for Young Australians program will involve a staged process to maximise opportunity for stakeholder input and ensure that the best available research evidence and advice on what is most likely to work in day-to-day practice is used. The three-stage process will involve:
1. working with collaborating ARACY partners, preparing an Action for Young Australians report (a 4 to 6 page summary about the extent of the issue of concern and what is currently being done to address the issue, along a synthesis of the written and practice-based evidence on solutions).
2. undertaking an independent review of the draft report, and seeking input from both ARACY members and discussion forums and from ARACY webinar participants
3. conducting a high level Think Tank of invited representatives from across the policy, practice, research and business sectors to "consider the final report and develop and progress a plan of what needs to be done to put the identified actions into practice".
As topics for the first two issues to be addressed by Action for Young Australians, ARACY has selected risky drinking (in collaboration with the National Drug Research Institute at Curtin University of Technology) and parks and open spaces (in collaboration with the Centre for the Built Environment and Health at the University of Western Australia). For further information on the Action for Young Australians program or the webinars already held on the above topics, contact ARACY's Program Manager Jenni Werner, ph: (08) 9476 7800.
1. working with collaborating ARACY partners, preparing an Action for Young Australians report (a 4 to 6 page summary about the extent of the issue of concern and what is currently being done to address the issue, along a synthesis of the written and practice-based evidence on solutions).
2. undertaking an independent review of the draft report, and seeking input from both ARACY members and discussion forums and from ARACY webinar participants
3. conducting a high level Think Tank of invited representatives from across the policy, practice, research and business sectors to "consider the final report and develop and progress a plan of what needs to be done to put the identified actions into practice".
As topics for the first two issues to be addressed by Action for Young Australians, ARACY has selected risky drinking (in collaboration with the National Drug Research Institute at Curtin University of Technology) and parks and open spaces (in collaboration with the Centre for the Built Environment and Health at the University of Western Australia). For further information on the Action for Young Australians program or the webinars already held on the above topics, contact ARACY's Program Manager Jenni Werner, ph: (08) 9476 7800.
Contents list: