Leading youth affairs organisations around Australia have today expressed their strong opposition to plans to silence the principal voice for young Queenslanders and the youth sector that supports them
The Queensland government has indicated that funding to the Youth Affairs Network of Queensland (YANQ) will cease in just over two months, making it impossible for the voices and needs of young people to be heard in important decision making processes that affect their lives. Executive director of the Australian Youth Affairs Coalition, Andrew Cummings said, “YANQ is the only body in Queensland recognised as having the ability to speak out on the interests and wellbeing of young people across the state. Without YANQ, Queensland will be the only state without the capacity to contribute to important national debates affecting their young people, such as education reforms, youth disability services under the NDIS and Indigenous affairs.”
YANQ has received Queensland government funding for the past 21 years. In that time it has consolidated a strong network of youth support services - able to provide informed and evidence-based advice to government on the most pressing needs for young people and improve decisions that impact their lives.
The Queensland government has indicated that funding to the Youth Affairs Network of Queensland (YANQ) will cease in just over two months, making it impossible for the voices and needs of young people to be heard in important decision making processes that affect their lives. Executive director of the Australian Youth Affairs Coalition, Andrew Cummings said, “YANQ is the only body in Queensland recognised as having the ability to speak out on the interests and wellbeing of young people across the state. Without YANQ, Queensland will be the only state without the capacity to contribute to important national debates affecting their young people, such as education reforms, youth disability services under the NDIS and Indigenous affairs.”
YANQ has received Queensland government funding for the past 21 years. In that time it has consolidated a strong network of youth support services - able to provide informed and evidence-based advice to government on the most pressing needs for young people and improve decisions that impact their lives.
YANQ has developed an unparalleled understanding of priority issues and needs for young Queenslanders, including the most marginalised groups, through decades of listening directly to young people and working with the youth support sector to ensure to ensure they deliver the best possible outcomes and change young people’s lives.
Youth Network of Tasmania CEO, Joanna Siejka said, “We are always impressed by the work YANQ does in partnership with small community organisations across the many regions of Queensland. Their research on the Murri youth sector is world-leading in its insights on best-practice service provision to Indigenous young people.”
The defunding of YANQ comes at a time when small, community-based organisations are being squeezed out of available funding programs by the Queensland government. Without YANQ, the “little guys” with the strongest connections to local communities and understanding of local needs may disappear.
Director of the Youth Coalition of the Australian Capital Territory, Emma Robertson says similar experiences in the ACT send a strong warning to the Queensland government. “Changes to funding of the youth sector over the past 18 months has resulted in loss of essential support services, experienced quality workers leaving the field, and gaps in supports for vulnerable young people becoming apparent,” she said. “In the lead up to the ACT election, young people themselves have spoken of the costs to their community and peers resulting from cuts to youth services, and the parties in government have now committed to funding to address this. The concern now is that the damage to the sector and to young people will take years to address as we face the challenge of rebuilding workforce capacity.”
The organisations listed below strongly urge the Queensland government to immediately restore funding to the Youth Affairs Network of Queensland and support their vital role in statewide co-ordination and service support for young people.
FOR FURTHER COMMENT CONTACT:
Andrew Cummings, Executive Director, Australian Youth Affairs Coalition - 0435 146 979
Joanna Siejka, CEO, Youth Network of Tasmania: 0458 235 511
Emma Robertson, Director, Youth Coalition of the ACT: 0422 669 469
SUPPORTING ORGANISATIONS:
The Australian Youth Affairs Coalition (AYAC) is Australia's non-government youth affairs peak body, which
represents young people aged 12-25 & the sector that supports them. AYAC undertakes a range of activities
including advocacy, research & policy development, youth sector development & youth engagement
- www.ayac.org.au
The Youth Network of Tasmania (YNOT) is the peak youth body for the non government youth sector in
Tasmania. YNOT has input into and responds to policy direction, advocates for the youth sector and lobbies
for the needs and initiatives of young people
- www.ynot.org.au
The Youth Coalition of the ACT is the peak youth affairs body in the Australian Capital Territory and is
responsible for representing the interests of people aged between 12 and 25 years of age, and those who
work with them
- www.youthcoalition.net
The Northern Territory Council of Social Service (NTCOSS) is the peak body for the Social and Community
Sector in the NT and an advocate for social justice on behalf of people and communities in the NT, who may
be affected by poverty and disadvantage. NTCOSS has a government-funded Youth Policy Officer which
allows a more significant response to youth policy issues in the NT and the capacity to meaningfully engage
with and consult with remote community organisations
- www.ntcoss.org.au
The Youth Action & Policy Association (YAPA) is the peak organisation representing young people and youth
services in NSW. YAPA works towards a society where all young people are supported, engaged and
valued
- www.yapa.org.au
Youth Affairs Council of South Australia (YACSA) is the peak body representing young people and the youth
sector in South Australia. YACSA is an independent, member-based organisation that works towards
supporting meaningful improvements in the quality of young people’s lives
- www.yacsa.com.au
The Youth Affairs Council of Western Australia (YACWA) is the peak non-government youth organisation in
Western Australia. YACWA operates primarily as a human rights organisation that seeks to address the
exclusion of young people in a rapidly changing society
- www.yacwa.org.au
Youth Network of Tasmania CEO, Joanna Siejka said, “We are always impressed by the work YANQ does in partnership with small community organisations across the many regions of Queensland. Their research on the Murri youth sector is world-leading in its insights on best-practice service provision to Indigenous young people.”
The defunding of YANQ comes at a time when small, community-based organisations are being squeezed out of available funding programs by the Queensland government. Without YANQ, the “little guys” with the strongest connections to local communities and understanding of local needs may disappear.
Director of the Youth Coalition of the Australian Capital Territory, Emma Robertson says similar experiences in the ACT send a strong warning to the Queensland government. “Changes to funding of the youth sector over the past 18 months has resulted in loss of essential support services, experienced quality workers leaving the field, and gaps in supports for vulnerable young people becoming apparent,” she said. “In the lead up to the ACT election, young people themselves have spoken of the costs to their community and peers resulting from cuts to youth services, and the parties in government have now committed to funding to address this. The concern now is that the damage to the sector and to young people will take years to address as we face the challenge of rebuilding workforce capacity.”
The organisations listed below strongly urge the Queensland government to immediately restore funding to the Youth Affairs Network of Queensland and support their vital role in statewide co-ordination and service support for young people.
FOR FURTHER COMMENT CONTACT:
Andrew Cummings, Executive Director, Australian Youth Affairs Coalition - 0435 146 979
Joanna Siejka, CEO, Youth Network of Tasmania: 0458 235 511
Emma Robertson, Director, Youth Coalition of the ACT: 0422 669 469
SUPPORTING ORGANISATIONS:
The Australian Youth Affairs Coalition (AYAC) is Australia's non-government youth affairs peak body, which
represents young people aged 12-25 & the sector that supports them. AYAC undertakes a range of activities
including advocacy, research & policy development, youth sector development & youth engagement
- www.ayac.org.au
The Youth Network of Tasmania (YNOT) is the peak youth body for the non government youth sector in
Tasmania. YNOT has input into and responds to policy direction, advocates for the youth sector and lobbies
for the needs and initiatives of young people
- www.ynot.org.au
The Youth Coalition of the ACT is the peak youth affairs body in the Australian Capital Territory and is
responsible for representing the interests of people aged between 12 and 25 years of age, and those who
work with them
- www.youthcoalition.net
The Northern Territory Council of Social Service (NTCOSS) is the peak body for the Social and Community
Sector in the NT and an advocate for social justice on behalf of people and communities in the NT, who may
be affected by poverty and disadvantage. NTCOSS has a government-funded Youth Policy Officer which
allows a more significant response to youth policy issues in the NT and the capacity to meaningfully engage
with and consult with remote community organisations
- www.ntcoss.org.au
The Youth Action & Policy Association (YAPA) is the peak organisation representing young people and youth
services in NSW. YAPA works towards a society where all young people are supported, engaged and
valued
- www.yapa.org.au
Youth Affairs Council of South Australia (YACSA) is the peak body representing young people and the youth
sector in South Australia. YACSA is an independent, member-based organisation that works towards
supporting meaningful improvements in the quality of young people’s lives
- www.yacsa.com.au
The Youth Affairs Council of Western Australia (YACWA) is the peak non-government youth organisation in
Western Australia. YACWA operates primarily as a human rights organisation that seeks to address the
exclusion of young people in a rapidly changing society
- www.yacwa.org.au
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