YANQ has been seeking the views of the youth sector and state government departments in Queensland as well as national peak bodies in relation to updating and refreshing its approach to advocating advancement of multiculturalism. The consultation process has sought to capture and be informed by sector views, requirements for support and to develop an approach for coordinating advocacy with other key stakeholders at state and national levels. This report summarises our work so far.

Download Multiculturalism_in_Queenslands_Youth_Sector_-_Where_to_Next_2012.pdf

By Dr Kirsten McGavin

Sports is very much part of the Australian culture. Although sports itself is a universal activity, it is also a uniquely Australian affair shaped by what is often referred to as the Australian lifestyle.  Yet sports and recreational activities in Australia are not always entirely inclusive, particularly for people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) groups such as Muslim young women. Physical, cultural, social, economic and religious barriers may limit Muslim young women’s participation in sports and recreation.

This report is the result of a research project that aimed to identify and analyse socio-cultural barriers affecting Muslim young women’s participation in sports and recreation and to develop strategies that promote a greaterparticipation in sports and recreation by young Muslim women in Queensland.

By the Youth Affairs Network of Queensland. 

In a global context, recent events around the world and at home necessitate an open public debate on multiculturalism and to form effective strategies for community engagement with this issue. Oft times, even within the Community Services Sector, many organisations are increasingly regarding ‘multiculturalism' as being solely related to issues regarding non-English speaking migrants and refugees. This interpretation and use of ‘multiculturalism' not only denies the role of English speaking migrants, residents and citizens, but also fails to acknowledge the important contributions that Indigenous peoples play in the construction of effective multiculturalism. Indeed, alienating English speakers and Indigenous peoples by denying them a place within concepts of multiculturalism, may serve instead to reinforce the ‘us and them' mentality amongst some members of the wider community, in which the somewhat ignorant ideologies of assimilation and total conformity to mainstream ‘Anglo' culture is a goal.

By Kirsten McGavin 

In late February, in my capacity as YANQ's Multicultural Development Officer, I attended a meeting of the State-wide Multicultural Youth Issues Network (SMYIN) in Victoria; a meeting focused on "Being ‘In-between': Projects Engaging Second Generation Young People". Organised by the Centre for Multicultural Youth Issues (CMYI) - an organisation with which YANQ works closely as part of the National Multicultural Youth Issues Network (NMYIN) - the meeting was a follow up to a recent two-day symposium on a similar topic that was held in association with Deakin University.

At the "Being ‘In-between'" assembly, delegates explored and discussed the idea that "Australian-born young people whose parents or grandparents were born overseas can find themselves straddling the orientations of different cultural identities" (CMYI brochure). We also examined a selection of initiatives that assist "second generation young people in positively experiencing and expressing their identities" (CMYI brochure).

Speakers from CMYI, Swinburne University of Technology, Noble Park English Language School and the Islamic Social Services Agency joined representatives of various youth based, project managing organisations including: The Australian Vietnamese Women's Welfare Association (Young Women's Soccer competition), fuSIAN (Polynesian Hip Hop Dance Alliance and Urban Aftershock projects), the Victorian Arabic Social Services (Anti Racism Action Band), and Australian Lebanese Welfare Inc.

Report of the Youth Affairs Network of Queensland's Young Women's Sector Training Needs Analysis

YANQ's Young Women's Sector Training Needs Analysis project aimed to identify the training needs for the youth sector to improve and strengthen its advocacy and delivery of services to young women in Queensland, particulatrly those of Indigenous and CALD backgrounds, young women with disabilities, young women from rural areas and lesbian young women.

The findings and recommendations in this paper are based on consultations conducted by YANQ with Government and non-Government service providers, young women and individuals across Queensland over a three-month period. One hundred organisations and over 200 people participated in the consultations for this project via written surveys, telephone interviews, face-to-face meetings and four consultative forums (Brisbane, Bundaberg, Rockhampton and Yeppoon).

This discussion paper aims to encourage public debate and discussion on the topic of racism and housing. This paper was written in the lead up to the 4th state-wide Eracism forum held in Toowomba on October 20, 2006.

A scoping project prepared for the Youth Affairs Network of Qld by Emma Davey, aimed to document local projects and initiatives working for Reconciliation and Challenging Racism with or by young people in Qld.

During 2003-2004 members of the Multicultural Youth Network Qld (MYNQ) repeatedly reported complaints by their young Sudanese clients and friends of being harassed by police and other groups and individuals when in public places. YANQ approached the Sudanese Youth Association of Queensland (SYAQ) to partner in a deeper investigation of the issues.