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City of Whittlesea YouthPlan2030
Summary & Action Plan
April 2007 As adopted by Council on 9/10/2007
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TABLE OF CONTENTS AIM OF YOUTHPLAN2030..............................................................................3
WHY DEVELOP A YOUTH PLAN? .................................................................3
COUNCIL'S CURRENT APPROACH………………………………………….....4 WHAT'S DIFFERENT ABOUT YOUTHPLAN2030?.........................................8 KEY CHALLENGES IN DEVELOPING THE PLAN .........................................9
YOUTHPLAN2030 - BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS ....................................10
THE YOUTH SERVICE SYSTEM..................................................................11
YOUTHPLAN2030 EVIDENCE BASE…………………………………….……..12 YOUTHPLAN2030 APPROACH……………………………………………….…18 RESOURCING IMPLICATIONS………………………………………………….25
YOUTHPLAN2030 ACTION PLAN ................................................................26
LIST OF TABLES Table 1: YouthPlan2030: Defining the Municipal Youth Service System……………………………………………………………………………….3 Table 2: Council's Youth Service Model…………………………………………4 Table 3: Youth Targeted Services Currently in the City of Whittlesea………10 Table 4: Council's Role in Developing the Youth Service System…………...11 Table 5: SEIFA Table of Disadvantage by Precinct……………………….…..13 Table 6: Comparison of 10 to 24 year old Population Forecasts from 2006 to 2021…………………………………………………………….............................12 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Council's Youth Services Area Map………………………...…………5 Figure 2: Focus of Council's Youth Services………………………………..…...6 Figure 3: SEIFA Map of Disadvantage………………………………………….14
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AIM OF YOUTHPLAN2030 YouthPlan2030 is the culmination of an extensive research and consultation program. It provides a framework to guide the development of a municipal service system that is responsive and effective in meeting the needs and aspirations of all young people in the City of Whittlesea. The Plan is more than a report outlining the future priorities of Council Youth Services Team; it is a whole of Council and whole of community approach, based on feedback from young people and stakeholders, and research on current best practice. What is a Municipal Youth Service System? In YouthPlan2030 the ‘municipal youth service system’ refers to all matters and structures that affect all young people. This includes systems within Council, external to Council, and local systems. It includes the physical infrastructure, for example open space, town centres and community facilities, as well as the full spectrum of services; i.e. universal, primary, secondary, tertiary, mainstream and targeted support services. Table 1: YouthPlan2030: Defining the Municipal Youth Service System
YouthPlan2030 The Municipal Youth Service System
Infrastructure Built Environment
Natural Environment Public Transport
Council All Directorates Youth Services
Services Universal Primary Secondary Tertiary Targeted.
WHY DEVELOP A YOUTH PLAN? It is important for Council to develop a Youth Plan for the following reasons: • Young people not only represent a significant proportion of the Whittlesea
population (21%), but are also a very large group in absolute terms with approximately 28,000 people aged 10 to 25. This age cohort will increase by 40% over the next 15 years and reach almost 40,000 young people by 2021;
• Council will continue to provide a range of direct services and programs to young people;
• Council is best placed to act as a conduit between young people and other institutions;
• Council has a key leadership and planning role in the municipality. • Most things Council has responsibility for have an impact on young people.
Given the municipality is on the verge of significant growth the opportunity exists now to effectively ‘design in’ young people for long term benefit.
• Council also has a key role in advocating with, and on behalf of young people at state and federal levels;
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COUNCIL’S CURRENT APPROACH The Youth Services Team has a primary and secondary intervention service delivery focus. This work is delivered directly by the team, most often in partnership with schools and other agencies. Council takes a lead role in developing strategies to engage young people in civic participation activities, and also in developing the service system for and with young people and local agencies. In summary, the Youth Services Team responds to the needs of young people in the municipality in the following ways: • Youth development and civic engagement; • Youth support, information and referral; • Service provision, agency support and co-ordination; • Planning and advocacy; • Developing partnerships and the local service system. The overall target audience of the Youth Services Team is all young people aged 10 to 25 years in the municipality. Council’s Youth Services Model The current Youth Services model is based on the team being responsible for ‘portfolios’ and ‘areas’. Portfolios are based on issues of priority, special needs population groups, or specific tasks, i.e. parenting, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders (ATSI) and holiday programs. Youth Officers are responsible for responding to designated portfolios across the municipality. ‘Area’ responsibility involves staff also working with young people and stakeholders in specific geographic areas. See figure 1: Council Youth Services Area Map. Table 2: Council’s Youth Services Model
Council’s Youth Services Model
Municipal focus Team Leader
Youth Planner Intensive Support and Advocacy ATSI Trainee Youth Services Support Officer (Admin)
Area Work 5 Youth Officers designated to geographic areas.
Portfolios: Youth Engagement NESB, newly arrived and refugee young people ATSI young people Parenting Development of local clubs Music development Young women’s programs Young men’s programs Skateboarding and BMX Holiday programs Website development Planning Built environment and facilities Advocacy
These Portfolios are held by the Youth Service Team. Respective Officers are responsible for ‘driving’ the issue on behalf of Youth Services across the municipality.
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The 2006/07 Council budget allocation for Youth Services was $720,258 which includes funding for 9 EFT. Figure 1: Youth Services Area Map
Source: City of Whittlesea
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Figure 2: Focus of Council’s Youth Services
Council Youth Services: Programs & Services Council’s Youth Services currently provide a number of specific programs and events. Some examples are as follows: • Youth Krew and Summits – the Youth Krew is a group of local young people
engaged by the Youth Services Team to run a Leadership Camp and annual Youth Summit. The Youth Services Team then uses the information obtained from the summit exercise to design and implement appropriate programs.
110 young people from local schools attended the 2006 Youth Summit. They
discussed racism, rights, facilities, adolescence and sexual assault. In response the Youth Services Team has delivered programs including self-defence, parenting adolescents and developed planning principles for town centres.
• Programs in Schools and the community – The Youth Services Team
design and implement programs in conjunction with schools and other agencies. These programs, which are offered to young people in local school settings currently include a Young Men’s Program, the Inter-Cultural Narrative Project, Understanding Racism Project and Young Muslim Women’s Community Development Group.
• School Holiday Programs – including Try Days, holiday Grab Bags and
resourcing of a disability program. 800 Grab Bags were distributed in 2006. • Parenting Programs – evening sessions for parents of adolescents. In 2006
these sessions were attended by more than 90 parents.
Civic Participation
Area Work Programs
Intensive Support
and Referral
Information Portfolios
Planning,
Advocacy and Service System
Development
Low Risk YOUNG PEOPLE High Risk Resilient Vulnerable
PREVENTION EARLY INTERVENTION CRISIS INTERVENTION
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• Skate Park Outreach and Advisory Group – made up of young people to advise Council on user issues. This work has significantly reduced tension amongst users, and between local residents and young people. It has facilitated improved relationships between young people and local police. The reduction of graffiti on the site has been attributed to the work of this group.
• Young Women’s Self Defence Program – aims to develop confidence and
assertiveness skills in young women. • Freeza Program – supports the development of young people in the music
industry. The Freeza Committee of young people organises 7 music events each year for local young people. Approximately 300 young people attend each gig.
• Participation in Major Events - Youth Services participates in Community
Festivals and other events throughout the year. In 2006 this included the young people’s stage at the Whittlesea Community Festival. Youth Services also hosted the regional Northern Skate and BMX Titles.
• Information Advocacy and Referral Service (also offering intensive
support) – direct support to individual young people. Assistance is offered to local young people during difficult times to negotiate access to specialised services. (Most often these are located outside the municipality.)
Service System Development In addition to these specific programs the Youth Services Team has a broader strategic role in ensuring the development of the youth services across the municipality and region. This typically involves the establishment, facilitation and resourcing of a wide variety of networks focused on stronger partnerships to enhance local service provision and to attract resources and services for young people in the City of Whittlesea. For example: • Whittlesea Youth Commitment: focuses on employment and training issues.
• Interface Council’s Youth Services Group: provides a platform to lobby the State and Federal Governments for youth services.
• Northern Regional Youth Advisory Network: feeds advice and concerns directly to the State Government Minister for Youth.
• Whittlesea Youth Service System Development Group: is a combined network of local agencies committed to working in collaboration towards filling gaps in services for young people.
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• Whittlesea Youth Network: supports and facilitates linkages for youth service providers.
• Whittlesea Action Group for CLD Young People: generates partnerships and resources that deliver programs to NESB young people.
Planning It is also important to recognise that Council plays a key role in the lives of young people beyond what is delivered by the Youth Services Team. For example, Council’s responsibility as a key planner of local communities (both in established and growth areas) and as the major provider of leisure and open space infrastructure has a significant influence on the quality of life experienced by young people. Youth Services is currently working with young people at Laurimar, linking them to the Developers to voice their needs in the development of the youth strategy for the estate. Partnerships Council is also ideally placed to provide leadership in strengthening partnerships with other local and regional agencies that have a focus on youth, strategically planning and advocating for services, encouraging youth participation and improving the outcomes for young people. WHAT’S DIFFERENT ABOUT YOUTHPLAN2030? While YouthPlan2030 reaffirms a commitment to the delivery of these programs, activities and broader strategic roles by Youth Services, it proposes to broaden and strengthen the role of Council in relation to young people. In line with international best practice YouthPlan2030 positions Council as a key player in positive ‘youth development’1 by attempting to make youth engagement practices central to the way Council addresses the needs of young people. This approach builds on: 1) what Council has already achieved to date; 2) what young people have said, and 3) the findings of an international literature review. YouthPlan2030 consolidates and takes Council further in engaging young people in ways that are world’s best practice and provide exciting opportunities for young people and Council.
1Youth Development refers to the multitude of realms and domains that impact on the lives of young people
including: Their transition from childhood to adulthood; Their home and family experience; Their engagement and attachment to the community; Their access to services; Their use of the built and natural environments and public space; Their participation in recreation, leisure, cultural and social activities and events; Their engagement in education, training, employment, social and community life
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Youth Engagement The Plan sets out a comprehensive framework to engage2 with young people in meaningful dialogue and ensure that not only are their views heard, but they are implemented and genuinely involved in the building of their local communities. By doing this Council hopes to achieve the following outcomes: • Enhancing young people’s understanding about how their local community
works; • Harnessing the expertise that young people wish to offer in building the
municipality; • Enhancing young people’s sense of belonging; • Valuing and respecting young people; • Enhancing the way existing and future services, programs and activities are
offered to young people; and • Ensuring that young people’s perspectives and interests are embedded into the
work of Council. KEY CHALLENGES IN DEVELOPING THE PLAN Developing a Youth Plan presents many challenges including: • A widespread community view of young people which is often negative and
which sees them as a group to be feared; • The ‘Youth Service System’ is not easily defined and not cohesively structured
around a universal framework in the manner of the early years sector; • Much of the youth service system is ‘problem oriented’; • The municipality’s population growth will continue to place pressure on youth
service provision and highlight a broad range of social issues often associated with young people;
• The twin challenges of addressing the needs of growth areas and Whittlesea’s established communities;
• Addressing the well documented ‘pockets’ of social disadvantage; • The cultural diversity of the municipality, whilst a key strength, simultaneously
brings with it challenges associated with respecting difference and maintaining community harmony;
• The resources and breadth of skills currently available within the Youth Services Team will need to be expanded if Council is to effectively tackle the many complex issues and approaches outlined in YouthPlan2030;
• Young people are rarely vocal and included in the mainstream discussion, thus providing Council with a challenge of how to effectively implement whole-of-Council strategies to engage the voices of young people in the decisions that affect their lives. A further challenge is to support and promote the development of a culture of youth engagement throughout the municipality.
2 In YouthPlan2030 youth engagement refers to informing young people of policy directions, consulting young people as part of a process to develop policy, awareness or understanding, involving young people through a range of mechanisms to ensure their concerns are considered in decision-making, collaborating with young people through partnerships to formulate options and recommendations, empowering young people to make decisions and to implement and manage change (adapted from Department of Sustainability and Environment, 2005, Effective Engagement: building relationships with community and other stakeholders: Book 1 an introduction to engagement. Community Engagement Network)
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YOUTHPLAN2030 - BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS YouthPlan2030 Summary and Action Plan is supported by a series of six comprehensive interrelated documents based on the outcomes of an extensive research process. The 2006 Youth Summit Report and the Simple Statements Powerful Comments report will be produced as documents for use by young people, agencies, government and media. The other documents are intended as Council resources and operational guidelines. • Part 1: Municipal Service System: A planning framework to guide the
development of the municipal service system for young people. • Part 2: Research and Policy: Report on the progress of research findings and
policy development. • Part 3: 2006 Youth Summit Report: Report on the priority issues raised and
discussed by young people and the programmatic responses of the City of Whittlesea Youth Services.
• Part 4: City Of Whittlesea Youth Services Forward Plan: Outlines the
service model, practice framework and future plans for the development of the council’s youth service.
• Part 5: Youth Facilities Plan: Outlines the preliminary short and long term
proposal for youth facilities across the municipality. • Part 6: Simple Statements, Powerful Comments: What Young People Are
Saying: This report brings together the key statements young people have made in local consultations, evaluations and reports over the past five years.
THE YOUTH SERVICE SYSTEM The ‘municipal youth service system’ refers to all matters and structures that affect all young people. Outlined in the Table 3 is a map of youth targeted services located within the municipality. While the scope of services identified is not considered to be exhaustive3 it does provide an overview of the services for young people. 3 E.g. It does not include mainstream services that young people may access such as PVCH dental services.
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Table 3: Youth Targeted Services Currently in the City of Whittlesea
Universal Primary Services Secondary Services
Tertiary Services
• Education services (Schools, TAFE, Tertiary)
• Libraries • Health Services
Sports facilities • Leisure
facilities
• Council Youth Services
• Police Youth Resource Officers
• School Focused Youth Services (Kildonan)
• Student Support Services (Local schools)
• Youth and Family Counselling (Plenty Valley Community Health, Kildonan, Centacare, Anglicare4)
• Youth support and programs (Kildonan)
• Sport clubs • Youth clubs • Whittlesea Youth
Commitment/ Hume/Whittlesea Local Learning and Employment Network
• Council Youth Services
• Youth Pathways Program (Northern Metropolitan Institute of Technology)
• Employment and Training Providers
• Mentoring (RMIT and Kildonan)
• Managed Individual Pathways (Schools and Salvation Army)
• Reconnect (Kildonan)
• Services for Newly Arrived Migrants (Northern Migrant Resource Centre and Whittlesea Community Connections)
• Drug Services (Plenty Valley Community Health)
• Youth Housing (Plenty Valley Community Health)
• Adolescent Mental Health Services (Austin CAMHS - limited outreach; NEAMI. PVCH 18+)
Council’s Role in Developing the Youth Service System Council's work is greater than the programs and activities delivered by the Youth Services Team. The provision of infrastructure, such as leisure facilities, parks and gardens, skate parks and bike paths, and its role in activities, such as health promotion, are other examples of how Council contributes to the improved liveability of the municipality for young people and the broader community. In the current environment of growth and renewal, Council is well placed to ensure communities, along with their services and facilities, are built for the long-term benefit of all members. The role of Youth Services is to provide Council and stakeholders with informed and specialist advice and direction to achieve the best possible long-term outcomes for young people in the municipality. Table 4: Council’s Role in Developing the Youth Service System
4 All counselling is limited with waiting lists.
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Council’s role in developing the Municipal Youth Service System
Infrastructure Built Environment
Natural Environment
Public Transport
‘Designing in’ young people into town centres, open space, community facilities. Maintaining and managing the natural environment for current and future generations. Lobbying State and Federal Governments to provide accessible and affordable public and community transport.
Council All Directorates
Youth Services
Involving young people to ensure their needs and interests are reflected in all aspects of the work of Council, and linking young people to community activities and resources. Promoting the civic engagement of young people, deliveries primary and secondary support to young people.
Services Universal Primary
Secondary Tertiary
Mainstream Targeted
Delivering services to young people through Youth Services and actively generating services for young people.
YOUTHPLAN2030 EVIDENCE BASE The evidence base and analysis of local data, issues, emerging needs and trends outlined below form the basis of the objectives and initiatives identified in the YouthPlan2030 Action Plan and highlight why young people are important in the City of Whittlesea. The evidence base is built upon information including: 1. Demographic Profile; 2. Service Statistics and System Analysis; 3. Global, National, State Literature Review; and 4. Results from community consultations. Demographic Profile Population Projections The City of Whittlesea is the fastest growing municipality in the north of Melbourne, recognised by Melbourne2030 as a growth area of significance. It is located 20 km north of the Melbourne Central Business District, with a population of 132,000 which is projected to almost double by the year 2030. Significant growth is expected in all age cohorts. Young People in the City of Whittlesea
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The City of Whittlesea is currently home to approximately 28,093 young people aged 10 to 24 years. This population is forecast to increase by 40% by 2021 to approximately 39,000. By contrast, the North West metropolitan region’s 10 to 24 year old population will only increase by 3% in that time and Victoria’s will actually decline by 3% (refer to Table below). Table 6: Comparison of 10 to 24 Year Old Population Forecasts from 2006 to 2021
Area 2006 2011 2016 2021
% Change from 2006 to
2021 City of Whittlesea 28,093 31,717 35,753 39,116 40% NW Metropolitan Region 311,229 314,145 318,884 320,737 3% Victoria 1,028,256 1,034,332 1,026,665 999,896 -3%
Households with Young People The majority of 15 to 24 year olds in Whittlesea are dependent students living at home (41.7%) or non-dependent children (37.5%) living at home. What is most noticeable is that Whittlesea has a far higher percentage of non-dependant children living at home (37.5%) compared with metropolitan Melbourne (26.2%) and a much lower percentage of young people who live in group households (2.9% compared with 9.0% for metropolitan Melbourne). Socio-Economic Indicators Whittlesea ranks third lowest in metropolitan Melbourne’s Index of Education and Occupation and sixth lowest on the Index of Urban Disadvantage. According to the Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA) Index of Disadvantage5, the City of Whittlesea, with a score of 962.4, was the eighth most disadvantaged area in Victoria. (ASB Census 2001). Figure 3 and Table 5 below indicate that Thomastown with a score of 884.8, was the most disadvantaged of the ten precincts within the City of Whittlesea, indicating the area has many low income families and people with little training and in unskilled occupations compared with the other precincts. Figure 3: SEIFA Map of Disadvantage
5 SEIFA focuses on attributes such as low income, low education, and high unemployment.
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Table 5: SEIFA Table of Disadvantage by Precinct
Precinct Index of Disadvantage
Thomastown 884.8 Lalor 890.2
Epping 965.9 Bundoora 1008.2
Whittlesea Township 1009.9 Mill Park 1011.0
Mernda/Doreen 1032.9 Blossom Park 1043.2
Rural North 1053.8 South Morang 1057.0
Source: Figure 3 & Table 5: Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA) ABS 2001 Multicultural Population The City of Whittlesea is the third most multicultural municipality in Victoria, with almost 34% of its residents born overseas and nearly 46% of residents speaking a language at home other than English. The main countries of birth include Italy, Macedonia and Greece. The range of cultures and languages contributes greatly to the character and identity of the municipality. (ABS Census of Population and Housing 2001) Approximately 55% of residents aged between 10 and 24 years of age have one or both parents who were born overseas. For children of one parent families this figure is 38%. For residents in the age group 15 to 24 years, the highest represented birthplace was Australia (77.1% of male residents and 78.0% of female residents), followed by Macedonia (2.3% male and 2.6% female), and Vietnam (2.0% male and 1.9% female). A comparison of the top five languages spoken in the City of Whittlesea by young people aged 10 to 24 years shows that English is the most commonly spoken language at home, followed by Macedonian, Italian, Greek and Arabic (ABS Census of Population and Housing 2001 and City of Whittlesea: Youth Statistics Bulletin, Issue #1, 2006). Emerging Smaller Communities in Whittlesea
I n d e x o f D i s a d v a n t a g eC i t y o f W h i t t le s e a
1 ,0 5 3 .8 to 1 , 0 5 71 ,0 3 2 .9 to 1 , 0 5 3 . 81 ,0 0 9 .9 to 1 , 0 3 2 . 9
9 6 5 .9 to 1 , 0 0 9 . 98 8 4 .8 to 9 6 5 . 9
Whittlesea Municipality
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A significant proportion (29%) of refugee and new arrivals in 2003-04 were under the age of 19 and the 10- 19 age group represented 16% of the total new arrival population in Whittlesea alone (DIMIA 2005). New arrivals, refugees and a growing youth population in particular have meant that the average age structure in Whittlesea is substantially younger than Victoria (ABS 2001 Census) (Source: New Start study 2005) Indigenous Population The Indigenous community in the City of Whittlesea is proportionally large compared to most other municipalities in the North Western Metropolitan Region of Melbourne. The most recently available census figures indicate that Indigenous people make up 0.6 percent of the local population (ABS 2001). The youth population is pronounced with 31.7% of Indigenous Australians in the municipality aged between 10 and 24 years. Young Mothers Birth rates for young mothers are very similar to the State rate of 10 births per 1000 young women aged 15 to 19 years old. However while the percentage decreased across Victoria in recent years, birth rates for young mothers increased in Whittlesea. Leisure Participation Approximately 1 in 5 people aged 12 to 24 years participates in a club or group, slightly more than the overall participation rate for the municipality as a whole. Of those participating in a club or group the overwhelming majority of 12 to 24 year olds belong to a sporting club (85%). (Household Survey 2006) Employment and Training Compared to Metropolitan Melbourne, young people living in Interface municipalities6: • Are more likely to leave school earlier; • Are less likely to complete Year 12; • Have lower TER scores; • Are less likely to attend post secondary education; and • Are more likely to disengage from school and employment
(Interface Councils, Staying Connected).
14% of City of Whittlesea’s male labour force aged between 15 to 24 years is identified as unemployed, compared to 12% of the female labour force aged 15 to 24 years (Youth Issues Bulletin 2006). This is slightly higher than the Melbourne Statistical District. Juvenile Justice 6 The Interface Councils lie at the interface of metropolitan Melbourne and rural Victoria, sharing aspects of both urban and rural communities. These include the Cities of Cardinia, Casey, Whittlesea, Hume, Mornington Peninsula, and Wyndham, and the Shires of Nillumbik, Yarra Ranges, Melton. Staying Connected: solutions for addressing services and gaps for young people living at the Interface. A report of the Melbourne Interface Councils. 2006)
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For the month of January 2007, Snapshot Data on Juvenile Justice from the North and West Metropolitan Region, showed the median age of juvenile justice clients was 17 years. 12% of the clients were female, 88% male. Indigenous young people and young people of Pacific Islander origin are significantly overrepresented. Findings from National and International Literature Based on an extensive literature review of national and international youth engagement and development practices the following key findings were identified: • One of the critical success factors of youth engagement, in case studies
undertaken in Canada, New Zealand and United Kingdom, is the support and involvement of people in senior leadership roles;
• A healthy vibrant youth population is a valuable economic and social asset; • Young people are an under-utilised resource who are interested in contributing; • Need to acknowledge changing contexts of young people and assist them to
develop skills to cope with change; • Young people can support wider society to understand and adapt to changes;
and • Need to incorporate youth development approaches across the whole
municipality.
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What Young People are Saying A range of community consultation processes were undertaken as part of the development of the YouthPlan2030, both with young people and key agencies for whom young people are a key target group. Some of the main issues and priorities identified by young people (from YouthPlan2030: Part 6) are summarised below. Themes Description of feedback Community safety and the use of public space
Young people often feel unsafe in public spaces. Young people are concerned about racism, violence, harassment and discrimination.
Substance issues – drugs and alcohol
Young people are concerned about smoking and drug and alcohol use.
Support services
Young people want more services in the local area. In particular they see a need for more support for families. When young people need help, it is their families and friends that they turn to.
Health and wellbeing Young people value and are concerned about family relationships. Young people would like better education about sexuality. Young people are concerned about the incidence of youth depression and suicide.
Transport
Transport is a major issue for young people. The lack of transport in local areas impacts on all areas of their lives.
Social / recreation opportunities
Young people need more youth-specific spaces and events.
Education & employment Young people would like more employment opportunities.
Being involved in the community Young people are eager to be involved in the community, and want to contribute to decision making.
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YOUTHPLAN 2030 APPROACH In order to most effectively and efficiently address the needs of local young people the YouthPlan2030 Action Plan outlines what is needed in the short–term to achieve the best outcomes for young people. It promotes a partnership approach between young people and key stakeholders, within and external to Council, in building all aspects of the service system over the long-term. The Action Plan includes building on the Council’s current Youth Services model of Area Teams and issue based Portfolios, and proposes a short and long-term plan to incorporate opportunities for young people in community facilities. Underpinning the direction of the Plan is a fundamental shift in how Council and Youth Services undertake our work in relation to young people, i.e. through engagement strategies that develop partnerships with young people in building the municipality. The Plan also offers direction for key stakeholders in this approach to practice, that promises to build the City of Whittlesea as a place that embraces the development of young people. In summary the approach outlined in YouthPlan2030 is characterised by: • The introduction of youth friendly practices across Council • Building on the capacity and skill base of Youth Services • A major focus on facilitating partnerships in developing the municipal Service
System • Improving community facility outcomes for young people. YouthPlan2030 Vision
“A city that provides the social, physical and environmental resources and opportunities that facilitate and contribute to the development and wellbeing of
all young people within in the municipality”. Guiding Beliefs and Practice Principles The guiding beliefs and practice principles underpinning the development of YouthPlan2030 have been developed in consultation with our young people and stakeholders. These include:
• Council is committed to contributing to the best outcomes for all young people. • Young people are recognised as both vulnerable and resilient. • Changes, complexity, challenges, and risk-taking behaviours are inevitable in
the transition of young people towards independence. • Young people need to be supported to define themselves and how they fit into
the world. • Diversity and difference is valued, embraced and respected. • Young people need to be understood in the context of their identity, family,
peers, community, culture, religion, social and political world. • Young people are integral to the community. • Young people have expertise that they are keen to contribute to the community. • Engagement is central to practice; it promotes better outcomes, individual
resilience, civic participation and social inclusion. • The practice process is essential to the practice outcomes. • Young people are the experts of their circumstances and are therefore central
to solution finding. • Ownership, connectedness and participation ensure individual and community
resilience.
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Emerging Issues Based on the findings and outcomes of each stage of the research process the following priority issues were identified for YouthPlan2030. Each issue has a corresponding suggested direction.
Evidence and Emerging Issues
YouthPlan2030 Response
Youth Engagement • A recurring theme identified in consultations with
young people is their desire and interest to participate and contribute in practical ways to the development of the community. While young people appreciate being consulted they want to be more directly involved in planning and development initiatives (YouthPlan2030 Part 3 & 6: 2006 Youth Summit Report and What Young People Are Saying, 2007).
• An ever increasing body of international literature emphasises the need to engage young people (YouthPlan2030 Part 2: Research and Policy, 2007).
Facilitate young people’s direct involvement in the planning and development of their local communities, facilities and services. These engagement strategies will target all stakeholders, internally and externally.
Youth Development • Young people have clearly expressed the pressure
and anxieties they experience in relation to issues of sex, peer group pressure, bullying and drug taking. Having someone to assist young people negotiate their way through these complex issues was highlighted as a key priority by young people (YouthPlan2030 Part 3 & 6: 2006 Youth Summit Report and What Young People Are Saying).
• The approach articulated in State Government’s vision for young people (Future Directions: An Action Agenda for Young People).
• International literature promotes the practice of youth development (YouthPlan2030 Part 2: Research and Policy, 2007).
Through Council and Youth Services implement programs supporting adolescent development. Promote adolescent development programs in local areas and with other stakeholders. Advocate to State and Federal governments for Generalist Youth Work funding.
Indigenous Young People • Second highest Indigenous population in North
Western Metropolitan Region. • Well documented socio-economic disadvantage. • There are no Indigenous services located in the
municipality. • Northern Suburbs Aboriginal Association’s
Community Plan (2005).
Engagement with local Indigenous young people and their community to support the identification and response to needs. Advocate for resources to State and Federal Governments.
NESB Young People • Newly arrived young people commonly experience
bullying with a racial, ethnic or religious basis (New Start Study, 2005).
• They encounter lack of cultural understanding in relations with other students (New Start Study, 2005).
• Newly arrived young people often feel isolated; many would like more opportunities to be involved in the wider community in culturally appropriate ways (New
Engagement with local NESB young people and their communities (particularly newly arrived and refugees) to identify and respond to needs. Initiate and support efforts by local agencies to develop the capacity to respond to this need.
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Evidence and Emerging Issues
YouthPlan2030 Response
Start Study, 2005). • Many newly arrived young people experience stress
and anxiety because of responsibilities they have in supporting their family during the settlement period (New Start Study, 2005).
• Consultations were undertaken with the Centre for Multicultural Youth Issues on behalf of the Whittlesea Action Group. These consultations identified a number of issues including improved educational outcomes, family support, access to sport, and support structures for newly arrived communities (YouthPlan2030 Part 6: What Young People Are Saying, 2007).
• The City of Whittlesea is the third most multicultural municipality in Victoria, with almost 34% of its residents born overseas and nearly 46% of residents speaking a language at home other than English.
• A significant number of young people aged 12 to 24 years have settled in the municipality over the past decade from countries such as Iraq, India, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, the Philippines, China and Vietnam.
Young People with Disabilities Council’s Disability Access Unit is currently compiling a municipal profile of people with disabilities and a Disability Action Plan. The broad benchmark to ascertain the overall number of people with a disability is 20%. However more residents receive the Disability Pension than the Melbourne average. This roughly suggests that there are approximately more than 5,000 young people with a disability currently within the City of Whittlesea.
Contribute to developing a profile of young people with disabilities in the municipality, and the assessment of the needs of young people with disabilities. Ensure the needs of young people with disabilities are included in Youth Services programs and activities. Access and inclusion strategies will continue to be developed and promoted with other stakeholders.
Mental Health • Young people are concerned about depression and
suicide (YouthPlan2030 Part 6: What Young People Are Saying, 2007).
• Whittlesea secondary school students reported higher incidences of depressive symptoms compared with the Melbourne Metropolitan area (Interface Councils, ‘Staying Connected’, 2006).
• Between 2000/2001 and 2004/2005 the number of public mental health clients aged 10 to 24 increased by 58% or 111 clients. (Municipal Youth Services Profile, 2006)
• Very minimal existing mental health service provision for young people located in the municipality, exacerbated by high demand and long waiting lists.
• Large recent increases in demand will continue to increase significantly over the next 15 years due to population growth.
• School Focused Youth Services Survey highlights the need for mental health support services (School
Facilitate local partnership and advocate to State and Federal Governments for an increased range of mental health services for local young people.
21
Evidence and Emerging Issues
YouthPlan2030 Response
Focused Youth Service Needs Analysis, 2006). • ‘Staying Connected’ report recommends increased
State Government resources for the provision of locally-based, youth-specific mental health services, including: 1) Crisis outreach; 2) Multi-disciplinary staff, including youth-friendly GPs, case workers, psychologists; 3) consultant psychiatrists; and 4) Youth-specific intake services in each region.
Housing and Homelessness • In 2005 there were 727 young people aged 6 to 24
living in all forms of social housing located in the City of Whittlesea. The majority lived in the suburbs of Mill Park, Epping and Thomastown.
• According to the “Counting the Homeless” census, young people 12 to 24 represent approximately 35% (1,201) of the total homeless population in the Northern DHS region.
• 55% of all daily requests to the Supported Accommodation Assistance Program (SAAP: a supported accommodation program for young people) are not able to be met.
• The supply of low cost rental housing in the municipality is minimal and shrinking in neighbouring areas.
• There are few vacancies to provide housing options for young people as a pathway out of homelessness.
• There is a significant increase in the number of young people with housing needs presenting with multiple and complex needs.
Facilitate and advocate to State and Federal Governments for more emergency youth housing and supported youth housing services, and improving young people’s access to rental housing.
Youth Support • Young people are asking for more support services
in drugs and alcohol, housing and homelessness, family support and general counselling (YouthPlan2030 Part 6: What Young People Are Saying, 2007).
• Generalist youth workers support the healthy physical, social and emotional development of all young people, enhancing protective factors and working with young people to develop their strengths, thus minimising the impact of risk factors (Interface Councils, ‘Staying Connected’, 2006).
• Importantly, generalist youth services provide a strong link to the range of other more intensive support services for young people and frequently facilitate partnership arrangements and networking between service providers. The provision of these services at a local level is critical for the development of an integrated, coherent and systematic approach to providing services for young people at the Interface (Interface Councils, ‘Staying Connected’, 2006).
• ‘Carrying the Can’ report (a joint report prepared by VCOSS and YACVic) recommends more funding of generalist youth workers and counselling provision.
• Based on 1 worker per 3,000 young people aged 10 to 24 Years (Interface Councils, ‘Staying Connected’, 2006), the City of Whittlesea is currently deficient by 3 contact youth workers.
Facilitate and advocate for more Generalist Youth Workers and counselling support. This will include targeting State and Federal Governments.
22
Evidence and Emerging Issues
YouthPlan2030 Response
Family Support • Support for and from families was the most
significant concern expressed by young people in the City of Whittlesea Youth Needs Analysis (2003).
• Birth rates for young mothers increasing in the City of Whittlesea.
• Young people are most likely to turn to friends, parents and relatives for informal support (refer to Part 6: What Young People Are Saying).
• Young people are concerned about family relationships including family conflict and breakdown (YouthPlan2030 Part 6: What Young People Are Saying, 2007).
Provide greater support for young parents and the parents of young people, including support for migrant and newly arrived families.
Education and Training • Overall, young people who live in Interface Councils
have significantly lower educational achievements than their counterparts in metropolitan Melbourne (Interface Councils, ‘Staying Connected’, 2006).
• ‘Staying Connected’(Interface Councils) report recommends funding for a range of prevention and early intervention strategies to support young people to remain engaged at school and to improve the educational achievements of young people who live in Interface areas.
Work with local agencies to improve educational and training outcomes for young people.
Sport and Leisure • Young people see sport, participating in community
activities and recreational activities as important ways to be physically active, and also important because social interaction and recreation are significant aspects of maintaining good mental health (Regional Youth Affairs Network Consultation on Victorian Government Youth Policy 2006).
• People are missing out on playing sport because of the costs (YouthPlan2030 Part 3: 2006 Youth Summit Report).
• Increased leisure participation can decrease the social and economic cost of illness; improve mental health and wellbeing in the community, and create involved and active communities (VicHealth website, 2006).
Investigate barriers to young people accessing sport, leisure and fitness opportunities. Promote awareness of what is available to young people of all ages, and also develop opportunities and strategies for young people’s participation in sporting, leisure and fitness activities. Promote access to sport, fitness and leisure activities to newly arrived and NESB young people, and young people from low income family households.
Transport • Transport is a major issue for young people. Lack of
transport has enormous consequences for young people, including lack of access to health, education, employment and support services (Lalor North Citizenship Consultation 20057).
• Especially with rising petrol prices, young people want more buses and trams, free buses. Transport is especially a problem in South Morang, Epping and Mernda (Lalor North Citizenship Consultation 2005).
• Transport is important to provide access to
Advocate and support efforts for improved transportation and mobility opportunities for young people.
7 The Lalor-Thomastown schools cluster, in partnership with City of Whittlesea Youth Services, delivered a
“Citizenship” seminar to Year 10 students at the City of Whittlesea Civic Centre.
23
Evidence and Emerging Issues
YouthPlan2030 Response
employment opportunities (Lalor North Citizenship Consultation, 2005).
• Transport impacts on young people’s transition from dependence to independence (Lalor North Citizenship Consultation 2005).
• Transport is increasingly important as residents move into more outlying housing developments.
Research and Data • There is an absence of agreed evidence based
indicators within the youth services sector to inform youth service practice.
• Council is the one of the few agencies within the municipality with both the capacity and mandate to monitor and evaluate service utilisation trends by local young people.
Continue to undertake research and monitoring of young people’s circumstances and ways to improve the service system for young people and their families. Provide data to other stakeholders to inform and strengthen the support system for young people.
A Service System for Young People • As with research and monitoring, Council is one of
the few agencies within the municipality with both the capacity and mandate to facilitate a coordinated approach to the development of a municipal service system for young people.
• Non-Council partners participating in the Whittlesea Youth Service System Development Group support Council’s lead role in facilitation, coordination, planning, research and advocacy.
• International research also highlights the importance of municipalities taking a key role in the development of the youth service system at a local level.
Facilitate and coordinate the development of the municipal service system for young people.
Built Environment What young people from the City of Whittlesea have expressed at the Youth Summits, in relation to the built environment, is consistent with research findings (2006 Youth Summit). World experts and advocates say that the challenge is to make open spaces and public places appropriate for the developmental stages and life style of young people i.e. places that are youth inclusive and engaging, places that generate physical activity, enable publicly visible social and peer interaction, and foster cross-generational contact. Research also highlights that the absence of youth inclusive community facilities contributes to problems including obesity, isolation, lack of sense of safety and anti-social behaviour.
Develop planning principles on the built environment that promote the inclusion of young people in planning indoor and outdoor places and spaces.
Facilities for Young People • Young people have expressed the need for youth
specific and inclusive spaces and events. (Whittlesea Youth Network Youth Needs Analysis, 2003, and 2006 Youth Leadership Camp).
• Council’s Strategic Plan for Human Services Delivery in the City of Whittlesea proposes that facilities for young people be integrated with family services in four locations: Mernda / Doreen, Mill Park, Epping
Establish a network of facilities in locations that are accessible to all young people, 10 to 25 years old within the City of Whittlesea. It is envisaged that these will include youth-centred facilities and youth inclusive multipurpose community facilities.
24
Evidence and Emerging Issues
YouthPlan2030 Response
and Epping North. • Extensive range of planned multipurpose community
centers and several youth specific buildings incorporated into Mernda / Doreen and Epping North Strategic Plans.
• Potential to accommodate non-Council services that assist young people in planned and redeveloped existing facilities.
YouthPlan2030 Action Plan In response to the research findings a three year Action Plan has been prepared (see attached document). The Action Plan contains: • Six strategic direction areas; • A long term goal for each; • Specific actions under each goal; • Proposed partners to help implement actions; • Timelines for undertaking each action; • Outcomes anticipated in implementing each action; and • Resource requirements The six strategic directions areas are: • Strategic Direction 1: Engagement: Promote young people as experts. • Strategic Direction 2: Partners: Generate partnerships and promote shared
responsibility for the development and support of young people. • Strategic direction 3: Planning: Promote planning that is inclusive of young
people and best practices. • Strategic direction 4: Services: Generate a comprehensive service system that
facilitates the development of all young people and is responsive to young people with complex needs.
• Strategic direction 5: Advocacy: Generate investment and practices towards building a strong municipality and a positive future for young people and their families.
• Strategic direction 6: Research: Exploring best practice in youth development Some of the more significant initiatives outlined in the Action Plan include: • Development of the Youth Equity Strategy (YES); • Establishment of Koori, NESB and Local Area Youth Krews; • Assisting agencies to address key service gaps in relation to:
- Youth counselling; - Family counselling; - Mental health; - Sexual assault; - Youth housing and homelessness; - Improved educational outcomes; - Cultural diversity; and - Improving community safety.
• Progressing the Municipal Youth Facilities Plan; • Progressing the Council Youth Services Forward Plan; • Contributing in a action research project to improve accessibility of leisure
opportunities for young people; • Generating a strategic alliance of growth municipalities around Australia to
raise the profile of youth issues in growth areas at the federal level; • Ongoing involvement in Interface Council work – ‘Staying Connected’; and
25
• Promoting the principle of ‘Designing in Young People’ through involving young people in the planning and development of local areas and neighbourhoods.
Conclusion The strategies identified in YouthPlan2030 have been informed by local data, extensive research and engagement with young people. The strategies that emerge from the Plan aim to ensure young people feature as key contributors to all aspects in the planning and development of their community. The strategies will consolidate Council's role in the development of young people, and ensure young people have access to support and expertise when required, with many benefits to them, their families and the whole municipality. Council will consider its contribution to resourcing the actions outlined in YouthPlan2030 as part of annual Council budget processes. Council will also seek partnership arrangements from State and Federal Governments and other sources. A range of funding opportunities will be explored including philanthropic trust funds and other non-government sources. Council will continue to actively support the efforts of local agencies and other stakeholders to establish services for young people, especially secondary and tertiary services, e.g. mental health and homelessness. Access to these tertiary services for young people has been identified as an urgent gap in the service system that needs immediate attention.
Strategic Direction 1: Engagem
ent: Promote young people as experts.
Long term goal 2030: S
uccessful consideration of young people in the outcomes of the developm
ent of the municipality
Actions D
evelop engagement strategies:
P
roposed Partners O
utcomes
1.1 The key engagem
ent strategy within C
ouncil is the proposed Youth Equity Strategy (YES). Aim
: To expand and enhance the work of the Youth K
rew,
Youth Services propose to train a pool of young people to act as expert consultants on youth issues. This strategy is based on international good practice and w
ould be unique in Australia. The Y
outh Consultants w
ould be called on to work across
Council and in partnership w
ith agencies and other stakeholders. They w
ill provide a youth perspective on significant m
unicipal activities and Council functions, e.g.
developing town centres, designing playgrounds and facilities
etc. Y
outh Aw
areness sessions would be delivered by the Y
outh C
onsultants and Youth S
ervices. These sessions would involve
the nomination of an officer from
each directorate to act as a Y
outh Advocate and as the key link and m
entor to the Youth
Consultants.
The YE
S project w
ill be coordinated by Youth S
ervices, and im
plemented over three years. The project w
ill expand in line w
ith the growth in the A
rea Teams and A
rea Krew
s in the four Y
outh Service’s Local A
reas. (Details in 4.1)
By the second stage of im
plementation. Tw
o YE
S Y
outh C
onsultants will be specifically designated to represent
Indigenous and NE
SB
young people’s issues.
Councillors
Council directorates
and business units to be negotiated
Local agencies and netw
orks
Business and
Developers
Whittlesea Y
outh S
ervice System
D
evelopment G
roup (W
YS
SD
G)
For young people:
Connectedness and contribution to com
munity;
Up-skilled through participation in real life decision-m
aking;
Linked through Council directorates to businesses,
opportunities and resources.
For Council and the municipality:
Young people’s perspective and interests em
bedded into the w
ork of Council and prom
oted in the wider business
sector in the municipality;
Up-skilled officers and stakeholders through access to the
expertise and capacities of young people; Im
proved opportunities, infrastructure and service outcom
es for all young people.
28
Actions D
evelop engagement strategies:
Proposed Partners
Outcom
es
1.2 Indigenous young people: “Koori K
rew”
Aim: To establish the structures to engage Indigenous
young people as partners with Youth Services, officers
across Council, and other local stakeholders.
Youth S
ervices plans to work w
ith appropriate partners, to link to existing structures, and create a m
echanism for young
Indigenous people to participate in significant municipal
activities and Council functions.
Victorian Indigenous
Youth Affairs C
ouncil (V
IYA
C)
Darebin C
ouncil Y
outh Services
Northern S
uburbs A
boriginal A
ssociation (NS
AA
)
Maternal C
hild and H
ealth (MC
H)
Indigenous Liaison
For Indigenous young people:
Contribution of their expertise in com
munity business;
Up-skilled and linked to opportunities and resources
through involvement in com
munity activity;
Connectedness and com
munity ow
nership. For Council and stakeholders: A
ccess to existing expertise within the m
unicipality; U
p-skilled older people by exposing them to the expertise
and perspectives of Indigenous young people; Im
proved planning and service outcomes for Indigenous
young people.
29
Actions D
evelop engagement strategies:
Proposed Partners
Outcom
es
1.3 Young People’s K
rew for N
ESB young people.
Aim:
To establish the structures to engage NESB
young people as partners w
ith Youth Services, across Council departm
ents and other local stakeholders. Y
outh Services plans to w
ork with appropriate partners, to link to
existing structures, and develop mechanism
s for NE
SB young
people, including Refugee and new
ly arrived young people, to participate in significant m
unicipal activities and Council
functions.
Whittlesea A
ction G
roup for CLD
Y
oung People
(WA
GC
LDY
P)
Centre for
Multicultural Y
outh Issues (C
MY
I)
Whittlesea
Com
munity
Connections (W
CC
)
Kildonan C
hildren and Fam
ily Services
For NESB
young people:
Contribution of their expertise in com
munity business;
Up-skilled and linked to opportunities and resources
through involvement com
munity activity;
Connectedness and com
munity ow
nership; Im
proved services. For Council and stakeholders: A
ccess to existing expertise within the m
unicipality; U
p-skilled older people by exposing them to the expertise
and perspectives of NE
SB
young people; Im
proved planning and service outcomes for N
ES
B young
people.
30
Actions D
evelop engagement strategies:
Proposed Partners
Outcom
es
1.4
Young people in New
Grow
th Areas (NG
A)
Aim:
To establish mechanism
s to engage young people arriving in new
growth areas as partners w
ith Youth Services and other local stakeholders including C
ouncil departments and developers.
Youth S
ervices plans to build on the partnership model currently
being piloted in Laurimar. This pilot w
ill inform the developm
ent of sim
ilar engagement strategies in new
growth areas, w
hich will
be made possible w
ith additional resources to develop Youth
Services A
rea Teams.
The Com
munity Futures partnership w
ill also assist in developing service m
odels for young people.
Council departm
ents
Developers
Departm
ent Victorian C
omm
unities (DV
C)
Whittlesea
Com
munity Futures
Partnership
WYS
SD
G
For young people in New
Grow
th Areas:
Contribution of their expertise in com
munity business;
Up-skilled and linked to opportunities and resources
through involvement com
munity activity;
Connectedness and com
munity ow
nership. Im
proved services. For Council and stakeholders: A
ccess to existing expertise within the m
unicipality; U
p-skilled older people by exposing them to the expertise
and perspectives of Indigenous young people living in NG
A;
Improved planning and service outcom
es for NG
A young people.
31
Actions D
evelop engagement strategies:
Proposed Partners
Outcom
es
1.5
Council Youth Service Local Area Youth K
rews and
Summ
its
Aim: To develop Local A
rea Youth Krew
s and Local Area Youth Sum
mits to engage the voice of local young people
in developing local area plans.
With additional resources and the gradual developm
ent of the Y
outh Services A
rea Teams, Y
outh Services w
ill establish Local A
rea Youth K
rews and im
plement A
rea Youth S
umm
its to develop Local A
rea Plans.
Local Area Plans w
ill inform the w
ork of the Youth S
ervices Team
including program design and delivery, policy
development and advocacy w
ith relevant stakeholders.
Whittlesea Y
outh N
etwork (W
YN
)
WAG
CLD
YP
WYS
SD
G
Council directorates
DV
C
Federal Governm
ent
Private and public
sector stakeholders
For young people in Local Areas:
Contribution of their expertise to Y
outh Services, C
ouncil and broader com
munity activity;
Up-skilled and linked to opportunities and resources
through involvement in com
munity activity;
Connectedness and com
munity ow
nership; Im
proved services. For Council and stakeholders: A
ccess to existing expertise within the m
unicipality; U
p-skilled older people by exposing them to the expertise
and perspectives of local young people; Im
proved planning and service outcomes for local young
people.
32
Actions D
evelop engagement strategies:
Proposed Partners
Outcom
es
1.6
Young people with D
isability
Aim: Participate in the developm
ent of the Disability Action
Plan to develop a municipal profile of young people w
ith disability. Also to consult w
ith young people to identify needs, establish a m
echanism for the voice of young
people, and identify strategic actions for Youth Services.
Disability A
ccess Team
YA
CV
ic Disability
Access S
ervice.
Club W
ild
Local networks,
agencies and schools
Connection to young people.
Participation and engagem
ent opportunities for young people.
1.7 H
ard to reach young people Aim
: To explore strategies to access hard to reach young people including young people w
ho are unemployed,
disengaged, young people in work, young people in TAFEs
and tertiary institutions.
Hum
e Whittlesea
Local Learning and E
mploym
ent Netw
ork (H
WLLE
N)
Whittlesea Y
outh C
omm
itment (W
YC
)
Econom
ic D
evelopment
Connection to young people.
Participation and engagem
ent opportunities for young people.
1.8 Stories of young people from
the North.
Aim: To contribute to the com
bined Youth Summ
it strategy to produce ‘Stories of young people from
the North” report
with Northern R
egional Youth Advisory Netw
ork (NRYA
N).
The Regional Y
outh Advisory N
etworks (R
YA
NS
) have a direct link to the S
tate Governm
ent through DV
C and to the M
inister for Y
outh Affairs, Sport and R
ecreation. In the recent tw
o year NR
YA
N S
trategy Plan, the m
embers have
comm
itted to collate the documented outcom
es of their respective Local G
overnment Y
outh Sum
mits.
Departm
ent of V
ictorian C
omm
unities (DV
C)
Office for Y
outh (O
FY) N
RY
AN
mem
ber agencies
For young people: A
regional platform to prom
ote their voice and issues; The strengthening of their voice through com
bined efforts. For the region: S
trong tool for advocating to achieve better outcomes for
young people.
33
Actions D
evelop engagement strategies:
Proposed Partners
Outcom
es
1.9 C
ity of Whittlesea’s com
bined strategies for the voices of local young people Aim
: To promote the engagem
ent of young people in local agencies and to support and link w
ith other strategies in the C
ity of Whittlesea.
WYN
WYC
WAG
CLD
YP
WSS
DG
WC
C C
omm
unity E
ngagement P
roject (W
CE
P)
Federation of S
tudent R
epresentative C
omm
ittees (V
icSR
C)
For young people:
A local platform
/s to promote young people’s voice and
issues;
The strengthening of their voice through combined efforts;
Increased opportunities to influence service delivery and design;
Opportunities to influence real life com
munity decisions.
For the City of W
hittlesea:
Strong tool/s for advocating to achieve better outcom
es for young people in the C
ity of Whittlesea;
Improved service delivery m
odels and outcomes for young
people and the whole com
munity.
Youth S
umm
it 2006
34
Strategic Direction 2: Partnerships: G
enerate shared responsibility for the development and support of young people.
Long term goal 2030: P
artners and stakeholders providing the environment and opportunities for healthy youth developm
ent, early intervention
and support for transitions and difficult times to young people. A
lso, to have expertise available to respond to young people with com
plex
needs. Actions: Facilitate partnerships to develop actions and resources to address current service gaps:
Proposed partners:
Outcom
es
2.1 W
hittlesea Youth Services System D
evelopment G
roup Aim
: Facilitate and coordinate the development of
municipal service system
for young people. C
ouncil is the only agency within the m
unicipality with both
the capacity and mandate to facilitate a coordinated
approach to the development of a m
unicipal service system
for young people. C
ouncil’s role includes: Linking young people to partners, i.e. YE
S and K
rews,
planning, research, and advocacy and development of
partnerships to fill the service gaps.
WY
SS
DG
D
VC
Com
bined services in partnership developing the service system
with and for young people.
Targeted advocacy around gaps. Identification and pursuit of funding opportunities. P
roject and resource development for youth services in the
municipality.
Increased services for young people. This resource w
ill enable Council to actively pursue
resources that will fill current service gaps for young people.
2.1.1 Youth Counselling and M
ental Health
Aim: To facilitate the establishm
ent of a working group
on mental health and counselling young people.
Current services are scarce and out of the m
unicipality. P
roviding tertiary level counselling is not the core business of C
ouncil. Youth S
ervice’s role is to work w
ith agencies and netw
orks to address this gap in the service system for young
people in the municipality.
WY
SS
DG
P
VC
H
North E
ast Association
for Mental Illness
(NE
AM
I) D
VC
D
epartment of H
uman
Services (D
HS
)
Developm
ent of a strategy that includes the service model
and advocacy plan. S
ervices accessible to an increased number of young people.
Services located w
ithin the municipality.
35
Actions: Facilitate partnerships to develop actions and resources to address current service gaps:
Proposed partners:
Outcom
es
Federal G
overnment
Austin C
hild and A
dolescent Mental
Health S
ervice (C
AM
HS
)
2.1.2 Youth Hom
elessness and Youth Housing
Aim: To facilitate the establishm
ent of a working group
on youth housing and homelessness
The City of W
hittlesea municipality has no em
ergency housing available for hom
eless young people. S
upported housing stocks are not able to meet current
demand.
Affordable housing in the private rental market is scarce and
out of reach of most young people.
Providing em
ergency accomm
odation and social housing is not the core business of C
ouncil. Youth S
ervice’s role is to w
ork with agencies and netw
orks to address this gap in the service system
for young people in the municipality.
WY
SS
DG
P
VC
H
Whittlesea Y
outh H
ousing N
orthern Region
Hom
elessness Council
(NR
HC
) D
VC
D
epartment of H
ousing
Developm
ent of a strategy that includes the service model
and advocacy plan. E
stablishment of em
ergency beds for young people. A
chievement of a range of suitable sustainable housing
options for young people.
36
Actions: Facilitate partnerships to develop actions and resources to address current service gaps:
Proposed partners:
Outcom
es
2.2 Youth in C
omm
unity: School Hub Pilot Project Aim
: To address early school leaving and strengthen success at school through providing early intervention opportunities to vulnerable young people and their fam
ilies. Y
oung people in Whittlesea have low
er than average achievem
ent in secondary education and lower num
bers are entering tertiary education. Initial discussions have been undertaken internally and w
ith tw
o local schools. The overall plan is to develop a supportive hub linked to tw
o local secondary schools. From
the onset this project will engage young people in the
development of the project.
Youth
Service’s
role is
to w
ork w
ith the
Whittlesea
Com
munity
Futures P
artners, agencies
and netw
orks to
address this gap in the service system for young people in
the municipality.
Local schools
SR
C S
tudents
Australian Industry
Group
Council’s E
conomic
Developm
ent Unit
HW
LLEN
/WY
C
Whittlesea C
omm
unity Futures P
artnership G
roup W
YS
SD
G
Increased numbers of young people rem
aining attached to schools and entering tertiary education. A
n integrated service model that can be adapted to other
locations.
2.3 Living Safe Aim
: To explore and address a range of safety issues as they affect young people. This project is in the conceptual stage. Y
oung people in the municipality have expressed concern
that they “don’t feel safe”.
Epping P
olice S
chools Local agencies
Improved feelings of safety for young people through
personal skills and planning outcomes.
37
Strategic direction 3: Planning: Promoting young people inclusive planning and practices.
Long term goal 2030: P
lanning: Outcom
es that demonstrate the specific needs of all young people are em
bedded in all aspects of the physical
and social infrastructure of the municipality
Actions
Planning strategies
Proposed partners O
utcomes
3.1 Linking young people to Com
munity Futures Project and
Whittlesea Tow
nship Project Comm
unity Building Initiative
(CB
I) Aim
: This project aims to design and pilot an integrated
(youth inclusive) sustainable service system m
odel.
Com
munity Futures
Project
Whittlesea Tow
nship P
roject
Young people em
bedded in the planning and service delivery outcom
es, the findings, and the action plans of the C
omm
unity Futures Project and W
hittlesea Township C
BI
Project.
3.2 Youth Facilities Plan 2030 Aim
: To provide an overall long-term plan of facilities to
deliver programs and services for young people. It
proposes a network of accessible youth facilities in
strategic locations throughout the municipality.
The Youth Facilities Plan 2030 proposes the establishm
ent of a m
inimum
of 3 youth-centred facilities, an additional 5 youth friendly and inclusive facilities i.e. C
AC
s, and several specific purpose built spaces. These purpose built spaces m
ay be incorporated into other facilities. They include band rehearsal spaces and a shared com
munity events space that can
accomm
odate 400 young people. The Y
outh Facilities plan proposes the concept of a ‘Youth
Precinct’ in the vicinity of the P
lenty Valley Tow
n Centre to build
on the presence of existing youth services providers and facilities in the area. This includes K
ildonan Children and
Council
Youth K
rew
Council’s P
lanning &
Sustainability U
nit W
SSD
G
Strategically located facilities accessible to young people
throughout the municipality.
Facilities to deliver a full range of early, secondary and tertiary program
s to young people. R
esources to enable young people to develop and express their talents and capabilities.
38
Actions
Planning strategies
Proposed partners O
utcomes
Family S
ervices (KC
FS), S
alvation Arm
y, the skate park, and the proposed public transport hub. Further w
ork to progress the Y
outh Facilities Plan 2030 includes:
• C
onsulting with young people, the Y
outh Krew
, local agencies and other stakeholders.
• C
onducting further research that will inform
design and location issues.
• E
xploring the opportunity for a youth facility in the High
Street grow
th corridor, i.e. Epping N
orth.
• E
xploring further opportunities for youth inclusive facilities in the densely populated areas of the m
unicipality, i.e. Mill
Park, Lalor, Thom
astown.
• C
onsidering the best model for the M
ernda-Doreen youth
designated facility.
• Integrating the Y
outh Facilities Plan 2030 w
ith local agency plans.
• E
xploring specific purpose needs i.e. local band rehearsal space, youth events space, m
ultimedia resources and
space.
• P
rogressing the proposal for the central youth facility within
the Plenty V
alley Town C
entre.
• Involving young people in the design and subsequent stages.
39
Actions
Planning strategies
Proposed partners O
utcomes
3.3
Integrating local agency plans
Aim: To inform
and support the future plans for youth services provision by other local stakeholders and agencies.
WYS
SD
G
KC
FS
Uniting C
are P
VC
H
WC
C
Other stakeholders
as they arise.
Improves service opportunities and outcom
es for young people. E
nsuring efficiency. Filling service gaps.
3.4 The Built Environm
ent and Young People: ‘Designing in
Young People’ Aim
: To produce guidelines on: designing facilities for young people; designing young people into neighbourhoods; designing young people into tow
n centres; designing young people into com
munity facilities;
and designing young people into open spaces. This w
ork is currently in the form of three w
orking documents of
research findings undertaken to date. This w
ork will contribute to the form
ation of Family S
ervices design principles.
Family S
ervices P
arks and Gardens
Sustainability and
Planning
Family S
ervices design principles and guidelines document
will be developed:
“Designing in C
hildren and Young P
eople zero to 25”. It will
include overarching principles, with specific attention to the
engagement and inclusion of young people in the planning
and development processes of renew
al and new public
projects. e.g., parks and gardens, open space, town centres,
neighbourhoods, estates, recreational and leisure facilities, C
omm
unity Activity C
entres and youth focussed and inclusive facilities.
40
Strategic direction 4: Services: Generate a com
prehensive service system to facilitate the developm
ent, and provide the required support of all young people. Long term
goal
2030: A
com
prehensive range
of services, facilities,
programs,
events, resources
and activities
responding to
the developm
ental and special needs of young people Actions Service D
elivery Strategies Proposed Partners
Outcom
es
4.1
City of W
hittlesea Youth Services Forward Plan
This Plan outlines the future direction of Council’s Youth
Services and how it proposes to grow
in line with
population growth, dem
ands, and emerging issues. The
Youth Services model is based on Local Areas and
Portfolios.
Over the next three years the plan is to increase staff capacity
to develop Area Teams, A
rea Krew
s, Area S
umm
its, Area
Stakeholder N
etworks and integrated A
rea Plans. This w
ill develop in parallel w
ith the proposed YE
S (Y
outh Equity
Strategy) program
.
Stage 1 Initiate A
rea Sum
mit and Area Plans. Integrate and support the
development of Y
ES
Increased capacity to deliver programs at the local level and
respond to emerging issues.
Stage 2: C
onduct Area S
umm
its, develop Area P
lans and design program
responses. Increased capacity to respond to em
erging issues, and to drive issue based portfolios. Stage 3: E
valuate stages1 and 2. Review
resources required.
4.2
Youth Services 2006 Youth Summ
it Programm
atic responses
Youth S
ervices has designed a number of program
s in response to the 2006 S
umm
it.
Kildonan
SFY
S
WAG
CLD
YP
Schools
Service outcom
es responding to Sum
mit issues. M
ost notably: R
acism: Inter-cultural N
arrative project; R
ights, Young M
en’s Program
; Facilities: B
uilt environment principles ;
Adolescence: P
arenting Adolescence sessions;
Violence: Y
oung Wom
en’s Self D
efense workshops.
41
Actions
Service Delivery Strategies
Proposed
Partners
Outcom
es
4.3
Promoting healthy lifestyles w
ith young people
Aim: To provide opportunities for young w
omen and
young men to acquire know
ledge and skills to develop healthy lifestyles.
The initial program w
ill be the Girls G
o for it program. Y
outh S
ervices will w
ork with schools and agencies to im
plement this
project.
WYS
SD
G
DV
C
PV
CH
P
articipating partnerships to be negotiated
Improved body im
age and self esteem.
Improved physical and m
ental health. The G
irls Go for it m
odel will inform
the development of a
program targeting young m
en.
4.4
Parenting strategy
Aim: To support young people w
ho are parents, and parents of adolescents.
The new enhanced M
CH
model w
ill also focus their work on
young parents and parenting adolescents.
Family S
ervices P
articipating partnerships to be negotiated
Opportunities for young parents and parents of adolescents.
This will include:
Connection to generalist and specialist services;
Skill developm
ent in parenting; A
ccess to early intervention; S
upport with com
plex challenges; S
ocial connection to peers.
4.5
Linking youth service provision to the Early Years Service System
Aim: To increase know
ledge on adolescent brain developm
ent and life stages, and the implications of this
for planning a continuum of care and support.
Hum
e Youth
Services
Council’s E
arly years Team
Children’s
Foundation Fam
ily Services
WYS
SD
G
Other stakeholders
Research and training briefs w
ill be designed. Training delivered by experts in the field w
ill improve practice,
program developm
ent, service development and developm
ent of the service system
. Investm
ent in the Early Y
ears will be m
aximised and extended
into the transition to adulthood.
42
Actions
Service Delivery Strategies
Proposed
Partners
Outcom
es
4.6 R
ecreation Action Research Project:
Access to leisure, sport and recreation opportunities Local consultations confirm
that access to sporting opportunities and sport and leisure facilities are a high priority. This is a significant issue for the R
efugee and newly arrived
comm
unities as a significant means to connect w
ithin com
munity, also providing the first point of access and
connection to the wider com
munity.
Council’s Leisure
Services and
Planning
YM
CA
W
AGC
LDYP
C
MY
I O
FY
Leisure, sport and recreational opportunities available to young people w
ho are currently disadvantaged. Identification of barriers to access by R
efugee and newly arrived
comm
unities, and strategies to redress these barriers. D
evelopment of successful m
odels for the provision of leisure, sport and recreational program
s, especially for the Refugee and
newly arrived com
munities.
43
Strategic direction 5: Advocacy: Generate investm
ent and promote im
proved practices towards building a strong m
unicipality and a positive future for young people and their fam
ilies. Long term
goal 2030: A com
prehensive service system for all young people in the C
ity of Whittlesea.
Actions:
Advocacy strategies
Proposed partners O
utcomes
5.1 Interface C
ouncils Youth Services Group
Aim: To continue to lobby for resources to fill the gaps in
the social and physical infrastructure. W
hittlesea Youth S
ervices has initiated a partnership with
Municipal A
ssociation of Victoria (M
AV
), Royal M
elbourne Institute of Technology (R
MIT) and Y
outh Affairs Council
Victoria (Y
AC
Vic) to generate dialogue with youth services in
the growth areas of the other states.
It is proposed that a “young people in growth areas”
conference theme be included at the N
ational Youth A
ffairs C
onference in May 2007. A cam
paign directed at the Federal G
overnment w
ill be considered.
Interface Council’s
Youth S
ervices Group
Interface Council’s
Hum
an Services
Meeting
Youth service providers
in the other states M
AV
V
CO
SS
Y
AC
Vic
Strategic alliance of grow
th areas around Australia to raise
the comm
on issues with the A
ustralian Governm
ent.
44
Actions:
Advocacy strategies
Proposed partners O
utcomes
5.2
Generalist Youth W
orker Cam
paign
Aim: To m
aintain the Generalist Youth W
orker campaign
calling for more, and higher skilled youth w
orkers funded by State G
overnment.
Also advocate to governm
ents to develop a universal platform
for Youth W
orkers to support the development of all young
people, 10 to 25 years, in partnership with parents, schools
and other institutions.
Lobby government to address the service gap for 8 to 12 year
olds.
YA
CV
ic Interface C
ouncil Youth
Services G
roup V
CO
SS
W
YSS
DG
Improved outcom
es for young people and their families
through greater access to professional youth workers at
challenging and difficult times during transition from
childhood to adulthood.
5.3
Transport
Aim: To support the advocacy efforts to im
prove the public transport system
in the City of W
hittlesea.
Consultations w
ith young people consistently emphasise that
transport is a major issue to them
, as it impacts on all areas of
their lives.
Support partners as
opportunities arise. Im
proved provision of public transport to enable young people to independently access social, educational, w
ork, recreational and other places.
Strategic direction 6: Research: E
xploring evidence based best practice in youth development
Long term goal 2030: A
pplication of evidence based practise in the municipality.
Actions
Research Strategies
Proposed partners O
utcomes
6.1 W
hittlesea Youth Service System
Aim: To resource and strengthen the developm
ent of the m
unicipal Youth Service System through research and
data.
DV
C
WYS
SD
G
Improved services through shared know
ledge.
6.1.1 M
onitoring and Evaluation Aim
: To identify appropriate tools for monitoring and
evaluating Council’s Youth Services, and the municipal
Youth Service System.
This will be done in collaboration w
ith local agencies and young people.
RM
IT Y
AC
Vic
OFY
C
MY
I
Improved data for planning and advocating.
Improved reporting and accountability.
6.1.2 Indicators Project Aim
: To shift the local youth service system into an
evidence based framew
ork to enable regular adjustment
and review.
This will be done by identifying or creating indicators that
monitor and show
local needs, gaps, direction and approaches for Y
outh Services and the m
unicipal youth service system.
This will include assessm
ent of the 40 Developm
ental Assets.
This research will assist agencies to consider a suitable set of
indicators for the City of W
hittlesea, and contribute to linking to the E
arly Years service system
.
Family S
ervices P
VC
H
WYS
SD
G
The key tool for linking provision to young people to Early
Years and the broader service system
. D
ata that indicates needs and gaps as they emerge.
46
Actions
Research Strategies
Proposed partners O
utcomes
6.1.3 Planning B
enchmarks
Aim: to identify youth planning benchm
arks that will
inform the developm
ent of the service system and built
environment.
This will involve:
Scanning existing program
s and literature on benchmarks,
identifying existing work, identifying relevant developm
ents that are em
erging, what new
work w
ill need to be undertaken, and w
hat Whittlesea Y
outh Services can achieve.
Academ
ic resources D
VC
Planning benchm
arks will guide the level of infrastructure
and service resources needed for young people in a progressive and system
atic manner as the m
unicipality grow
s over the next 25 years.
47
Full Name Acronym Austin Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service.
Austin CAMHS
Culturally and Linguistically Diverse CLD Centre for Multicultural Youth Issues CMYI Department of Human Services DHS Department of Victorian Communities DVC Federation of Student Representative Committees
VicSRC
Hume Whittlesea Local Learning and Employment Network
HWLLEN
Kildonan Child and Family Services KCFS Maternal and Child Health MCH Municipal Association Victoria MAV Northern Area Consultative Committee NACC North East Association for Mental Illness NEAMI Northern Region Homelessness Council NRHC Northern Region Youth Advisory Network NRYAN Northern Suburbs Aboriginal Association NSAA Office for Youth OFY Plenty Valley Community Health PVCH Regional Youth Advisory Network RYAN Whittlesea Action Group for CLD Young People WAGCLDYP Whittlesea Community Connections WCC Whittlesea Youth Commitment WYC Whittlesea Youth Network WYN Whittlesea Youth Services System Development Group
WYSSDG
Victorian Council of Social Services VCOSS Victorian Indigenous Youth Affairs Council VIYAC Youth Affairs Council Victoria YACVic
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