YANQ's report into Young Muslim Women's Participation in Sports and Physical Recreation was officially launched on Wednesday, 16^th July 2008 by Young Queenslander of the Year, Ms Homa Forotan as part of the Muslim Women's Conference, "Towards Common Ground" at Government House.

In 2007 the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission Pay Equity Inquiry found a glaring disparity between the rates paid in the public sector to those paid in the community sector for the same level of work. The table below clearly shows this inequity.

In 2008, YANQ's ERACISM (erase racism) campaign has two concurrent stages: a research phase and a campaigning phase. The research phase will include the use of a survey and reporting tool, a multimedia and essay competition for young people, a call for papers (for publication in a special, inaugural edition of YANQ's ERACISM journal), and several focus group discussions located around the state.

new Transitions Vol 12. N^o. 1, 2008

In January 2008, as part of the Re-engagement Project YANQ put out a call for papers under the topic, From Disengaged to Re-engaged - Young People's Right to Education and Training.  Simultaneously we we also invited young people to submit their ideas via the 'Re-engage This!' multimedia competition.  The outcome of these initiatives is this special, public edition of newTransitions ...

As part of our Re-engagement Project, YANQ wants to find out exactly what's 'out there' for young people who are not currently participating in education, training or employment.  Before we can find our way from re-engagement services that are patchy and inconsistent to services that are widely available and effective we first need to develop a clear map of what's available for this group of young people.

So, If you think disengaged young people count, then help us spread the word about this Census so we can get a clear picture about what's out there now, and what could and should be 'out there' tomorrow.

By Suzi Quixley for the  Coalition Against Inappropriate Remand (CAIR)

Inappropriately detaining young people in custody puts community safety at risk - repeated studies indicate that the younger a person is when they are first detained in custody, the greater the likelihood that they will go onto re-offend and end up in adult prison.  74% of the young people in custody in Queensland Youth Detention Centres on 30 June 2006 were on remand - i.e. they were being held in custody before a finding of guilt had been made or before their sentence had been finalised.  This is largely unnecessary and jeopardises both the safety of the community and the future chances of success in life for the young people detained.

By Suzi Quixley for the  Coalition Against Inappropriate Remand (CAIR)

Inappropriately detaining young people in custody puts community safety at risk - repeated studies indicate that the younger a person is when they are first detained in custody, the greater the likelihood that they will go onto re-offend and end up in adult prison.  74% of the young people in custody in Queensland Youth Detention Centres on 30 June 2006 were on remand - i.e. they were being held in custody before a finding of guilt had been made or before their sentence had been finalised.  This is largely unnecessary and jeopardises both the safety of the community and the future chances of success in life for the young people detained. 

Source: QCOSS 

Information and training sessions commencing in two weeks! Register now to secure a place.

The Community Sector Wages campaign information and training sessions commence on 28 April and will take place at different locations throughout the state. These are an important part of giving individuals and organisations the tools to conduct their locally based advocacy. Lobbying of your local Member of Parliament is essential to the success of the campaign. We need to make them aware of how important the service you provide is and the critical issues you face in attracting and retaining staff.

.. and Notes on Terminology in the Sector

YANQ is currently conducting research into the issue of young people's disengagement and reengagement with education and training in Queensland.  As part of this project, attendees at the March meeting for the Multicultural Youth Network of Queensland (MYNQ) were presented with draft copies of a survey tool designed to collect data from and about the multicultural sector to gauge need and opinion on reengagement research and advocacy. While the main purpose of disseminating the draft survey through the MYNQ group was to obtain feedback from the attendees on the tool itself, the MYNQ group also discussed YANQ's reengagement project in general. The following is an outline of the MYNQ group's comments, relating both to the survey tool, and to the topic in general.

A draft copy of the Log of Claims for the Youth Services Multi-Employer Agreement has now been released by the Australian Services Union.  The Log of Claims are the improvements to current pay and working conditions that employees of youth services are seeking.

To help services work out the cost-implications, YANQ has developed a costing tool, which you can also download below.

By the Youth Affairs Network of Queensland. 

Download this paper: Multiculturalism - From Myth to Reality 99.23 Kb  

In a global context, recent events around the world and at home necessitate an open public debate on multiculturalism and to form effective strategies for community engagement with this issue. Oft times, even within the Community Services Sector, many organisations are increasingly regarding ‘multiculturalism' as being solely related to issues regarding non-English speaking migrants and refugees. This interpretation and use of ‘multiculturalism' not only denies the role of English speaking migrants, residents and citizens, but also fails to acknowledge the important contributions that Indigenous peoples play in the construction of effective multiculturalism. Indeed, alienating English speakers and Indigenous peoples by denying them a place within concepts of multiculturalism, may serve instead to reinforce the ‘us and them' mentality amongst some members of the wider community, in which the somewhat ignorant ideologies of assimilation and total conformity to mainstream ‘Anglo' culture is a goal.

The campaign to improve the pay and conditions of youth workers is all about improving the quality of services that young people receive.  When a worker leaves an organisation to seek better pay, the young users of that service miss out.  They miss out because the the relationship - the most important aspect of all human services work - with their worker has been broken.

If you are a youth worker, and better pay and conditions will make it more likely you'll stay in the sector then tell us why.   Your stories will help YANQ and the Union to advocate for the improvements to the funding bodies.

Quality Youth Services for Young People

A Joint Statement from the Australian Services Union & the Youth Affairs Network of Queensland 

Download this Statement as a PDF to
printout and pin on your Staff Noticeboard

The Australian Services Union and the Youth Affairs Network of Queensland are pleased to announce the next phase in our campaign to improve youth services and address the chronic recruitment and retention problems that they are facing.

By Kirsten McGavin 

In late February, in my capacity as YANQ's Multicultural Development Officer, I attended a meeting of the State-wide Multicultural Youth Issues Network (SMYIN) in Victoria; a meeting focused on "Being ‘In-between': Projects Engaging Second Generation Young People". Organised by the Centre for Multicultural Youth Issues (CMYI) - an organisation with which YANQ works closely as part of the National Multicultural Youth Issues Network (NMYIN) - the meeting was a follow up to a recent two-day symposium on a similar topic that was held in association with Deakin University.

At the "Being ‘In-between'" assembly, delegates explored and discussed the idea that "Australian-born young people whose parents or grandparents were born overseas can find themselves straddling the orientations of different cultural identities" (CMYI brochure). We also examined a selection of initiatives that assist "second generation young people in positively experiencing and expressing their identities" (CMYI brochure).

From David Smith, Branch Secretary
Australian Services Union, Queensland Services Branch

Dear Colleagues,

As you are well aware, non-government social and community services in Queensland are facing a significant challenge which poses a clear threat, not only to their viability but to the quality of services they deliver to vulnerable Queenslanders. The challenge that I am referring to is that of retaining and recruiting staff. I am writing to seek your support in our campaign to bring about fair pay and working conditions for staff in these services.

Source: Australian Services Union, 18 February 2008 

A survey by the ASU of over 2100 workers has revealed that there is a crisis in attracting and retaining staff in the social and community services industry. Unless this crisis is addressed, the new focus on the goal of greater social inclusion by Australian governments will not be achieved.

By Wally Dethlefs 

The Situation in Queensland

The majority of young people being held in detention centres are on remand. In Queensland this was almost 75% as of June 30, 2006. One of the reasons for this, is that young people may be required to appear in court for a non-detainable offence (such as stealing a Mars Bar) and due to social circumstances (such as accommodation instability, poverty etc) they may ‘fail to appear' in court on the date required. This failure to appear can be a detainable offence. Imprisoning more young people on remand places both the community and young people themselves at further risk.

In June this year YANQ and the Australian Services Union (ASU) announced that we were embarking on a joint campaign to lift the pay and conditions of youth workers.  Below is a brief update on how the campaign is progressing.

Dear Natasha, 

RE Your report: Research suggests biological base for ADHD

We watched with interest this report which was broadcast on the evening of December 3^rd 2007. Unfortunately we felt it made a number of mistakes that are commonly found in reports of 'new' research into the diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

Below are the presentation slides used for YANQ's recent presentations in Brisbane (November 28) and the Gold Coast (December 7).

ADHD Workshop Presentation Slides 293.79 Kb.

The booklet which was provided at the workshops is also on our site here. 

By Barry Turner

There are some people that are denying that Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder exists. They are accused of being irresponsible, causing the condition to be underdiagnosed and even causing the sufferers of this disease to "unwittingly self medicate with illegal drugs or alcohol". If it were not for the fact that the explosion in ADHD diagnosis and treatment with stimulants such as Ritalin (Methylphenidate) represents the greatest medical catastrophe since Thalidomide these statements would be laughable.

Since the Queensland Government first proposed the Education & Training Reforms for the Future (ETRF) YANQ has written a number of papers on the topic of young people disengaged (or at risk of) from education and training.

Following from a community forum held on 25^th October 2007 discussing strategies for reducing the number of young people on remand in Queensland Youth Detention Centres, the first NGO working party meeting was held at YANQ on 9^th November.

Researchers from the United States recently suggested that medication has no beneficial effects on ADHD sufferers in the long-term and have warn that the medication can lead to stunted growth in a significant number of patients. ABC Radio National's World Today (13 Noember 2007) interviewed Professor William Pelham who has been involved in a national study on ADHD treatment since the 1990s.

You can read the transcript of the World Today story or download and listen to the full interview with Professor Pelham (MP3).

From Disengaged to Re-engaged: Young People's Right to Education & Training

Call for Assistance

Over the next 12 months (starting in December 2007) YANQ will be undertaking this Re-engagement project to challenge governments and communities to lift their game when it comes to supporting disengaged young people back into education and training.

See also the Call for Papers for a Special Edition of new Transitions focused on Re-engagement.

Making decisions in groups (such as interagencies or networks) can sometimes be a very difficult process.  If a group you are involved in find making decisions difficult you might find the following documents and links useful.  YANQ has published the first two documents to help interagencies that participate in the Youth Consultative Network, though they may be useful to other groups in other situations as well.

On October 19, 2007 YANQ submitted its response to the Review of the Juvenile Justice Act 1992.

• Cover Letter to YANQ's Submission ( 20.25 Kb).
• Full Submission ( 309.92 Kb). 

These are the reasons that YANQ has joined with the Australian Services Union (ASU) in a campaign to provide fair pay and working conditions to youth workers in Queensland¹. In our last two joint statements with the ASU, YANQ has argued strongly that the first step youth workers need to take in this campaign is to JOIN the UNION. Here are the reasons why we are asking youth workers to take this step...

• a very high proportion of small workplaces;
• a predominantly female workforce (87%);
• a high proportion of part time (56%) and casual (20%) employment;
• a lack of ability for widespread collective bargaining to occur;
• that workers in the community services sector are more likely to have a post school qualification than other workers but have lower weekly income;
• and low wages.

During 2006, the Youth Affairs Network of Queensland noticed an increase in the number of organisations and youth workers contacting it to raise concerns about the level of support available for young people who were not involved in education or work.

In response, YANQ undertook this small research project to investigate these concerns and to assess the level and nature of support that is available for young people who are disengaged from education and work. The research focused specifically on young people aged between 12 to 18.

During 2006, the Youth Affairs Network of Queensland noticed an increase in the number of organisations and youth workers contacting it to raise concerns about the level of support available for young people who were not involved in education or work.

In response, YANQ undertook this small research project to investigate these concerns and to assess the level and nature of support that is available for young people who are disengaged from education and work. The research focused specifically on young people aged between 12 to 18.

By Daniel Allert

The Youth Affairs Network Queensland believes it is necessary to reframe debates about young people's services (such as education, housing, employment support etc) by asserting young people's rights, as opposed to their ‘needs’. It is important to differentiate between these two terms.  This is because of the negative impact which the current term ‘needs’ is having on young people in our society by reinforcing negative connotations. Instead, Australia must adopt a “rights culture^"1.

A summary of programs relevant to young people, 12-18, who are not participating in education or training and who are unemployed. 

The aim of this document is to give a brief overview of the range of publicly funded youth services that are particularly relevant to young people that are not participating in education, training or work.

A summary of programs relevant to young people, 12-18, who are not participating in education or training and who are unemployed. 

The aim of this document is to give a brief overview of the range of publicly funded youth services that are particularly relevant to young people that are not participating in education, training or work.

As part of the Campaign for fair pay and working conditions for youth workers, Siyavash Doostkhah (YANQ Director) and Stuart Maggs (ASU Organiser) were interviewed on August 31 by The Wire (Independent Current Affairs on Community Radio).

You can find an MP3 of their interview at http://www.thewire.org.au/audio/HAyouthagreement.mp3.

2nd Joint statement by the Australian Services Union &
the Youth Affairs Network of Queensland

Campaign for a Youth Services
Multi Employer Agreement

Quality Youth Services for Young People

Download this Statement as a PDF to print out and pin on your Staff Noticeboard(111.05 Kb)

Support and momentum for the Youth Services Multi-Employer Agreement (MEA) continues to grow as the ASU and YANQ present and discuss the aims of the agreement at Youth Services Interagency and staff meetings around Southeast Queensland.  Feedback from these meetings has been very positive. Many attendees have acknowledged their first hand experience of the issues facing the sector that this Multi Employer Agreement addresses. This includes poor pay and conditions which adversely effects attraction and retention of staff and the impact this has on the continuity and quality of client service delivery.

Back in March 2007, a coalition of youth and mental health services along with the QLD Alliance and YANQ hosted the 2007 Youth Mental Health Summit.

The report from the summit is now available for download:  Youth Mental Health Summit Report 1.01 Mb

Written by Suzi Quixley

“You get the best policy out of an argument.”
(Martin Ferguson, Sunday, Channel 9, 2 April 2006)

This paper looks at the variety of influences on government policy making, in order to see the role of peak bodies in the broader social context. Firstly, at the macro level it briefly outlines current approaches to government policy development. Then it explores the micro level – how the community services industry tries to influence policy development through peak bodies and the pressures on the sector to change the role and functions of peak bodies.  It ultimately concludes that peaks must reclaim their rightful place in Australian democracy.

Download the full document:  What is a Peak Body? 213.73 Kb or
Download the abridged version:  What is a Peak Body? (Abridged Version) 87.93 Kb

Written by Suzi Quixley and Siyavash Doostkhah, in consultation with youth workers in Queensland.

Recent debate over whether, or not, to adopt a Code of Ethics for youth work has been characterised by an uncritical assumption that having a code is a good thing …that it will automatically produce more ethical practice or protect against unethical practice.  This paper challenges these assumptions and puts an alternate point of view about how ethical practice can be achieved in work with young people.

Download the Full Paper:  Conservatising Youth Work 318.86 Kb

As part of the campaign for a youth services multi-employer agreement The Australian Services Union and YANQ will be visiting youth interagencies in South-East Queensland.

Come along to your next interagency meeting to hear about how together we can improve services for young people by lifting the working conditions of youth workers.

The following interagency visits have been confirmed:

In this editorial piece the New York Times argues that: "The United States made a disastrous miscalculation when it started automatically trying youthful offenders as adults instead of handling them through the juvenile courts."

Read the full story online at the New York Times website.

The Director of Youth Affairs Network of Queensland, Siyavash Doostkhah today slammed the Howard emergency plan for Aboriginal communities, saying "this is a repeat of the children overboard saga which helped Howard to retain power in the last election".

"If the Government was serious about addressing disadvantage, then it would, among other actions, be negotiating a Treaty with the First Australians. A Treaty would be the only genuine way that the Australian Government could show it is committed to treating Indigenous Australians fairly and as equal citizens."

A joint statement by the Australian Services Union and the Youth Affairs Network of Queensland

 Download this Joint Statement as a PDF(133.47 Kb)

Young people need and deserve high quality community based youth services staffed by professional youth workers. Unfortunately one of the most pressing challenges facing youth services in Queensland is retaining and attracting good staff.

The Director of Youth Affairs Network of Queensland, Siyavash Doostkhah today criticised the 2007 Queensland State Budget, saying "this Budget contains little positive news for young people and leaves major gaps in the youth service system. The continued lack of investment in prevention and early intervention strategies will mean some young people will unnecessarily end up in crisis situations."

Youth Affairs Network of Queensland (YANQ) director Siyavash Doostkhah slammed the Queensland Government for walking all over children's rights. The announcement today that the Queensland Government will continue to lock up children in adult prisons is simply unacceptable. Queensland children are the only children in Australia to be locked up in adult prisons.

The powerpoint slides of Bob Jacob's Presentation (Celebrate!  Don't Medicate) at the National Youth Conference are now available - Celebrate Don't Medicate Slides.

In this article (What is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), published in the Journal of Child Neurology, Dr Lydia Furman argues that "the working dogma that ADHD is a disease or neurobehavioral condition does not at this time hold up to scrutiny of evidence".

Read more at the International Centre for the Study of Psychiatry and Psychology.

Here is MYNQ Information including 2008 meeting dates.

Queensland is the only State in Australia that locks up 17 year olds in Adult (rather than juvenile) prisons. 

After 15 years of inaction, it is time to STOP locking up children in Queensland's Adult prisons and time for the Juvenile Justice system to include 17 year olds.

Download the campaign kit for more information: Children in Adult Prisons Campaign Kit 123.61 Kb