The comments below are a selection from our petition online at http://www.change.org/en-AU/petitions/campbell-newman-restore-funding-to-the-youth-affairs-network-queensland. We have received literally thousands of supportive comments, emails, letters and calls. Thanks everyone who is supporting YANQ.
Ashleigh Carrington
Australia
YANQ is a peak body and advocate for the work I do in the youth sector. They have been a leading exapmle of practice, sharing wisdom, educating our sector and advocating for rights of young poeple and workers. WE NEED YANQ!
Julianne Conway
Wynnum, Australia
YANQ provide wonderful support to the youth sector. They are very constructive. How will government operate without this expertise and independent voice?
Georgina Walton
Australia
As a practising social worker I have first hand knowledge and experience of how vital YANQ is to the sector. Do not withdraw funding they play an integral role for all youth services in Queensland.
Ashleigh Carrington
Australia
YANQ is a peak body and advocate for the work I do in the youth sector. They have been a leading exapmle of practice, sharing wisdom, educating our sector and advocating for rights of young poeple and workers. WE NEED YANQ!
Julianne Conway
Wynnum, Australia
YANQ provide wonderful support to the youth sector. They are very constructive. How will government operate without this expertise and independent voice?
Georgina Walton
Australia
As a practising social worker I have first hand knowledge and experience of how vital YANQ is to the sector. Do not withdraw funding they play an integral role for all youth services in Queensland.
Vicki Jacobs
Australia
YANQ is the only peak body for the youth sector and is vitally important to continue supporting its professionals and providing expert insight into best practice youth work.
Wendy Penwarden
Australia
YANQ plays a vital role in assisting Service providers to network and link with the wider community.
Amelia Callaghan
Australia
YANQ has done invaluable work for the community youth sector providing eduucation, training, resourcing, networking opportunities, identifying areas of need for margainalised young people and advocating on their behalf, providing opportunities for young people to have a voice. The loss of this service will be a loss for the community.
Liz Archer
Alice Springs, Australia
The de-funding of groups like YANQ are part of a deliberate strategy by the govt to silence peak bodies and advocacy for young people in Qld right at the very time when the same govt is dismantling youth services, not consulting at all and playing wedge politics with agencies about essential funding and support for young people. YANQ is a grass-roots organisation with considerable knowledge and expertise in representing the interests of both young people and Youth Workers in Qld. This role is essential to retain if not extend.
Xavier Lane-Mullins
Australia
Because, being a Youth Worker, I know of the struggle to maintain genuine avenues for young people to have a contributing voice to the society in which they live, for them to be celebrated and for them to develop with community support. It is a no-brainer that this Peak Body should be maintained to keep bigger questions full of young peoples' input and coordinate higher level communications.
Samira Taras
Australia
YANQ provides quality forum and support for services that work with young people, work on planning and development of policies and serivces , advocacy to insure social and economic inclusion of young people
Tracey McNee
Australia
Youth Worker for 23 years, understand the value and importance of Peak bodies for the sector and for young people themselves. Peaks need to be respected and adequately funded!
Nicola Ellery
Australia
They are an integral voice for youth affairs and they respect the views & input of all organisations that deal with you and keep us in the loop on whats happening and opportunities for youth.
Lew Zipin
Australia
Networks such as YANQ are where important needs and aspirations across diverse population groups are voiced in a context of shared knowledge, discussion and debate. In other words, YANQ is a space of the practice of robust democratic citizenship. To close down YANQ is to narrow the social spaces where meaningful democracy can be practiced and therefore kept alove.
Chris Wilson
Australia
It is important because young people are rarely consulted in decision making and decisions are always made for them. Peak codes such as YANQ can be the only chance for good youth consultation and provides a voice for young perople.
Sally Campbell
Australia
YANQ under take vital research into disengaged youth. Given the Federals government push that all student's remain in full time education until the equivalent of grade 12 this research is vital. Many students drop out of education each year which puts financial strain on the economy through unemployment. Therefore why keep using a "band aid" approach to social issues, when you have YANQ who assists with finding sustainable ways of dealing with society issues.
Susan Hutchinson
Australia
As the peak body for youth affairs, YANQ fulfills a vital role in the community. Government cuts to the youth sector are very concerning, and completely cutting funding to YANQ is not acceptable. Please reconsider this decision.
Megan Williams
Sydney, Australia
YANQ's history of supporting the sector means they can operate a low cost high outcome service, that prevents costly duplication and fragmentation among services it represents.
Lesley Healy
Australia
As a service working with young peple experiencing homelessness we concerned about the welfare of young people and are very concerned about the funding cut to the youth sector's peak body.
Wayne Sanderson
FERNY HILLS, Australia
YANQ brings a solid, evidence based critique from the wider community to ensure relevant services and supports for youth
Heather McAllan
Australia
YANQ is the only peak body in Queensland that workes directly for the youth sector providing essential services to the youth sector in Queensland.
Esme
Cairns
Australia
Youth service providers working in the NGO sector need a peak body with a voice to enable them to get on with what they are funded to do and do best - support and scaffold our most valuable asset - our youth!
Jennifer Smith
Australia
This peak body has been the strong face of youth service delivery in Qld and well represented the interests of the sector to Government for a long time. The loss of this voice and their strong advocacy on behalf of young people experiencing significant risk and need will land a savage blow to some of our most vulnerable young people, setting up society for even bigger social problems in the future.
Kaja Holzheimer
Graceville, Australia
I've worked in the youth sector for over 10 years. YANQ as a peak body is highly effective at understanding the particular needs of the youth-work sector, because they understand the needs of Queensland's marginalised youth. Please do not put the youth of our state further at risk by defunding this vibrant service.
Sarah Stewart
Australia
As someone who has worked in the youth sector for over 10 years, a peak body is essential to supporting the workforce and advocating for young people.
Barbara Anderson
Australia
YANQ has a function in supporting and providing leadership to the Youth Sector who are some of the most passionate but most exposed and vulnerable workers. They simply need this support for advocacy and coordination
Shane Adshead
Australia
How do I get support running a regional program without YANQ, training, funding opportunities and my development as a regional worker is thanks to the work YANQ do for sector development.
Clare Hine
Australia
It is essential to look after our youth who are among the most vulnerable in our society. YANQ is the youth sectors peak body here in Queensland and plays an essential role in the youth sector
Renee Mills
Australia
YANQ is vital in ensuring young people's voices (particularly those most marginalised and vulnerable) are heard through all the work YANQ does including supporting organisations, information dissemination, advocacy, research etc.
Samantha griffin
Australia
YANQ is doing great work for young people who sometimes lack a voice. They are empowered, advised, assisted and encouraged by the existence of YANQ. Working with young people daily in HEAL, a well-being service for refugee youth, I find YANQ a great resource, and to stop funding it would be not only short-sighted, but a disgrace because of what it would say about our care and concern for young people.
Richard Hil
Elanora, Australia
Because YANQ is vital to bringing together a very disparate sector and advancing the interests of service providers and young people. YANQ has served the sector well over many years by advocating and supporting the needs and aspirations of all those involved in that sector. Doing away with YANQ will lesson the cohesion of the sector, stifle discussion and disconnect previously allied services and agencies. There is no real saving in this measure but there is a real cost to youth services overall.
Ruth Martin
Townsville, Australia
Working with disadvantaged youth, I can see the far reaching negative effects that the latest cuts are having and will continue to have on disadvantaged families across the state. YANQ gives these youth a voice to fight against injustice. It supports me as a youth worker, allowing me to provide a higher quality of service through the provision of information and training. It supports the community by assisting disadvantaged youth to get back on their feet, breaking the cycle of poverty, crime and dependency on benefits. The cost to the comunity by defunding this service, far outweigh the cost of continuing to provide funding to YANQ for the valuable service they provide.
Suewellyn Kelly
Mackay, Australia
YANQ has played and continutes to play an important role in not only ensuring the future for the young people of Queensland, but also providing opportunities for the youth sector of Queensland to work together to achieve the outcomes needed for young people to successfully participate in the social and economic structures of Australian society. Without the active participation of the next generation of young people in Australia, there will be no future.
Simon Clowes
Australia
YANQ is a most significant service for young people in Queensland. To destroy the peak body for youth affairs in this state is a travesty. This action will create an enormous backlog of problems fo young people in queensland and those that work for them. To defund YANQ is to behave in a reckless ad irresponsible manner.
Heidi Siemer
Australia
I have been informed by research conducted by YANQ as a worker in the youth sector. Who would do this work if they were not there?
Adam Barnes
Australia
QLD Youth policy requires specialist knowledge and the youth sector; specialist representation. Youth peaks are essential to support quality youth work and effective policy development.
Craig Hardy
Australia
because there will be no support for youth workers which means the youth will get less assistance and will more likely end up in prison or youth detention centers
Shirley Peppler
Moorooka, Australia
I work for a small community based youth service and YANQ is our peak body. They collect information from all the youth services about current issue and gaps and work at a policy level to address these issues. they also provide the youth sector with high quality and affordable training.
Graham Henzell
Australia
YANQ as a Peak Body is an up/down link between workface service providers and Government giving direction and advice and bringing attention to issues of concern. Losing this body will cause fracturing and/or duplication of services to this demanding cohort.
Stewart Stubbs
Australia
Peak bodies are important to support young people's voices being heard by communities, organisations and government. They work with young people in advocacy and representational roles valuing young people's contribution to public debate and Queensland's future.
Cate Rawlinson
Australia
The youth sector needs a voice and body to advocate their changing needs and issues. In the interests of queensland's ability to continue to develop innovative services to meet youth needs an organisation such as YANQ is critical. If we cannot provide for young people now we may be spending a great deal more money and time addressing their issues / difficulties and disadvantages as adults.
Nina Howe
Brisbane, Australia
I work in a community organisation in Brisbane, in a program for young people. I have attended network meetings via YANQ and been supported on many occations via their information sharing and linking. I have seen first-hand the great work they do to advocate for youth services, the people who work in the sector and young people in general. I am horrified to hear the news that YANQ is being defunded. Why would anyone want to take away a service that supports the needs of young Australians, the generations of the future?
Greta Kelly
Brisbane, Australia
I condem the defunding of YANQ, a peak body which has researched, networked and published widely, and, through it's conection with its state-wide members, has provided highly informed input into youth policy development. This cut in expenditure will cost the government 100 times the value of this small short-term saving. The long term costs of uneducated, dissafected youth and the families they may have is high. YANQ has vast intellectual capital and know-how that is crucial to the current inexperienced Ministers.
Gerard Broersen
Australia
YANQ has been a voice for the youth sector in queensland for a long time and has done and continues to do a great job in supporting and informing the sector and government about emerging issues, training needs, workforce development and strategies to positivly impact on young peoples lives in Queensland. They have strong links to regional and remote queensland and provide a voice for small services that would not necessarily be heard
Deon Menerey
Australia
YANQ is the only peak body of the Queensland youth sector and plays a vital role in state-wide co-ordination and service support.
Lizette Twisleton
Australia
Peak organisations are vital for the youth sector, advocacy for both services and young people is integral for the needs and voices of young people to be represented at all levels of policy and funding development.
Ruth Griese
Australia
Peak bodies; particularly this one play a significant role in ensuring the people they represent, the young people of Queensland have a voice and their ideas and thoughts are given value. Queensland needs this service, the young people are our future and need and have a right to be heard.
Philip Staines
Australia
YANQ has a very strong networking base that i have been able to tap into for my service
ARIYA MOSHTAGHI
Bruce, Australia
Because Youth Affairs Network Queensland (YANQ) provides policy advice (in annual reports for example), to the Queensland Government - issues that are currently not addressed and need addressing. Because YANQ advocates and represents Queensland youth that are particularly overly underrepresented by the Queensland Government including 17 year old Queensland youth who are sent to Queensland adult prisons, multicultural and indigenous youth and newly settled migrants from non-English speaking backgrounds and is a key stakeholder regarding multicultural and youth affairs, present at the Queensland Government's Annual Youth Forum.
Grace Mberu
Australia
As a youth, I know how important programs such as te Youth Affairs Network are in giving a voice to the youth. The youth have a place in society that should not be ignored.
John Rigsby-Jones
Brisbane, Australia
We need a youth peak not a generalist peak that really does not represent the youth field.
Desleigh Byrne
Australia
This body is necessary because it connects workers and gives advice to governments based on its work . Its involvement with getting certain young people into the workforce is very important.
Moira Bitossi
Brisbane, Australia
Working in the youth sector with marginalised, disadvantaged and traumatised young people is such a complex task. To work effectively the sector needs a peak body that helps link services and build networks so that individual efforts work towards a common outcome for each individual. The research and advice provided by Yanq is extremely valuable.
Brooke Chapman
Australia
I am a youth worker and know how effective and reputable this organisation was and it is a sign furthermore of our government not investing in young people and thise who are trained professionally to support them.
Carol Ronken
Labrador, Australia
Queensland youth need a strong voice. YANQ plays a vital role in representing young people and the youth sector. Funding must be provided to ensure the continuation of these services.
Naomi Paver
Brisbane, Australia
YANQ is the best resource for youth workers who help all young people everywhere
Anne Hugo
Hobart, Australia
I worked in the youth sector nationally for 16 years and know the value of youth peak bodies, of which YANQ is a reputable example. Its loss will be of huge impact to young people not only in Queensland. QLD has a large proportion of Australia's youth and they need representation from YANQ.
Michael Robinson
Australia
I have been a member of Inala Youth Service MC for 18 years and we have had a close relatihonship with YANQ. It is the only place where young people can have a voice.
Pat Thomson
Australia
Ignoring the needs of the community and social responsibilities is a dangerous path that we're being led down. Who is going to pick up the pieces? The knowledge base and support system that has been built up around the youth sector will be lost and we will pay much, much more in the long run when it is gone. Wake up government and be responsible now!
Joanna Price-Murray
Macgregor, Australia
as a youth worker I understand the importance of a strong sector that is able to respond to issues for young people as they arise. the YANQ is a vital part of the Queensland community sector.
Gail Robinson
Australia
I saw what happened when Qld Coommunity Arts Network (QCAN) lost peak body funding...little remains of what was a thriving arts sector. YANQ gives a state-wide voice to young people...where else will this happen?
Joanne Furminger
Brisbane Qld, Australia
YANQ as the only peak body for the Queensland youth sector and undertakes a number of roles which are imperative for Queensland's Youth Sector. Young people and those persons working within the youth sector deserve to be valued and supported.
Jethro Sercombe
Australia
The work that YANQ does in advocating for the needs of the states young people and in the support of the QLD youth sector is essential. This service should be seen as exceptional value for money for the state government. The support that YANQ provides to the state's youth workers is essential in maintaining a vibrant, innovative sector.
Wally Dethlefs
Brisbane, Australia
YANQ has been doing vital work supporting agencies who work with young people who are on the margins of our society. YANQ is involved in policy and legislation work pertaining to young people as well as research into the needs of young people disengaging from education. YANQ indirectly assists young people become good citizens. If YANQ is defunded there will be an increase in young people who are marginalised and an increase in young people appearing before the Courts and incarcerated in juvenile detention as great cost to the taxpayer.
Stuart Davis-Meehan
Australia
I have been actively involved in youth affairs in Australia for some 25 years and am convinced that the issues and concerns of young people will not be addressed without peak organisations such as YANQ to proactively represent them to the community and to governments.
Margaret Hornagold
Australia
YANQ has upheld and spoken for the needs of young Indigenous people and understands the issues facing this group. They have always demonstrated respect and good-will towards Indigenous people and our sector would suffer if their support was withdrawn. Rather than defund YANQ, work together to identify how YANQ may be able to provide answers for the questions facing government around youth engagement and youth participation.
Jude Sorenson
Having strong peak bodies is vital to ensure that healthy debate occurs at all levels. YANQ is critical in that it represents he interests of youth organisations and young people right across QLD and indeed Australia. De-funding YANQ sends a strong message to young people that they do not matter and their voices are not important!! This short sighted approach ensures that you will further alienate a population that is already struggling. Please, or the sake of your future voters, reinstate YANQ's funding immediately.
Wayne Thomas
Australia
Representation in society and government is vital for all including young people. That way young people and their families can insure they are being listened to, consulted with and shown they are valued and imprtant members of society. Without YANQ, how do we make sure of this for young people in Queensland. Do we want to continue to marginalise and in some cases discriminate against them? I didn't think so. Refunding YANQ is a must.
David Lonne
Brisbane, Australia
QLD needs a peak body to represent young people and the organisations that work with them. To destroy it would leave many young people without a voice to government.
Julie-Anne Woodley
Brisbane, Australia
I have been a youth worker in Brisbane for the past 13 years. YANQ is an irreplacable service for youth workers in Queensland, providing information and supporting & facilitating networks amongst the youth sector. Should YANQ lose funding, this would be a great loss to the Queensland Youth Sector and support for youth services in Queensland.
Ricky Mead
Australia
I teach youth work and Child, Youth and Family intervention and use YANQ as a key resource for my students to, too get the most up to date and unbiased version of issues effecting Children and young people! Campbell Newman should be ashamed of this decision...
Lauren Carr
Australia
These youth bodies are fundimental to our future and they development of young people. I am a Youth Development Officer for Local Government in NSW and am funded by Council. I rely heavily on the NSW Youth bodies to drive the ideas of our young people and give youth a voice.
Jane Stratton
Australia
YANQ is critical to advancement and protection of the interests of young people in Queensland. It advocates coherent policy based on the perspectives of young people; it develops the youth sector ensuring ongoing quality of services; it connects services that work with young people, ensuring efficiencies and linked-up service delivery. To defund YANQ is to remove cohesion, efficiencies and leadership in the youth and community sector in Queensland. Not in anyone's short or long term interests.
Ann Davie
Australia
As a member of the Policy Advisory Council with the Australian Youth Affairs Coalition, it is vital that the needs of all young Australians have a voice...not just nationally, but also at state and local levels. Equally important is that there be a mechanism in place for those working with young people to share information, gain knowledge and support a professional approach to their work. Peak bodies are vital to achieving these goals.
Steve Williams
Brighton, Australia
YANQ has proved over many years to be an invaluable resource for youth services and young people. Other community sector bodies do not have the experience, capacity or legitimacy to take on YANQ's role as the peak body of the Queensland youth sector.
Ashleigh Dent
Australia
I am a youth worker in Brisbane and have a passion for supporting young people in achieving positive outcomes. YANQ has helped me facilitate many positive outcomes by organising event, traning, keeping workers updated on issues/policy changes and supported youth workers to practice well with young people. YANQ should not be shut down. Young people are going to loose all support if this gets defunded.
Chris Lewis
Brisbane, Australia
YANQ are a unique service that give young people a voice in Qld. The youth network that YANQ co ordinate are an extremely valuable resource for those who work with young people. Qld's young people deserve to have a peak body advocating for their needs!
Allicia Watson
Victoria Point, Australia
As a youth worker who has also lost funding to my program, it was important to know that there was still a peak body with the best interests of the adolescents working in the background. If YANQ is no longer, I will be actually concerned for the future of adolescents given the lack of support programs for them in Queensland.
Stacy Field
Australia
The Youth Affairs Network of Queensland provides essestial coordination and support to Queensland's youth sector and it's workforce. Without YANQ, the youth sector is left without a voice within the policy environment, without a coordinating point to share advances in quality service delivery and without a space in which the youth sector can resolve important service delivery issues and ensure quality service delivery to Queensland's young people.
Dannielle Brown
Brisbane, Australia
I currently study Social Work with the aim of becoming a youth worker and giving back to my community, with the recent fund cuts to many of my local youth centers I have become very concerned with not only my future but the future of young Queenslanders. YANQ is a fantastic org that supports the voice of young people and I hope the government reconsiders their choices.
Australia
YANQ is the only peak body for the youth sector and is vitally important to continue supporting its professionals and providing expert insight into best practice youth work.
Wendy Penwarden
Australia
YANQ plays a vital role in assisting Service providers to network and link with the wider community.
Amelia Callaghan
Australia
YANQ has done invaluable work for the community youth sector providing eduucation, training, resourcing, networking opportunities, identifying areas of need for margainalised young people and advocating on their behalf, providing opportunities for young people to have a voice. The loss of this service will be a loss for the community.
Liz Archer
Alice Springs, Australia
The de-funding of groups like YANQ are part of a deliberate strategy by the govt to silence peak bodies and advocacy for young people in Qld right at the very time when the same govt is dismantling youth services, not consulting at all and playing wedge politics with agencies about essential funding and support for young people. YANQ is a grass-roots organisation with considerable knowledge and expertise in representing the interests of both young people and Youth Workers in Qld. This role is essential to retain if not extend.
Xavier Lane-Mullins
Australia
Because, being a Youth Worker, I know of the struggle to maintain genuine avenues for young people to have a contributing voice to the society in which they live, for them to be celebrated and for them to develop with community support. It is a no-brainer that this Peak Body should be maintained to keep bigger questions full of young peoples' input and coordinate higher level communications.
Samira Taras
Australia
YANQ provides quality forum and support for services that work with young people, work on planning and development of policies and serivces , advocacy to insure social and economic inclusion of young people
Tracey McNee
Australia
Youth Worker for 23 years, understand the value and importance of Peak bodies for the sector and for young people themselves. Peaks need to be respected and adequately funded!
Nicola Ellery
Australia
They are an integral voice for youth affairs and they respect the views & input of all organisations that deal with you and keep us in the loop on whats happening and opportunities for youth.
Lew Zipin
Australia
Networks such as YANQ are where important needs and aspirations across diverse population groups are voiced in a context of shared knowledge, discussion and debate. In other words, YANQ is a space of the practice of robust democratic citizenship. To close down YANQ is to narrow the social spaces where meaningful democracy can be practiced and therefore kept alove.
Chris Wilson
Australia
It is important because young people are rarely consulted in decision making and decisions are always made for them. Peak codes such as YANQ can be the only chance for good youth consultation and provides a voice for young perople.
Sally Campbell
Australia
YANQ under take vital research into disengaged youth. Given the Federals government push that all student's remain in full time education until the equivalent of grade 12 this research is vital. Many students drop out of education each year which puts financial strain on the economy through unemployment. Therefore why keep using a "band aid" approach to social issues, when you have YANQ who assists with finding sustainable ways of dealing with society issues.
Susan Hutchinson
Australia
As the peak body for youth affairs, YANQ fulfills a vital role in the community. Government cuts to the youth sector are very concerning, and completely cutting funding to YANQ is not acceptable. Please reconsider this decision.
Megan Williams
Sydney, Australia
YANQ's history of supporting the sector means they can operate a low cost high outcome service, that prevents costly duplication and fragmentation among services it represents.
Lesley Healy
Australia
As a service working with young peple experiencing homelessness we concerned about the welfare of young people and are very concerned about the funding cut to the youth sector's peak body.
Wayne Sanderson
FERNY HILLS, Australia
YANQ brings a solid, evidence based critique from the wider community to ensure relevant services and supports for youth
Heather McAllan
Australia
YANQ is the only peak body in Queensland that workes directly for the youth sector providing essential services to the youth sector in Queensland.
Esme
Cairns
Australia
Youth service providers working in the NGO sector need a peak body with a voice to enable them to get on with what they are funded to do and do best - support and scaffold our most valuable asset - our youth!
Jennifer Smith
Australia
This peak body has been the strong face of youth service delivery in Qld and well represented the interests of the sector to Government for a long time. The loss of this voice and their strong advocacy on behalf of young people experiencing significant risk and need will land a savage blow to some of our most vulnerable young people, setting up society for even bigger social problems in the future.
Kaja Holzheimer
Graceville, Australia
I've worked in the youth sector for over 10 years. YANQ as a peak body is highly effective at understanding the particular needs of the youth-work sector, because they understand the needs of Queensland's marginalised youth. Please do not put the youth of our state further at risk by defunding this vibrant service.
Sarah Stewart
Australia
As someone who has worked in the youth sector for over 10 years, a peak body is essential to supporting the workforce and advocating for young people.
Barbara Anderson
Australia
YANQ has a function in supporting and providing leadership to the Youth Sector who are some of the most passionate but most exposed and vulnerable workers. They simply need this support for advocacy and coordination
Shane Adshead
Australia
How do I get support running a regional program without YANQ, training, funding opportunities and my development as a regional worker is thanks to the work YANQ do for sector development.
Clare Hine
Australia
It is essential to look after our youth who are among the most vulnerable in our society. YANQ is the youth sectors peak body here in Queensland and plays an essential role in the youth sector
Renee Mills
Australia
YANQ is vital in ensuring young people's voices (particularly those most marginalised and vulnerable) are heard through all the work YANQ does including supporting organisations, information dissemination, advocacy, research etc.
Samantha griffin
Australia
YANQ is doing great work for young people who sometimes lack a voice. They are empowered, advised, assisted and encouraged by the existence of YANQ. Working with young people daily in HEAL, a well-being service for refugee youth, I find YANQ a great resource, and to stop funding it would be not only short-sighted, but a disgrace because of what it would say about our care and concern for young people.
Richard Hil
Elanora, Australia
Because YANQ is vital to bringing together a very disparate sector and advancing the interests of service providers and young people. YANQ has served the sector well over many years by advocating and supporting the needs and aspirations of all those involved in that sector. Doing away with YANQ will lesson the cohesion of the sector, stifle discussion and disconnect previously allied services and agencies. There is no real saving in this measure but there is a real cost to youth services overall.
Ruth Martin
Townsville, Australia
Working with disadvantaged youth, I can see the far reaching negative effects that the latest cuts are having and will continue to have on disadvantaged families across the state. YANQ gives these youth a voice to fight against injustice. It supports me as a youth worker, allowing me to provide a higher quality of service through the provision of information and training. It supports the community by assisting disadvantaged youth to get back on their feet, breaking the cycle of poverty, crime and dependency on benefits. The cost to the comunity by defunding this service, far outweigh the cost of continuing to provide funding to YANQ for the valuable service they provide.
Suewellyn Kelly
Mackay, Australia
YANQ has played and continutes to play an important role in not only ensuring the future for the young people of Queensland, but also providing opportunities for the youth sector of Queensland to work together to achieve the outcomes needed for young people to successfully participate in the social and economic structures of Australian society. Without the active participation of the next generation of young people in Australia, there will be no future.
Simon Clowes
Australia
YANQ is a most significant service for young people in Queensland. To destroy the peak body for youth affairs in this state is a travesty. This action will create an enormous backlog of problems fo young people in queensland and those that work for them. To defund YANQ is to behave in a reckless ad irresponsible manner.
Heidi Siemer
Australia
I have been informed by research conducted by YANQ as a worker in the youth sector. Who would do this work if they were not there?
Adam Barnes
Australia
QLD Youth policy requires specialist knowledge and the youth sector; specialist representation. Youth peaks are essential to support quality youth work and effective policy development.
Craig Hardy
Australia
because there will be no support for youth workers which means the youth will get less assistance and will more likely end up in prison or youth detention centers
Shirley Peppler
Moorooka, Australia
I work for a small community based youth service and YANQ is our peak body. They collect information from all the youth services about current issue and gaps and work at a policy level to address these issues. they also provide the youth sector with high quality and affordable training.
Graham Henzell
Australia
YANQ as a Peak Body is an up/down link between workface service providers and Government giving direction and advice and bringing attention to issues of concern. Losing this body will cause fracturing and/or duplication of services to this demanding cohort.
Stewart Stubbs
Australia
Peak bodies are important to support young people's voices being heard by communities, organisations and government. They work with young people in advocacy and representational roles valuing young people's contribution to public debate and Queensland's future.
Cate Rawlinson
Australia
The youth sector needs a voice and body to advocate their changing needs and issues. In the interests of queensland's ability to continue to develop innovative services to meet youth needs an organisation such as YANQ is critical. If we cannot provide for young people now we may be spending a great deal more money and time addressing their issues / difficulties and disadvantages as adults.
Nina Howe
Brisbane, Australia
I work in a community organisation in Brisbane, in a program for young people. I have attended network meetings via YANQ and been supported on many occations via their information sharing and linking. I have seen first-hand the great work they do to advocate for youth services, the people who work in the sector and young people in general. I am horrified to hear the news that YANQ is being defunded. Why would anyone want to take away a service that supports the needs of young Australians, the generations of the future?
Greta Kelly
Brisbane, Australia
I condem the defunding of YANQ, a peak body which has researched, networked and published widely, and, through it's conection with its state-wide members, has provided highly informed input into youth policy development. This cut in expenditure will cost the government 100 times the value of this small short-term saving. The long term costs of uneducated, dissafected youth and the families they may have is high. YANQ has vast intellectual capital and know-how that is crucial to the current inexperienced Ministers.
Gerard Broersen
Australia
YANQ has been a voice for the youth sector in queensland for a long time and has done and continues to do a great job in supporting and informing the sector and government about emerging issues, training needs, workforce development and strategies to positivly impact on young peoples lives in Queensland. They have strong links to regional and remote queensland and provide a voice for small services that would not necessarily be heard
Deon Menerey
Australia
YANQ is the only peak body of the Queensland youth sector and plays a vital role in state-wide co-ordination and service support.
Lizette Twisleton
Australia
Peak organisations are vital for the youth sector, advocacy for both services and young people is integral for the needs and voices of young people to be represented at all levels of policy and funding development.
Ruth Griese
Australia
Peak bodies; particularly this one play a significant role in ensuring the people they represent, the young people of Queensland have a voice and their ideas and thoughts are given value. Queensland needs this service, the young people are our future and need and have a right to be heard.
Philip Staines
Australia
YANQ has a very strong networking base that i have been able to tap into for my service
ARIYA MOSHTAGHI
Bruce, Australia
Because Youth Affairs Network Queensland (YANQ) provides policy advice (in annual reports for example), to the Queensland Government - issues that are currently not addressed and need addressing. Because YANQ advocates and represents Queensland youth that are particularly overly underrepresented by the Queensland Government including 17 year old Queensland youth who are sent to Queensland adult prisons, multicultural and indigenous youth and newly settled migrants from non-English speaking backgrounds and is a key stakeholder regarding multicultural and youth affairs, present at the Queensland Government's Annual Youth Forum.
Grace Mberu
Australia
As a youth, I know how important programs such as te Youth Affairs Network are in giving a voice to the youth. The youth have a place in society that should not be ignored.
John Rigsby-Jones
Brisbane, Australia
We need a youth peak not a generalist peak that really does not represent the youth field.
Desleigh Byrne
Australia
This body is necessary because it connects workers and gives advice to governments based on its work . Its involvement with getting certain young people into the workforce is very important.
Moira Bitossi
Brisbane, Australia
Working in the youth sector with marginalised, disadvantaged and traumatised young people is such a complex task. To work effectively the sector needs a peak body that helps link services and build networks so that individual efforts work towards a common outcome for each individual. The research and advice provided by Yanq is extremely valuable.
Brooke Chapman
Australia
I am a youth worker and know how effective and reputable this organisation was and it is a sign furthermore of our government not investing in young people and thise who are trained professionally to support them.
Carol Ronken
Labrador, Australia
Queensland youth need a strong voice. YANQ plays a vital role in representing young people and the youth sector. Funding must be provided to ensure the continuation of these services.
Naomi Paver
Brisbane, Australia
YANQ is the best resource for youth workers who help all young people everywhere
Anne Hugo
Hobart, Australia
I worked in the youth sector nationally for 16 years and know the value of youth peak bodies, of which YANQ is a reputable example. Its loss will be of huge impact to young people not only in Queensland. QLD has a large proportion of Australia's youth and they need representation from YANQ.
Michael Robinson
Australia
I have been a member of Inala Youth Service MC for 18 years and we have had a close relatihonship with YANQ. It is the only place where young people can have a voice.
Pat Thomson
Australia
Ignoring the needs of the community and social responsibilities is a dangerous path that we're being led down. Who is going to pick up the pieces? The knowledge base and support system that has been built up around the youth sector will be lost and we will pay much, much more in the long run when it is gone. Wake up government and be responsible now!
Joanna Price-Murray
Macgregor, Australia
as a youth worker I understand the importance of a strong sector that is able to respond to issues for young people as they arise. the YANQ is a vital part of the Queensland community sector.
Gail Robinson
Australia
I saw what happened when Qld Coommunity Arts Network (QCAN) lost peak body funding...little remains of what was a thriving arts sector. YANQ gives a state-wide voice to young people...where else will this happen?
Joanne Furminger
Brisbane Qld, Australia
YANQ as the only peak body for the Queensland youth sector and undertakes a number of roles which are imperative for Queensland's Youth Sector. Young people and those persons working within the youth sector deserve to be valued and supported.
Jethro Sercombe
Australia
The work that YANQ does in advocating for the needs of the states young people and in the support of the QLD youth sector is essential. This service should be seen as exceptional value for money for the state government. The support that YANQ provides to the state's youth workers is essential in maintaining a vibrant, innovative sector.
Wally Dethlefs
Brisbane, Australia
YANQ has been doing vital work supporting agencies who work with young people who are on the margins of our society. YANQ is involved in policy and legislation work pertaining to young people as well as research into the needs of young people disengaging from education. YANQ indirectly assists young people become good citizens. If YANQ is defunded there will be an increase in young people who are marginalised and an increase in young people appearing before the Courts and incarcerated in juvenile detention as great cost to the taxpayer.
Stuart Davis-Meehan
Australia
I have been actively involved in youth affairs in Australia for some 25 years and am convinced that the issues and concerns of young people will not be addressed without peak organisations such as YANQ to proactively represent them to the community and to governments.
Margaret Hornagold
Australia
YANQ has upheld and spoken for the needs of young Indigenous people and understands the issues facing this group. They have always demonstrated respect and good-will towards Indigenous people and our sector would suffer if their support was withdrawn. Rather than defund YANQ, work together to identify how YANQ may be able to provide answers for the questions facing government around youth engagement and youth participation.
Jude Sorenson
Having strong peak bodies is vital to ensure that healthy debate occurs at all levels. YANQ is critical in that it represents he interests of youth organisations and young people right across QLD and indeed Australia. De-funding YANQ sends a strong message to young people that they do not matter and their voices are not important!! This short sighted approach ensures that you will further alienate a population that is already struggling. Please, or the sake of your future voters, reinstate YANQ's funding immediately.
Wayne Thomas
Australia
Representation in society and government is vital for all including young people. That way young people and their families can insure they are being listened to, consulted with and shown they are valued and imprtant members of society. Without YANQ, how do we make sure of this for young people in Queensland. Do we want to continue to marginalise and in some cases discriminate against them? I didn't think so. Refunding YANQ is a must.
David Lonne
Brisbane, Australia
QLD needs a peak body to represent young people and the organisations that work with them. To destroy it would leave many young people without a voice to government.
Julie-Anne Woodley
Brisbane, Australia
I have been a youth worker in Brisbane for the past 13 years. YANQ is an irreplacable service for youth workers in Queensland, providing information and supporting & facilitating networks amongst the youth sector. Should YANQ lose funding, this would be a great loss to the Queensland Youth Sector and support for youth services in Queensland.
Ricky Mead
Australia
I teach youth work and Child, Youth and Family intervention and use YANQ as a key resource for my students to, too get the most up to date and unbiased version of issues effecting Children and young people! Campbell Newman should be ashamed of this decision...
Lauren Carr
Australia
These youth bodies are fundimental to our future and they development of young people. I am a Youth Development Officer for Local Government in NSW and am funded by Council. I rely heavily on the NSW Youth bodies to drive the ideas of our young people and give youth a voice.
Jane Stratton
Australia
YANQ is critical to advancement and protection of the interests of young people in Queensland. It advocates coherent policy based on the perspectives of young people; it develops the youth sector ensuring ongoing quality of services; it connects services that work with young people, ensuring efficiencies and linked-up service delivery. To defund YANQ is to remove cohesion, efficiencies and leadership in the youth and community sector in Queensland. Not in anyone's short or long term interests.
Ann Davie
Australia
As a member of the Policy Advisory Council with the Australian Youth Affairs Coalition, it is vital that the needs of all young Australians have a voice...not just nationally, but also at state and local levels. Equally important is that there be a mechanism in place for those working with young people to share information, gain knowledge and support a professional approach to their work. Peak bodies are vital to achieving these goals.
Steve Williams
Brighton, Australia
YANQ has proved over many years to be an invaluable resource for youth services and young people. Other community sector bodies do not have the experience, capacity or legitimacy to take on YANQ's role as the peak body of the Queensland youth sector.
Ashleigh Dent
Australia
I am a youth worker in Brisbane and have a passion for supporting young people in achieving positive outcomes. YANQ has helped me facilitate many positive outcomes by organising event, traning, keeping workers updated on issues/policy changes and supported youth workers to practice well with young people. YANQ should not be shut down. Young people are going to loose all support if this gets defunded.
Chris Lewis
Brisbane, Australia
YANQ are a unique service that give young people a voice in Qld. The youth network that YANQ co ordinate are an extremely valuable resource for those who work with young people. Qld's young people deserve to have a peak body advocating for their needs!
Allicia Watson
Victoria Point, Australia
As a youth worker who has also lost funding to my program, it was important to know that there was still a peak body with the best interests of the adolescents working in the background. If YANQ is no longer, I will be actually concerned for the future of adolescents given the lack of support programs for them in Queensland.
Stacy Field
Australia
The Youth Affairs Network of Queensland provides essestial coordination and support to Queensland's youth sector and it's workforce. Without YANQ, the youth sector is left without a voice within the policy environment, without a coordinating point to share advances in quality service delivery and without a space in which the youth sector can resolve important service delivery issues and ensure quality service delivery to Queensland's young people.
Dannielle Brown
Brisbane, Australia
I currently study Social Work with the aim of becoming a youth worker and giving back to my community, with the recent fund cuts to many of my local youth centers I have become very concerned with not only my future but the future of young Queenslanders. YANQ is a fantastic org that supports the voice of young people and I hope the government reconsiders their choices.
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