Click to download the Consultation Report

This report would not have been possible without the detailed consideration and input provided by over 80 participants at YANQs “What is Youth Work” consultations held in March 2012.  Workers’ honesty, straight talking and genuine commitment to young people shone throughout, even where they expressed differences of opinions.  It was a privilege, in particular, to work alongside Steve Fisher, YANQ's Murri Project Officer, and to listen to and record the perspectives of Murri and other First Nation participants.  A lot of people told me to write this report in clear English, with a minimum of “jargon” or technical language and remain focused on the “real” nature of working with young people.  I hope I’ve managed to do this and to reflect everyone’s views.  Sincere thanks to all participants for taking time from busy schedules to contribute their ideas, especially those who also promoted and helped organise each session in their own region.

In 2011, the Youth Affairs Network of Queensland (YANQ) received a small amount of funding from Queensland Health to undertake research into workforce issues impacting on the capacity of youth workers to engage in sexual health education with marginalised young people.

This report has now been released online - you can download it by clicking here.

Marginalised young people have been consistently identified as a high risk group in relation to sexual health. YANQ received anecdotal feedback that in recent years that youth workers are not engaging with young people and providing them with information and support in relation to sexual health matters. This research seeks to explore what impacts on youth workers’ ability to provide effective interventions around sexual health? What knowledge, skills, resources, value and ethics, training and support is available to youth workers? What do youth workers identify that they need and what workforce development strategies are recommended to enable the youth sector to respond more effectively?