YANQ is the peak body for the Queensland Youth Sector
Youth Affairs Network Queensland
  • home
  • about
    • what we do
    • become a member
    • donate
    • our values
    • h*story
  • conference
    • 2014 conference
    • 2011 conference
  • news + resources
    • news from yanq
    • what is youth work?
    • become a youth worker
    • projects >
      • health projects >
        • stop drugging our kids!
        • sexual health
        • youth primary health development
      • youth disability advocacy queensland
      • multicultural youth advocacy network
      • reengagement in education
      • juvenile justice >
        • 17 year olds in adult prisons
        • youth in remand
      • workforce development
    • yanq publications >
      • research papers
      • policy submissions
      • media releases
      • network noise magazine
      • newtransitions journal
  • youth networks
    • yanq regional networks
    • youth interagency details
    • youth consultative network
  • COVID-19 Information for youth services
  • Online Forums
  • contact

LNP plan to quietly rationalise youth services in Queensland

16/7/2013

0 Comments

 
YANQ is extremely concerned that there are growing indications the LNP Queensland Government is planning to 'rationalise' the youth sector, putting at risk the job security of many youth workers and the viability of many youth organisations across the state.

As you will be aware, YANQ held extensive consultations with the sector at the end of last year and published a report earlier this year titled "Listening to Queensland's Youth Sector". The report outlined finding from our consultations across the state and made 5 recommendations to the government for consideration in their recommissioning of the youth sector.

YANQ has been meeting with public servants as well as the Minister to highlight the feedback from the sector. The Minister had last year given YANQ her assurance that she is genuinely wanting to hear from the sector and consider their feedback. That is why YANQ prioritised the consultation with the sector and the reporting to the government even after our defunding.

Unfortunately, last time we met with the Minister to discuss the consultation report she was very hostile towards the sector and the consultation report, in particular Recommendation 3, which states: "Wherever possible, the Queensland Government continues to invest in existing community-based local and regional youth service providers, rather than appointing organisations from outside the community to develop new programs and services". The Minister believes that the sector is immature for having such expectations and in her own words told us that "I will decide what to fund and who to fund".

We tried to outline the broader role the local services play in a community and the importance of this connection to both youth services and the broader community. Unfortunately, the LNP government has no appetite for community development and instead is using the economy as a smoke screen for enforcing their market driven ideology and reshaping the human service provision to match its business model.

It was then of no surprise to YANQ and many in the sector that the Queensland Council of Social Services has been brought in by the LNP to help with the recommissioning process. As the peak body for the youth sector for decades, this is the legitimate role of YANQ, however, it is now obvious that the LNP does not want to hear independent advocacy that YANQ is providing on behalf of the youth sector. In addition, QCOSS, after denying publicly for the past year that they have no intention to take over the youth sector peak role, have now accepted funding to do exactly that.

YANQ has been receiving many calls from the sector across the state questioning the role QCOSS is playing with the government in the recommissioning process. We want to assure our members and the sector that YANQ will continue its work as an independent peak body. Our boycott of the LNP/QCOSS forums has been based on a decision not to give legitimacy to government's undemocratic imposing of a peak on the sector.

In the next fortnight we will be releasing further information about the attempts to silence the youth sector by the LNP and their collaborators.

Watch this space...
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Home / News + Resources / News from YANQ

    News from YANQ

    Keep abrest of happenings at YANQ - you can also link with us via Facebook and Twitter.

    GO TO SECTOR NEWS >>
    Follow @news_yanq

    Archives

    February 2023
    December 2022
    March 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    August 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    December 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    April 2018
    December 2017
    October 2017
    May 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    June 2016
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    February 2015
    May 2014
    March 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    January 2012
    August 2011
    June 2009

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.