Here is the link to the latest Youth Sector News:
https://mailchi.mp/76eba334140f/yanq-e-bulletin-may-2019

Youth Affairs Network of Queensland (YANQ) is highly disappointed by the State Government’s announcement of expanding Youth Prisons costing hundreds of millions of dollars.
 
The State Government is continuing the age-old strategy of placing most of its investment in Youth Prisons. At the same time the Minister for Youth is saying “We can’t keep doing the same things and expect a different result”.
 
The Palaszczuk Government has poured over $.5 billion dollars into the Youth Justice System whilst total Government investment in preventative youth services has stagnated at around $20 million dollars. “Prevention is the most logical approach but sadly the four pillars of Government’s Youth Justice Strategy do not include prevention” said YANQ Director, Siyavash Doostkhah. 
 
Queensland 2019 Local Hero, Youth Advocate and Vice-President of YANQ, Elijah Buol OAM said “Every year we have been raising the need for investment in the youth sector but It seems that there are more pressing priorities for the Government than the wellbeing of our young people. For all intents and purposes, it seems young people have been forsaken”. 
 
“Neglecting children should ring warning bells for the Queensland Government and the broader community” said Debbie Kilroy OAM, prominent Human Rights Advocate and a committee member of YANQ. She went on to say, “Unless we invest in children’s lives, we will end up paying a much higher price both in terms of social harmony as well as financial cost to the Government. Lack of support exacerbates the chances of these children becoming entrenched in homelessness, developing ongoing mental health issues, and ending up in the criminal justice system.”

CONTACT:
Siyavsh Doostkhah 
0407 655 785
director@yanq.org.au
​

Here is the link to the latest Qld Youth Sector News
https://mailchi.mp/ea826140c295/blqwh7pmju

Online Policy Development Survey 
 
Youth Affairs Network of Queensland (YANQ) is exploring the efficacy of establishing an online Policy Development Process to inform our policy positions. We want to hear your thoughts and suggestions as to the practicality of this process for individuals and organisations with an interest in youth issues across Queensland.
 
The following brief survey is designed to gather broad information before we develop a draft strategy for further feedback by the youth sector.
 
The survey has been purposely kept short as to increase the chances of participation from youth workers, which we know have to juggle many priorities in responding to issues faced by young people. However, we encourage you to provide us with as much relevant information and if we have omitted any specific issues in the survey questions, there is room at the end of the survey for you to raise these issues with us.
 
We believe that without involvement in policy development, the sector operates in a more reactive rather than proactive manner. Engagement in policy processes can enhance our chances of changing the socio-economic structures that impact on the lives of young people and the communities they live in.
 
YANQ is highly aware that online processes can never replace the benefits of face-to-face processes, particularly in our sector with our work so highly based on relationships. However, in practical terms, we live in a very large State with communities dispersed right across this vast land. As a representative peak body for the youth sector, YANQ will never have the necessary resources to be able to hold ongoing policy forums across the State. We do envisage that a mix of face-to-face complemented by ongoing online processes could potentially provide a mechanism for broad contribution to policy development. But we want to hear from you and your thoughts on how best YANQ could engage the sector in policy development.
 
We thank you in advance for taking the time to complete this survey.

Here is the link to the survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/8NS7T5D

MEDIA RELEASE
 
26thFebruary 2019
 
Forsaken young people
 
Youth Affairs Network of Queensland (YANQ) is questioning the lack of investment in the youth sector, the front line in working with children and young people. In its annual pre-budget submissionto the Treasury, YANQ has once again outlined a number of urgent proposals requiring funding by State Government. Queensland 2019 Local Hero, Youth Advocate and Vice-President of YANQ, Elijah Buol OAM said “Every year we have been raising the need for investment in the youth sector but It seems that there are more pressing priorities for the Government than wellbeing of our young people. For all intent and purposes, it seems young people have been forsaken”. 
 
“Neglecting children should ring warning bells for the Queensland Government and the broader community” said Debbie Kilroy OAM, prominent Human Rights Advocate and a committee member of YANQ. She went on to say “Unless we invest in children’s lives, we will end up paying a much higher price both in terms of social harmony as well as financial cost to the Government. Lack of support exacerbates the chances of these children becoming entrenched in homelessness, developing ongoing mental health issues, and ending up in the criminal justice system.”
 
Every child deserves to have the support and opportunities available to make positive choices. The responsibility for providing this support and opportunities lie in the hands of adults in society. Unfortunately, many young people do not have a significant adult in their life due to a range of socio-economic reasons. These young people have no meaningful connection to family or community. Many have been abused in various ways to a point where their trust of the outside world has been totally broken.
 
Youth workers possess the necessary skills that allows them to build relationships with these young people. However, youth services are struggling with demand and are unable to provide the quality services needed due to lack of funding. As a result, burn out is very high and the youth sector struggles to retain workers. Youth workers are not receiving appropriate supervision, training and professional development and this means the Government’s current investment is not maximised.
 
 YANQ has been praising the State Government for some of the progressive reforms it has undertaken in recent years which includes transferring children from adult prisons to the youth justice system. YANQ has also been grateful for receiving $100,000 interim funding over the past two years. However, this level of funding does not allow YANQ to undertake all the necessary work to support and represent the youth sector across the state. 
 
“Young people are the backbone of modern Queensland and investing in them today, is preparing a better tomorrow. The brick we lay today, determine the foundation of modern Queensland in the next generations to come. But this foundation can’t be realised unless we put more funding and resources in youth sector in order to support young people who need our support the most. Therefore, I appeal to Queensland government to invest more in youth sector and young people as this approach sets a prosperity agenda for Queensland” said Elijah Buol, Vice President of YANQ.
 
YANQ is the peak body representing the youth sector for the past 30 years. YANQ is the only voice for marginalised young people with over 600 individuals and organisational members from across Queensland. 
 
Core operational funding of YANQ was cut by LNP/Newman government 6 years ago and has still not been reinstated by the Labor Government.
 
CONTACT:
 
Elijah Buol, 0423 040 875, elijahbuol@gmail.com
 
Debbie Kilroy, 0419 762 474, deb@sistersinside.com.au

Here is the link to the latest Queensland Youth Sector News 
https://mailchi.mp/603586d0ad5d/queensland-youth-sector-news-23rd-july-1461857