The Director of Queensland's youth peak body Youth Affairs Network Queensland (YANQ), Siyavash Doostkhah, has today accused the Queensland Government of abandoning and betraying young people and youth workers by cutting their support services.
"Premier Newman is acting like an unprepared Army General who leaves his solders in trenches without information, support, logistics, training and supplies", said Mr Doostkhah.
"The situation we now have in Queensland is the Premier insisting his government is all about front line services, whilst severely cutting all support systems for these services. The Newman Government has single-handedly put the entire youth sector in Queensland on the verge of collapse."
Government funding cuts have impacted significantly on support services to young people, with education, training, employment, justice and health services all being affected. The Government has also commenced a review of all youth programs, following on from initial 10% cuts to funding. More youth services are likely to lose their funding in the near future.
"Premier Newman is acting like an unprepared Army General who leaves his solders in trenches without information, support, logistics, training and supplies", said Mr Doostkhah.
"The situation we now have in Queensland is the Premier insisting his government is all about front line services, whilst severely cutting all support systems for these services. The Newman Government has single-handedly put the entire youth sector in Queensland on the verge of collapse."
Government funding cuts have impacted significantly on support services to young people, with education, training, employment, justice and health services all being affected. The Government has also commenced a review of all youth programs, following on from initial 10% cuts to funding. More youth services are likely to lose their funding in the near future.
YANQ has been collecting information about the impact of cuts on services and young people.
"We are very concerned about the stories we are hearing. We are becoming increasingly concerned about the emotional and mental health of youth workers themselves", said Mr Doostkhah.
YANQ is calling on the Queensland Government to immediately stop cutting funding to services that work with marginalised young people.
"Because of this disastrous loss of services, the Newman Government will be held responsible for any increase to the number of young people becoming unemployed or entering the juvenile justice system", said Mr Doostkhah.
YANQ is Queensland's peak body for youth affairs and has provided state-wide support services to youth workers for 23 years. The defunding of YANQ at the end of the year will have a major impact on the youth sector's ability to provide quality services to marginalised young people.
Leading national youth organisations have joined YANQ in calling for the Newman government to reconsider their approach to the Queensland youth services. Around 1,500 youth workers have also signed a petition in support of YANQ, online at http://www.change.org/en-AU/petitions/hon-tracy-davis-restore-funding-to-the-youth-affairs-network-queensland.
YANQ is currently undertaking a survey of the youth sector to assess the impacts the cuts and uncertainty have caused to the mental health of youth workers, and their ability to work with young people. The survey is online at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/yanqmentalhealth.
"We are very concerned about the stories we are hearing. We are becoming increasingly concerned about the emotional and mental health of youth workers themselves", said Mr Doostkhah.
YANQ is calling on the Queensland Government to immediately stop cutting funding to services that work with marginalised young people.
"Because of this disastrous loss of services, the Newman Government will be held responsible for any increase to the number of young people becoming unemployed or entering the juvenile justice system", said Mr Doostkhah.
YANQ is Queensland's peak body for youth affairs and has provided state-wide support services to youth workers for 23 years. The defunding of YANQ at the end of the year will have a major impact on the youth sector's ability to provide quality services to marginalised young people.
Leading national youth organisations have joined YANQ in calling for the Newman government to reconsider their approach to the Queensland youth services. Around 1,500 youth workers have also signed a petition in support of YANQ, online at http://www.change.org/en-AU/petitions/hon-tracy-davis-restore-funding-to-the-youth-affairs-network-queensland.
YANQ is currently undertaking a survey of the youth sector to assess the impacts the cuts and uncertainty have caused to the mental health of youth workers, and their ability to work with young people. The survey is online at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/yanqmentalhealth.
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