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Youth Field Xpress

Youth Field Xpress, February 2009 (n.150, 20 February 2009)

Youth Field Xpress

n.150, February 2009

Full text

Contents page:

1. VALE Carey Drake-Brockman; Dr Ken Rowe

2. VICTORIAN BUSHFIRES

3. ACYS NEWS

4. BULLYING

5. CARE AND PROTECTION

6. CRIME AND JUSTICE

7. DISCRIMINATION, RIGHTS

8. DRUGS

9. EDUCATION

LSAY REPORT 55: THE OCCUPATIONS AND EARNINGS OF YOUNG AUSTRALIANS

10. ETHNIC/MULTICULTURAL YOUTH

11. GENDER

12. HEALTH

13. INCOMES, EXPENDITURES

14. INDIGENOUS ISSUES

15. INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVES

16. MEDIA

17. MENTAL HEALTH

18. MENTORING

19. NATIONAL YOUTH WEEK

20. PARTICIPATION

21. POVERTY

22. RELIGION

23. RESEARCH

24. RURAL YOUTH

25. TECHNOLOGY

26. UNIVERSITY STUDENTS AND AN AMENITIES FEE

27. UNITED NATIONS

28. VIOLENCE

29. YOUTH RESEARCH

30. YOUTH WORK
Full text

Youth Field Xpress

February 2009

1. VALE

Two leading organisations have recently lost esteemed colleagues.

Carey Drake-Brockman

Youth Field Xpress is very sad to report the death of Carey Drake-Brockman, one of the founding members of the Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth. Carey Drake-Brockman joined ARACY shortly after its establishment in early 2002. As ARACY's first Program Development Manager, Carey led three major projects that laid foundations for ARACY's work. ARACY Chair Professor Fiona Stanley has paid tribute to Carey's contribution, saying, "Carey approached her work, and her life, with a quiet dignity and steadfast determination that inspired similar dedication and determination in others. Those of us who have known and worked with Carey over many years honour and remember her as a woman with an enormous range of talents, which she was ever prepared to share freely with others." (Source: ARACY Update, email, 18 February 2009.)

Dr Ken Rowe

The Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) and the wider education community is mourning the loss of educational researcher Dr Ken Rowe, who died at his family's property in Marysville, a town devastated by the 7 February bushfires in Victoria. Dr Rowe had joined ACER in February 2000 as a principal research fellow before becoming Director of the Learning Processes and Contexts Research Program. Hailed by ACER's CEO as an "outstanding leader, researcher and educational thinker", Dr Rowe had a long and distinguished career in education research and policy, and made significant contributions to national debates on important educational issues, including the development of quality teachers and teaching. In 2004, Dr Rowe was appointed by the then Federal Minister for Education, Dr Brendan Nelson, to head Australia's National Inquiry into the Teaching of Literacy. Although he had retired from ACER in 2008, Dr Rowe continued to work with ACER on a consulting basis and maintained strong links with his colleagues. Recently, he had been busy conducting workshops on measurement and multilevel modelling, and had begun work on a new book. (Source: ACER 2009, Victorian bushfires claim leading educational researcher, media release, 16 February, http://www.acer.edu.au/1/index.php/news-item/kenrowe, viewed 18 February 2009.)

2. VICTORIAN BUSHFIRES

The Australian Clearinghouse for Youth Studies, publisher of this newsletter, extends its sympathy to everyone affected by the Victorian bushfires earlier in February 2009. The Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement has set up a webpage listing sources of support for those affected by the Victorian bushfire tragedy, at: http://www.grief.org.au/bushfire_support.html

3. ACYS NEWS

What's coming up in the March edition of Youth Studies Australia
The feature articles appearing in the next edition of the journal, currently in press, are:
  • Gatekeeper training for youth workers: Impact on their help-seeking and referral skills, by Tania Cartmill, Frank Deane and Coralie Wilson
  • Young people's experiences of mental health care: Implications for the headspace National Youth Mental Health Foundation, by Anjalee Cohen, Sharon Medlow, Norm Kelk and Ian Hickie
  • Complex solutions for complex needs: Towards holistic and collaborative practice, by Sally Beadle
  • Aggression management training for youth in behaviour schools: A quasi-experimental study, by Anna Wheatley, Rachael Murrihy. Jacobine van Kessel, Viviana Wuthrich, Louise Rémond, Rebekka Tuqiri, Mark Dadds and Antony Kidman
  • Researching youth political participation in Australia: Arguments for an expanded focus, by Ian Fyfe
  • The changing context of Australian youth and its implications for social inclusion, by Johanna Wyn
  • It's all about 'I': Gen Ys and neoliberal discourse in 'new times', by Nola Alloway and Leanne Dalley-Trim
More details in the next edition of this newsletter. In the meantime, to subscribe to the journal or find out more about it, visit the ACYS website at: http://www.acys.info, or ph: (03) 6226 2591.

4. BULLYING

Four Corners looks at bullying and invites your feedback

The ABC TV program, Four Corners (Monday nights at 8.30 pm) is looking at bullying: why it happens, how it affects those involved, and ways to prevent it. The Four Corners website invites anyone who has been bullied, or who has witnessed bullying, at school or after hours, to tell Four Corners about the experience using the feedback form at: http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/bullying.htm The form allows people to indicate whether or not they would be prepared to speak publicly about bullying for a TV interview. (Source: AYIN e-list posting, 19 February 2009; original source: AUSEINET notice board, http://auseinet.flinders.edu.au/noticeboard/ausei90.php)

5. CARE AND PROTECTION

CREATE Your Future program

The Federal Government has committed $165,000 to the CREATE Foundation to help young people in out-of-home care. The funding will support the CREATE Your Future program, which provides young people in care with help regarding job readiness, health, nutrition, independent living skills that are vital for them as they make the transition from care to independent living at age 18. The program and its website will be promoted throughout the out-of-home care sector, targeting youth services and related departments to keep workers informed about the issues and services available to young people. With this funding, CREATE will also further develop the CREATE Your Future training package and train the trainer package as national resources.(Source: Jenny Macklin (Minister for Families Housing Community Services and Indigenous Affairs) and Bill Shorten, Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Children's Services) Extra help for young people in out-of-home care, joint media release, 17 February, http://www.fahcsia.gov.au/internet/billshorten.nsf/content/extra_help_17feb09.htm, viewed 20 February 2009.)

Call for papers: Child Welfare (journal) seeks articles for a special issue on residential care and treatment

"Growing out of the orphanage movement of the 19th Century, residential care services have evolved and are now delivered in a wide array of settings including community-based apartments, community-based group homes, campus-style facilities, self-contained group care settings, and secure facilities. Today, residential care agencies are challenged by the transformation movement to provide better care and outcomes for children, youth, and their families." Papers on this topic are invited for the March/April 2010 edition of Child Welfare, and abstracts should be submitted by 2 March 2009 to: Emily Shenk, managing editor of the journal, Child Welfare: at eshenk@cwla.org. Abstracts will be reviewed and potential articles for this volume will be selected by 4 May 2009. 'Child Welfare" is the Child Welfare League of America's (CWLA) journal. (Source: Child Protection Discussion List, email posting by Dr Leah Bromfield, Manager, National Child Protection Clearinghouse (Australian Institute of Family Studies), 20 February 2009.)

6. CRIME AND JUSTICE

Young poet to work with police

The UK news service and online magazine, Children and Young People Now reported in February that West Yorkshire Police has appointed a 15-year-old young woman from Leeds as its first poet in residence. "By appointing her we hope to get young people's messages across to our staff and members of the public." She first caught the attention of West Yorkshire Police when she entered a song in a competition about the "fight against drugs". More at: http://www.cypnow.co.uk/news/ByDiscipline/Youth-Justice/880001/Young-poet-work-police/

7. DISCRIMINATION, RIGHTS

Diverse Australia Program

The Parliamentary Secretary for Multicultural Affairs and Settlement Services, Laurie Ferguson, recently launched a new program to support community efforts to address cultural, racial and religious intolerance.
The Diverse Australia Program is a new Australian Government initiative that has evolved from the 'Living in Harmony' program established in 1998. The community-based educational initiative will provide funding to help groups and organisations tackle issues specific to their local communities and promote respect and fairness. The aim is to bring Australians from all backgrounds together to combat cultural, racial and religious intolerance. The program is also responsible for the annual Harmony Day, which takes place this year on 21 March. See: http://www.harmony.gov.au/

Race and social problems

This is a new journal from Springer that will be a "multidisciplinary and international forum for the publication of articles and discussion of issues germane to race and its enduring relationship to psychological, socioeconomic, political, and cultural problems". The editors welcome submissions on topics such as criminal justice, economic conditions, education, elderly, families, health disparities, mental health, race relations and youth. More at: http://springer.r.delivery.net/r/r?2.1.Ee.2Tp.1i1Bjt.BxeaGM..N.GwVA.37ec.FceEdI00

8. DRUGS

Support for families

Family Drug Support is an organisation formed out of the frustration felt by its founder, Tony Trimingham, at "the general apathy and ignorance" he experienced as a father who lost his son to an overdose 12 years ago. Trimmingham, who received the Prime Minister's Award for Alcohol and Drug Treatment Excellence in 2008, is the author of a new book, Not my family, never my child: What to do if someone you love is a drug user. It is aimed at supporting parents, family members and loved ones of drug users and the users themselves through the difficult journey of drug dependency. It includes detailed information on: warning signs, early intervention, coping and survival strategies, treatment and where to go for additional advice and support. The FDS website is at: http://www.fds.org.au/ (Source: ABC Life Matters, 16 February 2009, http://www.abc.net.au/rn/lifematters/stories/2009/2490785.htm, viewed 17 February 2009).

Stepping stones to help families cope with loved ones who use drugs

This is a workbook and resource developed by Family Drug Support and published by the Australian Drug Foundation. It is aimed at families coping with problematic drug use by loved ones to help people turn crisis into coping. It is but one of many publications from the ADF intended for both those struggling with a loved one's drug use, and users themselve. For further information, ph: 1300 858 584 or go to http://www.adf.org.au/store/article.asp?ContentID=stepping_stones

Australian Drug Foundation survey closes on 1 March

The Australian Drug Foundation (ADF) has invited anyone in Australia with a professional need for alcohol and other drug information to complete a survey about their drug information needs. This will help the ADF to develop and improve its services, and participants can also enter the draw to win one of five double cinema passes or one of five $100 vouchers for the ADF bookshop. The information gained through this survey will help guide the development of the ADF's information services to ensure that they are providing the best possible support to professionals who need alcohol and other drug information both now and in the future. The survey takes approximately 10 to 20 minutes to complete and is anonymous and confidential. The survey closes on Sunday 1 March. For more details (including eligibility criteria) and to complete the survey, visit: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=JTV2Lnumw58bSieYMiiLtw_3d_3d (Source: ADF, email, 6 February 2009.)

Developing an inhalant misuse community strategy

The December 2008 edition of Partyline, the newsletter of the National Rural Health Alliance, highlights a new resource to help communities deal with the issue of inhalant misuse. The National Inhalants Information Service, has produced a booklet titled Developing an inhalant misuse community strategy. Written by Dr Sarah McLean from the Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Centre, the booklet is available free of charge to individuals and community groups. It provides a structure for generating and maintaining community strategies through a step-by-step process and highlights the approach taken in Indigenous communities. For further information, email the NIIS: info[AT]inhalantsinfo.org.au or visit their website: http://www.inhalantsinfo.org.au (Source: Giles, N. 2008, 'Understanding the impact of inhalants: New resources available', Partyline, newsletter of the National Rural Health Alliance, n.34, p.9.)

9. EDUCATION

Online career and transition resources

The Inner Melbourne VET Cluster (IMVC) is a Local Community Partnership funded by the federal government under the Career Advice Australia initiative. The IMVC has developed two online resources:

* Broaden Your Horizons (http://www.imvc.com.au/broadenhorizons) is a centralised website that houses resources relating to young people with disabilities. This tool provides information about career and transition resources and support services available to young people with disabilities. The aim of the site is to create an easy, time-efficient way to source targeted transition information for young people. For further information, email Effie Kapsalos, National Disability Coordination Officer (NDCO): ekapsalos[AT]imvc.com.au

* MYPath (http://www.imvc.com.au/mypath) is a live community resource designed to identify the mix of education, training and support programs that will best connect a young person to meaningful learning and employment. This resource was developed to address some of the challenges facing transition teams in schools and pathway support workers in assisting our most structurally disadvantaged youth to connect meaningfully with education and training. It provides pathway workers and teachers with information regarding alternative education options for young people at risk or disengaged. MYPath does not outline mainstream education offerings, instead it collates non-mainstream and re-engagement programs available to young people. For further information, email Susan Slattery, Career and Transition Project Officer: sslattery[AT]imvc.com.au (Source: Susan Slattery, email, 6 February 2009.)

NSW raises school leaving age

On 28 January 2009, the NSW Premier Nathan Rees announced that, from 1 January 2010, students in NSW will be required to remain at school until the end of Year 10, and that students will be required to remain in some form of education, training or employment after completing Year 10 until they turn 17.
The announcement follows wide community consultation during 2008, which indicated strong support for changes leading to higher levels of education and training for young people. The NSW Government will introduce amendments to the Education Act 1990 early in 2009 to implement this reform. For further information, visit the NSW Department of Education and Training website:
http://www.schools.nsw.edu.au/news/announcements/yr2009/jan/schoolage.php (Source: 'Western Sydney/NSW communityNet e-news alert', 4 February 2009.)

Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY)

LSAY research provides a strong evidence-base for policy makers on young people's transitions from school to post-school destinations. The program is managed by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER), a not-for-profit company owned by the federal, state and territory ministers responsible for training. The following LSAY research has been published recently by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER).

LSAY REPORT 55: THE OCCUPATIONS AND EARNINGS OF YOUNG AUSTRALIANS

This report by Gary N. Marks investigates the effect of post-secondary education and training on the occupation and earnings of young Australians. In general, the report found that post-school education and training leads to higher status occupations and higher earnings, compared to not doing any further study or training, but it also found that not all forms of post-secondary education and training are equally beneficial. In terms of earnings, a bachelor degree had the largest impact, increasing earnings by about 31 per cent on average. Apprenticeships increased earnings by about 23 per cent, a TAFE diploma increased earnings by about 14 per cent, and a university diploma by about 17 per cent. Completing a traineeship increased earnings by about 8 per cent and a TAFE certificate by about 5 per cent. The report is at: http://www.ncver.edu.au/publications/2106.html (Source: ACER 2009, LSAY 55: Varying pay-offs to post-school education and training, media release, 20 January, viewed 18 February 2009, http://www.acer.edu.au/1/index.php/news-item/lsay55

In the LSAY Briefing series, the following papers draw on data from the LSAY research program, and summarise research findings in an easy-to-read format.

'Initial educational experiences of tertiary students' (LSAY Briefing n.14)

This paper by Kylie Hillman presents information about the initial tertiary education experiences, such as satisfaction with aspects of student life and changes to initial enrolments, of two groups of young people, based on two recent LSAY research reports. One study focused on the first year experiences of a group of young people who completed Year 12 in 2001 and entered tertiary education (university and TAFE) the following year. In this study, TAFE students who were enrolled in traineeships or apprenticeships were excluded from the analyses. The second study examined course changes and attrition from university study among a group of young people who completed Year 12 in 1998 and entered university in 1999 or 2000. Their experiences of university study were analysed up until the end of 2001, that is, during their first two years of study. http://www.ncver.edu.au/publications/2121.html

'Participation in VET in schools' (LSAY Briefing n.15)

This paper, by Hamish Coates and Sheldon Rothman, looks at participation in VET in Schools programs by members of three groups of young people who have been part of LSAY since 1995 when there was a sustained growth in the VET in Schools program. The first group comprises young people who were in Year 9 in 1995 who had included vocational education and training (VET) subjects as part of their Year 11 or Year 12 studies for 1997 and 1998. The second group is young people who were in Year 9 in 1998 who had included VET subjects as part of their senior secondary studies in 2000 and 2001. Both of these groups participated in VET in Schools while the program was still developing, and valuable data on their post-school pathways was gathered. The third group were 15 years old in 2003. Some were in Year 11 at that time, but most were in Year 11 in 2004. For this group, data are available for Year 11 only. All three cohorts provide an opportunity to examine changes in participation in VET in Schools between 1997 and 2004 and their outcomes. http://www.lsay.edu.au/publications/2120.html

'School experiences of 15- and 16-year-olds' (LSAY Briefing n.16)

This paper, by Catherine Underwood and Sheldon Rothman, provides a summary of students' experiences at school and their attitudes and perceptions of these experiences at ages 15 and 16. It is based on information obtained in both years from these young people who participated in PISA in 2003 and who are now part of the LSAY 2003 cohort. http://www.ncver.edu.au/publications/2119.html

'Participation in vocational education and training to age 24' (LSAY Briefing n.17

This paper, by Sheldon Rothman, contains data from the 1995 cohort of LSAY (collected annually to 2005) and the findings three recent LSAY research reports, listed at the end of the briefing paper. The cohort comprises young people who were in Year 9 at school in 1995. The paper concentrates on those who undertook an apprenticeship or traineeship after leaving school, or enrolled for non-apprenticeship study at a TAFE institution or a private VET provider. http://www.lsay.edu.au/publications/2118.html

'University study in Australia: Persistence, completion and beyond' (LSAY Briefing n.18).

The data for this briefing paper by Julie McMillan were collected from two LSAY cohorts: the Year 9 class of 1995 and the Year 9 class of 1998. Information on the education and labour market activities of these groups has been collected annually. The findings reported here follow the experiences of university entrants from these groups up to age 23. The findings are discussed in further detail in three recent LSAY research reports on the first year experience (Hillman, 2005), university completion (Marks, 2007) and unmet demand (Marks, 2005). Earlier LSAY research, based upon previous groups of young people followed over longer periods of time, are also used. http://www.lsay.edu.au/publications/2112.html
These and other LSAY documents can be downloaded from the ACER website at: http://www.acer.edu.au/lsay/ or from the NCVER website at: http://www.lsay.edu.au/publications/index.html (viewed 18 February 2009).

10. ETHNIC/MULTICULTURAL YOUTH

NYARS report examines the mentoring needs of CALD young people

Culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) young people and mentoring: The case of Horn of African young people in Australia, by Pooja Sawrika, Megan Griffiths and Kristy Muir, is the latest research report undertaken as part of the National Youth Affairs Research Scheme (NYARS). The aim of this research was to 'understand and compare the needs of Horn of African young people with the needs and resources of mentoring service providers and policymakers'. In a review of this report, published in the December 2008 newsletter of the Youth Affairs Council of Victoria (YACVic), YACVic's Jen Couch said that the report is a 'very informative resource', which 'offers good practice case studies in mentoring Horn of African young people and outlines the principles to guide mentoring service delivery to young people from CALD communities'. To download a copy of this NYARS report, visit: http://www.dest.gov.au/sectors/youth/programmes_funding/nyars/Culturally_and_Linguistically_Diverse_CALD.htm (Source: Youth Affairs Council of Victoria 2008, Yikes, v.6, n.5, p.3.)

11. GENDER

'What should we do with our girls? Meditation on a recurrent problem'

This is the title of a thought-provoking piece by Beverley Kingston, feminist author and Honorary Research Fellow in the School of History at the University of New South Wales, which was recently published in Dialogue, the journal of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia (v.27, n.3, 2008, pp.54-59). In the piece, Kingston offers her thoughts on issues currently affecting adolescent girls, such as binge drinking and early sexualization, and links these with other historical and contemporary concerns about 'the kind of education and upbringing given to girls in Australian society'. For further information about Dialogue, visit the ASSA website: http://www.assa.edu.au/publications/dial.asp (Source: Kingston, B. 2008, 'What should we do with our girls? Meditation on a recurrent problem', Dialogue, v.27, n.3, 2008, pp.54-59.)

12. HEALTH

Generation Next seminar series

Generation Next is a new national seminar series exploring the pressures, needs and healthcare and sociological challenges facing Australian adolescents, parents and those working with young people. The seminar series will be held in Sydney (23 and 24 May), Melbourne (13 and 14 June), Brisbane (5 and 6 September), Adelaide (27 June) and Perth (28 November). Tickets are $45 and are available through Ticketek. Generation Next is being conducted by Healthed, a Sydney-based provider of medical education conferences, in partnership with beyondblue, the national, independent not-for-profit organisation working to address issues associated with depression, anxiety disorders and substance abuse in Australia. The seminar series approach will be to focus on problems relating to drugs and alcohol, cybersafety, mental health and sexuality, and on constructive solutions to these problems. Presenters for the series include: Dr Michael Carr-Gregg, adolescent psychologist and media columnist, on 'Building a resilient young person in the age of the internet and instant gratification'; Julie Gale, founder of the Kids Free 2 B Kids advocacy group and comedy writer/performer, on 'Sexualisation of children in the media'; and Paul Dillon, from Drug and Alcohol Research and Training Australia, on 'Teenagers, alcohol and drugs'. For further information, contact Healthed's Dr Ramesh Manocha, ph: 1300 797 794; email: r.manocha[AT]healthed.com.au; or visit the Generation Next website: http://www.gennextseminars.com (Source: InfoXchange Australia, Youth News, viewed 6 February 2009, http://www.youth.infoxchange.net.au/news/detail.chtml?filename_num=259921 )

13. INCOMES, EXPENDITURES

The Global Financial Crisis and young people (RMIT forum)

This free forum will explore the impacts of the financial meltdown on Australia's young people, to be held at RMIT City Campus, 56.3.94 (corner of Lygon and Queensberry Streets, ground floor) on Friday, 13 March 2009 from 2.30 - 5.00pm. RSVP to : youthworkrmit[AT]gmail.com. Details at: http://youthworkrmit.blogspot.com/ (Source: R. Farthing, AYIN e-list posting, 19 February 2009.)

14. INDIGENOUS ISSUES

Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage

The process of overcoming indigenous disadvantage in Australia is entering a new phase, especially following recent Council of Australian Governments (COAG) initiatives, but more needs to be done to understand what works on the ground in communities, according to productivity commissioner, Robert Fitzgerald. The Productivity Commission is the Australian Government's independent research and advisory body on a range of economic, social and environmental issues affecting the welfare of Australians. Fitgerald convenes the Indigenous Disadvantage Working Group of the Steering Committee for the Review of Government Service Provision, which produces the biennial Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage Report.

The commission's fourth Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage report is due for release in mid-2009. Mr Fitzgerald says it is not a 'misery' index but an important analysis of the collective outcomes of programs, partnerships and service delivery across the nation. "Since the first report in 2003, we are moving slowly from the despair phase to a desire to work more collaboratively together to achieve real and improving outcomes. Yet, the missing plank to achieving progress is developing robust, well-evaluated and sustainable service delivery models, which can deliver localised services very well", a factor which he believes is "important given a renewed [GOAG] emphasis on accountability."

In December 2008, Fitzgerald met with Directors-general, senior government representatives, CEOs and senior managers of peak non-government agencies who work with children and their families in the community to discuss the report and its findings. The forum was convened by Western Australia's Commissioner for Children and Young People, Michelle Scott. Representatives attending the forum in Perth heard that, in the initiatives and programs that worked, the success factors were cooperative approaches, bottom-up community involvement, ongoing support (sometimes beyond the life of government or other funding measures), and good governance (including by governments themselves). (Source: Adapted from an email from Jay Townsend, Senior Communications Officer, Office of the Commissioner for Children and Young People WA, distributed by the AYIN e-list on 8 January 2009. Also see: http://www.pc.gov.au/gsp/indigenous)

Indigenous Research Strategy

The Social Policy Research Centre (SPRC) at the University of New South Wales has published an Indigenous Research Strategy to set 'priorities and timeframes for the SPRC's research involving Indigenous people and communities, as well as for the centre's overall values, culture, policy and operations'. This strategy was developed in partnership with Nura Gili, UNSW's Indigenous Programs Centre, which will also work with the SPRC during the strategy's implementation. The Indigenous Research Strategy can be downloaded from the SPRC website: http://www.sprc.unsw.edu.au/reports/2008/SPRC_Indigenous_research_strategy.pdf (Source: SPRC 2008, SPRC Newsletter, n.100, p.7.)

15. INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVES
Arts and the economy: Using arts and culture to stimulate state economic development

Arts and the economy is a USA report that provides examples of programs to help governors incorporate the arts and culture into their long-term economic development strategies. It also suggests what action states can take to realise the full potential of the creative industries. The report contains short but pithy section, 'Preparing the next generation (K-12)' which briefly cites research on how K-12 arts education can develop the precise cognitive, analytic, and communications skills that are "most competitive in the emerging global economy where there is an 'increasing demand for workers who can apply ingenuity and innovation to solve industry problems and develop competitive commercial products". Examples are a 2008 USA survey of business leaders who concurred that arts education, and, to a lesser extent, communications education, is a critical component of preparing students to be productive contributors businesses ('Ready to innovate: Are educators and executives aligned on the creative readiness of the US workforce? by James Lichtenberg and Christopher Woock, The Conference Board, Research Report 1424, 2008.)
Some other USA initiatives cited in the Arts and the economy report include:
* The Massachusetts Cultural Council's (MCC) Creative Minds for a Creative Economy program, which seeks to expand education in the arts, humanities, and science to young people through in-school K-12 programs and out-of-school activities in every Massachusetts city or town. The initiative provides direct funding for schools that integrate the arts into their curriculum and supports partnerships between cultural and community organizations that offer out-of-school arts opportunities for at-risk youth.
* The Illinois Arts Council's Youth Employment in the Arts (YEA) Program, which provides direct funding to Illinois non-profit organisations to support art internships for high school students. Through paid, on-the-job training in the arts, students can enhance their job readiness, personal development, and broaden their cultural experiences.
* The Wisconsin Task Force on Arts and Creativity in Education, established to ensure that the state has the creative workforce and entrepreneurial talent necessary to compete in the new economy. The task force will identify the state and local agencies, organizations, and businesses that can collaborate to provide leadership and resources in support of arts education, creativity, and innovation.
Published by the National Governors Association's NGA Center for Best Practices, whose mission is to develop and implement innovative solutions to public policy challenges, the report can be downloaded via the link on the Creative Economy website, at: http://www.creative.org.au/linkboard/results.chtml?filename_num=259897 (viewed 19 February 2009.)

16. MEDIA

Write in Your Face

Write in Your Face is a program offering financial support to young writers and organisations working with young writers. It is funded by the Literature Board of the Australia Council and administered by Express Media. Express Media invites proposals from writers aged 30 years and under who are using language in innovative ways. This may involve writing for zines, e-zines, comics, multimedia, multi-artforms or cross-media works, websites, live performance and spoken word. Grants of up to $5,000 are available. The closing date for applications is 24 April 2009. For further information about this program, visit the Express Media website: http://www.expressmedia.org.au/events.php?content_id=489 (Source: 'YouthGAS' email list, viewed 22 January 2009.)

17. MENTAL HEALTH

National Youth Participation in Mental Health Scoping Project Report

In 2008, the Australian Infant, Child, Adolescent and Family Mental Health Association (AICAFMHA) received funding from the Australian Government for publication of the final report of the National Youth Participation in Mental Health Scoping Project. That report is now available. In addition, AICAFMHA received funding to work with headspace, the National Youth Mental Health Foundation, to develop a series of factsheets based on the content of the report. These six factsheets are also now available. A limited number of these publications are available; large orders may attract a postage surcharge. Copies of both the report and the factsheets can be downloaded from the AICAFMHA website at:
http://www.aicafmha.net.au/youth_participation/index.html For further information please contact the AICAFMHA, email: garvins[AT]aicafmha.net.au; phone: (08) 8367 0888 (ext. 28); website: http://www.aicafmha.net.au (Source: Sue Woodward, email, 23 December 2008.)

School mental health: A multidisciplinary research and practice journal

New from Springer, this journal promises to be a forum for the latest research related to prevention, education, and treatment practices that target the emotional and behavioural health of children in the education system. The editor welcomes empirical studies, theoretical papers, and review articles from authors representing disciplines involved in school mental health (education, paediatrics, psychiatry, psychology, counselling, social work and nursing). Their call for papers is at:
http://www.springer.com/psychology/child+%26+school+psychology/journal/12310?cm_mmc=AY-_-TOCinsert-_-HSS2042-_-0

18. MENTORING

The COMPASS Youth Mentoring Program in Tasmania

This program, offered by Anglicare Tasmania Inc. is part of an early intervention program to prevent youth homelessness. It seeks to provide safe mentoring support for young people who may be struggling to concentrate at school, or having difficulty fitting in socially due to distractions and conflicts. The mentoring program strives to provide positive role models and a safe and accepting environment where the young person can feel they belong as they embark on their journey of self-discovery. For further information about becoming a mentor, contact Beth Lord or Matt Fraser at Anglicare Tasmania Inc., ph: 1800 243 232 or email b.lord@anglicare-tas.org.au

19. NATIONAL YOUTH WEEK

"Make a Move" towards the national talent competition

The National Talent Competition is part of the National Youth Week 2009 and will showcase Australia's best young creative talents. All young Australians aged 12 to 25 are invited to RockIT, WriteIT, ShootIT, SnapIT and DesignIT until entries close on 14 April 2009. More about National Youth Week at: http://www.youthweek.com

20. PARTICIPATION

youTHINK: The first Australian Youth Forum event

The first AYF event, youTHINK, is being held today, Friday, 20 February, at 10 different locations throughout metropolitan and regional Australia. It will provide over 1,000 young Australians aged between 15 and 24 with the opportunity to actively contribute their views on two important topics: violence and safety, and contributing to our democracy. In an Australian first, the 10 locations will be hooked up by a nationwide satellite link, ensuring the stimulation of a national conversation amongst young Australians on their own turf. Those unable to attend youTHINK can contribute through the AYF website or host their own forum. For further information, visit the AYF website: http://www.youth.gov.au/ayf (Source: Ellis, K. (Minister for Youth; minister for Sport) 2009, 1000 young Australians to link up across the nation to help direct response to violence, media release, 23 January, Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, Canberra, viewed 6 February 2009, http://www.deewr.gov.au/Ministers/Ellis/Media/Releases/Pages/Article_090123_103748.aspx; AYF website, viewed 16 February 2009.)

Young people imagining a new democracy: Young people's voices

In November 2008, the Whitlam Institute released findings from the second stage of its Young People Imagining a New Democracy project. Young people imagining a new democracy: Young people's voices outlines the findings from 10 focus groups conducted with young people across NSW. These focus groups, conducted by University of Western Sydney academics Dr Mike Horsley and Dr Debra Costley, sought to 'gain an appreciation and an understanding of how young people participate as citizens, what works for them and what they envision in a democracy that meets their needs'. The first stage of this project, a literature review conducted by the Inspire Foundation's Philippa Collin, was released in August 2008. Both of these reports are available from the Whitlam Institute's website: http://www.whitlam.org/whitlam/index.php The third stage of the project, a discussion paper, is due for release in early 2009. (Source: Costley, D. and Horsley, M. 2008, Young people imagining a new democracy: Young people's voices, The Whitlam Institute, University of Western Sydney, Parramatta.)

Trust for Young Australians, and the Future Leaders Awards

The Trust for Young Australians (TYA) is a philanthropic organisation working to assist disadvantaged young people by conducting programs and developing model projects that can be benchmarks for other agencies working with young people. The TYA's new website describes its scholarship, Indigenous and awards programs and its other projects to help young people (http://www.tya.org.au/). The website's publication section describes its recent books Issues of our time and What difference does writing make? Leading writers on writing. Two further books, Perspectives and Climate change: On for young and old, are due out soon. These books all contain essays by prominent Australians, along with prize-winning essays submitted by Year 12 students for the annual Future Leaders Awards. A free copy of each book is available to each school in Australia. For more on the Future Leaders Awards, contact Dr Helen Sykes, ph: (03) 9699 9596; email: helen[AT]futureleaders.com.au; website: http://www.futureleaders.com.au, viewed 6 February 2009. (Source: Colloquium, e-newsletter of the Australian Collaboration, February 2009.)

21. POVERTY

News from the Brotherhood of St Laurence's Social inclusion program

Proceedings from a series of workshops on social inclusion, hosted by the Brotherhood of St Laurence in Melbourne in 2008, are now available online. The Social Inclusion and Youth Workshop, held in October 2008, aimed to 'bring together key research and policy experts with an interest in social inclusion policy developments for the youth transition and ask them to identify the important themes for operationalising the national agenda'. Papers presented at this workshop included: 'Social inclusion, learning and young people' (A. Kamp and M. Horn), 'Inclusion through education' (E. Misson), 'Shifting settlements, blurred boundaries' (M. Vickers), 'Inclusion through voice' (A. Vromen), and 'The changing context of Australian youth' (J. Wyn). These papers, and the workshop proceedings, can be viewed on the Brotherhood of St Laurence's website at: http://www.bsl.org.au/main.asp?PageId=6175 (Source: Brotherhood of St Laurence Research and Policy Centre 2008, Social Inclusion and Youth Workshop, Brotherhood of St Laurence website, viewed 16 February 2009.)

22. RELIGION

Freedom of religion and belief in the 21st century

The Australian Human Rights Commission has extended the deadline for submissions to its discussion paper on freedom of religion and belief in the 21st century until 28 February 2009. Submissions can be informal. e.g. via email to: frb[AT]humanrights.gov.au, or by letter to: the Race Discrimination Unit:
Education and Partnerships Section,
Australian Human Rights Commission,
GPO Box 5218, Sydney NSW 2001.
For enquiries, call (02) 9284 9600 or 1800 620 241.
More at: http://www.humanrights.gov.au/frb
Religion and spirituality on the path through adolescence
This is the most recent report from the US project, National Study of Youth and Religion and was released in late January 2009. The report's authors examined religious and spiritual changes in the lives of adolescents in the United States across a three-year span. "The comparison of NSYR survey responses from the same adolescents in 2002 and 2005 reveals relatively small but consistent decreases in conventional religious beliefs and practices. Although the majority of adolescents in this study remained stable in their religious beliefs, practices, and spirituality, a significant minority did experience slight shifts away from standard religious beliefs and decreases in religious practice. Overall, the dynamics in religiosity and spirituality among this nationally representative sample of adolescents reflect subtle changes, rather than large or dramatic shifts." The report can be downloaded as a PDF document at:
http://www.youthandreligion.org/publications/docs/w2_pub_report_final.pdf

23. RESEARCH

ARACY's 2009 conference: Making prevention work

This conference, organised by the Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth, will take place in Melbourne on 2-4 September 2009. It will focus on "how we can best learn from one another and work together to innovate and take action to improve outcomes for young Australians". The conference aims to build links between international and national experts, researchers, policy makers, practitioners, social entrepreneurs, marketers, business and financiers. It will explore pathways to success, and showcase preventive innovations that are improving the lives of children and young people. More at: http://www.aracyconference.org.au/index.php

Australian Institute for Family Studies' request for input

The AIFS Research plan 2009-2012 is currently being developed. It will guide the institute's research activities over the next few years and replaces the 2006-08 Research Plan, Families Through Life: Diversity, Change and Context. AIFS would appreciate your input and suggestions for their new research plan, and invite you to complete their online survey at: http://www.aifs.gov.au/institute/consult.html The finalised 2009-12 Research Plan will be published on the AIFS website in mid-2009. (Source: AIFS email alert, 18 February 2009.)

24. RURAL YOUTH

Engaging young farmers

An article in the January 2009 edition of Third Sector magazine outlines the role that the Young Farmers Committee of the NSW Farmers Association plays in growing the youth membership of the association and in developing the personal, professional and business development skills of young farmers. The article also outlines the NSW Farmers Association's youth membership strategies. (Source: Tuicoff, Z. 2009 'Member farming', Third Sector, n.3, January, p.24.)

25. TECHNOLOGY

First Monday and keeping up with Web 2.0

First Monday is an interesting online journal about the e-world that has been around for some years now. It recently adopted the Open Journal System and is a little less pretty than it used to be, but for keeping up with Web 2.0 initiatives, it is well worth bookmarking.
Every now and then, it mentions something youth-related. The January 2009 issue features an article on social networking sites, 'Examining social media usage: Technology clusters and social network site membership', by Andrew Schrock (First Monday, v.14, n.1-5 January 2009, http://www.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/2242/2066).
There is always the unexpected in 'First Monday. For instance, its February 2009 edition includes an article on the impoverishment of our language. In 'Wordlings in a Web 2.0 world', the use of managerial English in our public language is taken to task by its Australian author. "While English spreads across the globe, the language itself is shrinking. Vast numbers of new words enter it every year, but our children's and leaders' vocabularies are getting smaller." (First Monday, v.14, n.2-2, February 2009, http://www.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/viewArticle/2320/2094) Carolyne Lee is a lecturer in the Media and Communications Program at the University of Melbourne, where she researches and teaches media writing, and rhetoric. Her latest book is Word bytes: Writing in the information society, due to be published by Melbourne University Publishing in July 2009.

26. UNIVERSITY STUDENTS AND AN AMENITIES FEE

Consultation on the proposed new regulations for the Australian University Student Services and Amenities Fee

The Australian Government has circulated proposed new regulations for the Australian University sector to help restore services for university students and ensure their representation on tertiary campuses. The proposals include guidelines for the use of the previously announced Student Services and Amenities Fee, should a university choose to implement that fee. "The guidelines make it clear that universities can only use the fee to deliver much-needed student services such as health and welfare, food and beverage services and sport and recreation" and "complement the legislation, introduced in Federal Parliament last week, which prohibits the use of the fee to support political parties and candidates in elections. The government has also proposed national benchmarks that will, for the first time, require all universities to provide information on, and access to, a range of basic support services, including health, welfare and financial services." The proposed regulations are being released for public discussion and consultation ahead of the final legislation moving through the Parliament. The consultation documents are available at: http://www.deewr.gov.au/higheredstudentservices (Source: The Hon Kate Ellis MP, Securing the future of university support services, media release, 19 February http://www.deewr.gov.au/Ministers/Ellis/Media/Releases/Pages/Article_090219_165421.aspx, viewed 19 February 2009.)

27. UNITED NATIONS
UN youth news

UN Youth Flash, the email newsletter of the United Nations Programme on Youth, contains extensive information on youth-related work conducted by the United Nations. The November/December edition of the newsletter includes a call for submissions to the World Youth Report 2009, information on the Global Survey on Sustainable Lifestyles (aimed at young people aged 18-35), a report on the third World Congress Against the Sexual Exploitation of Children and Adolescents (held in Brazil in November 2008), and information on the newly created Network of Young People Affected by War. The newsletter can be downloaded from the UN youth website: http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unyin/flash.htm (Source: United Nations Programme on Youth 2008, UN Youth Flash, v.5, n.8, viewed 21 January 2009, http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unyin/flash.htm )

Special consultative status to the UN is bestowed on Innovations in Civic Participation

ICP will be building further partnerships with the United Nations to advocate for service as a strategy for development through its newly designated special consultative status to the UN. Readers of Youth Field Xpress will be familiar with ICP, as the newsletter often contains snippets of news from their newsletter. ICP has a strong research base in the study of the concept of "service" broadly, and in youth civic engagement in particular. During the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations' review on 20 January 2009, ICP was one of 12 NGOs granted special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) at the UN. Special Consultative Status will allow ICP to send representatives to the UN, attend ECOSOC meetings and make oral and written statements in order to share ICP's expertise and represent the views of its strategic partners on national youth service and service learning program and policy development. (Source: ICP, ICP looks to new opportunities for engaging with UN, media release, 18 February, and AYIN e-list, email, 19 February 2009.)

28. VIOLENCE

Cutting down on alcohol-related violence

Police around Australia are starting to focus on offences by licensed premises, rather than just the unruly intoxicated individual, to control drunken public behaviour, according to a University of Tasmania study. Professor Jenny Flemming, of the Tasmanian Institute of Law Enforcement Studies (TILES) travelled the country in 2008, investigating the ways different police forces tackle anti-social behaviour and alcohol-related violence in and around licensed premises. She said that while police were still managing antisocial behaviour on the street by the conventional means of caution and arrest, there was a stronger emphasis now on the licensing premise as a focus for enforcement. Her study, Rules of engagement: Policing anti-social behaviour and alcohol-related violence in and around licensed premises, identifies a centralisation of resources to deal with the regulation of licensed premises as an effective strategy to better address alcohol-related problems. The study was funded and published by the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR), and is available as a PDF from their website: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/pages/bocsar_publication (Source: University of Tasmania 2009, Cutting down on alcohol-related violence, media release, 14 January, viewed 19 February 2009, http://www.utas.edu.au/events/media.html)

29. YOUTH RESEARCH

SRA puts the spotlight on Australian researchers

The Fall 2008 edition of SRA Newsletter, from the US-based Society for Research on Adolescence, includes a spotlight on a number of adolescent development researchers who live and work in Australia. Contributing researchers Doreen Rosenthal, Melanie J. Zimmer-Gembeck and Bonnie Barber (with assistance from Bree Abbott and Corey Blomfield) were asked to write about their life and work in the context of Australian research. The newsletter can be viewed online by SRA members at: http://www.s-r-a.org/nws.html (Source: SRA Newsletter, fall 2008, pp.6-8, 12-15.)

'Research on and within children and young people at the SPRC'

This is the title of an article by Jen Skattebol and Samia Michail published in the December 2008 edition of the newsletter of the Social Policy Research Centre (SPRC) at the University of New South Wales. It outlines SPRC initiatives to improve young people's lives and invites readers to reflect on the methodological complexities of research with young people, which is to be the subject of a themed session at the July 2009 Australian Social Policy Conference. Topics covered in the article include the living standards of families with children, engaging children and young people as informants, research on services for children and families, and recognising young people's citizenship. The newsletter can be viewed at the SPRC website: http://www.sprc.unsw.edu.au/newsletter.htm (Source: Skattebol, J. and Michail, S. 2008, 'Research on and with children and young people at the SPRC', SPRC Newsletter, n.100, pp.8-9.)

30. YOUTH WORK

Reflecting on youth policy developments

The December 2008 edition of Yikes, the Youth Affairs Council of Victoria's newsletter, contains a reflective piece about the youth sector written by Dr Robyn Broadbent, Coordinator of Youth Work at Victoria University. While she applauds recent sector developments such as the Victorian Office for Youth's Vulnerable Youth Framework discussion paper, the Australian Government's establishment of the Australian Youth Forum, and the re-funding of a national youth affairs peak body, Broadbent draws attention to Australia's lack of a formal Australian youth policy or youth-related ministerial statement, national strategy or national agenda. Dr Broadbent regards this lack of recognition for youth and youth work as a "national shame". She says that a ministerial statement on youth work is the "cornerstone to sector development", noting that every English-speaking country in the world apart from Australia has such a statement. Broadbent believes a statement on youth work would "establish a framework on what youth work is, who does it and what practice frameworks underpin it". In her conclusion, Dr Broadbent expresses the hope that the Rudd Labor government "will rectify some of the wrongs of the past decade in relation to a national focus on young people and, of course, the youth sector as a whole". (Source: Broadbent, R. 2008, '2008: Year in review', Yikes, v.6, n.5, p.10-11.)

Fighting fair: mediation and conflict resolution training

This interactive two-day course will help professionals learn about mediation through a structured five-step model. The course can be used for resolving conflict that arises in both work and personal settings. The course, which is endorsed by the Australian Association of Social Workers and the Australian Psychological Society, will be conducted on 12-13 March 2009 in Adelaide. More details at: http://www.fightingfair.com.au, or contact Scott Dutton, fightingfair[AT]bigpond.com.