The Foundation for Young Australians are running Student ShoutOut again -- their big student voice initiative. This year SSO is youth-led and co-designed by students, for students. Students will lead and run campaigns for change around the education issue that matters most to them. Applications close on Friday, 27th of September.

How can you support this opportunity for students?
FYA hope you will share this opportunity with your schools network. They are asking teachers and principals to share this opportunity with  2 - 4 students (15-18) who are willing to work as team from each school who they believe will want to make a real difference in education.  Students can apply online here.

How does it work?

• Step 1: Student teams of 2-4 create a 30 second video telling us what changes they want to see in their education.  
• Step 2: Fifteen teams will be selected to attend SSO @ Unleashed from November 8-10in Sydney. Students will participate in an education masterclass on 8 November and then be part of the campaigning stream at  Unleashed -- Australia’s first summit for young changemakers being held at the Sydney Opera House on November 9/10.
• Step 3: Student ShoutOut campaigns launch! CNPE will provide Student ShoutOut Champions with the tools and support required to run their campaign for change in education. With access to FYA’s online campaigning platform and a community of young education changemakers, students will see their ideas come to life.

What does this cost?
FYA are subsidising student participation in Student ShoutOut, including the Student ShoutOut masterclass and a ticket to Unleashed. This means there is no cost to students to participate in Student ShoutOut, but students will have to pay for their own travel, accommodation and other expenses. Students will be supervised at all times during the program by FYA staff.  

For more information and key dates click here.

 Applications are now open for the next round of the Queensland Government’s Supporting Women Scholarships program. The $10 million program is providing opportunities for women of all ages and backgrounds to gain qualifications in high priority and skills shortage areas, which have been traditionally male-dominated. The scholarships are available for vocational education and training and university study from the Certificate IV level through to postgraduate qualifications in the following fields:
·         Agriculture and Environment
·         Architecture and Building
·         Earth Science
·         Engineering
·         Information technology.

The scholarships are valued at up to $5,000 each year (up to a maximum of $20,000), and are available for school leavers, women returning to study or changing careers. Applications close 11 October 2013 for scholarships commencing at the beginning of the 2014 academic year. Apply online at www.supportingwomen.qld.gov.au.

Snapshot 2013, the 11th in the Commission’s Snapshot series, draws together data from a wide range of sources to provide a contemporary representation of the health, safety and wellbeing of children and young people in Queensland. Where possible, data are supported by robust trend analyses to provide a longitudinal evidence base from which facts can be drawn to highlight areas of particular concern and improvement. These facts can be used to inform policy development and facilitate shared understandings across sectors.

The report provides statistical information about demographics, families, lifestyle and social issues, health, education and care, deaths, child protection and crime and justice, and is an important reference for people who work with children and young people, as well as researchers, academics, Parliamentarians and policy and program developers.

Snapshot 2013 reveals that many children and young people are faring well on a wide range of key indicators of health, safety and wellbeing. For example:

• the teenage fertility rate is the lowest it has been in five years
• the proportions of infants born prematurely or underweight have remained low over the last decade
• more than nine in ten children are fully immunised by the appropriate coverage age
• most parents regularly engage with their children in informal learning activities such as reading and telling stories
• the proportion of children classified as developmentally vulnerable in their first year of schooling has declined over the past three years
• the rate of children and young people continuing from Year 8 to Year 12 is the highest it has been in a decade
  
• the majority of young people report that they have never smoked
• infant and childhood mortality rates have been in decline for much of the last two decades
• the rate of sexual offences against children and young people is the lowest it has been in the last 10 years, and
•   the rate of property offences committed by young people has generally been decreasing over the past decade.

However, data from other measures indicate areas for improvement:

• a significant proportion of children and young people are not meeting daily physical activity requirements
• over one quarter of children and young people are overweight or obese
• over one fifth of young people are consuming alcohol at levels that place them at risk of single occasion alcohol-related harm at least yearly
• the number of children and young people experiencing homelessness has increased over the past five years
• more than one in 20 children and young people have a mental or behavioural problem.
• over one quarter of children in their first year of school are developmentally vulnerable on one or more domains of the Australian Early Childhood Development Index
• while the rate of school exclusions has historically been higher than the rate of school enrolment cancellations, these rates have now reached parity
• the suicide mortality rate for young people has increased in more recent years, particularly among males
• the population of children and young people living away from home continues to rise, despite ongoing reductions in the number of substantiated notifications of harm, with the most rapid growth observed in the residential care population
• children and young people in out-of-home care are much less likely than those in the general population to be meeting the national minimum standards in numeracy and literacy, and
• the proportion of children and young people subject to substantiations while in out-of-home care increased in the last year.

Additionally, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people continue to experience poorer health, education, safety and social outcomes compared to those in the general population.

The Snapshot 2013: Children and Young People in Queensland report page on the Commission’s website contains links to the full report and key data booklet.

The Commission has also released a second edition of the Snapshot Key Data: Children and Young People in Queensland web app for use on mobile devices. The app provides instant access to an extensive range of information on issues relating to the health, safety and wellbeing of children and young people in Queensland.

 Youth unemployment has never been a bigger issue. While some young Australians find it easy to find work, others do it tough, and many struggle to find any work at all. The current full-time unemployment rate (that is, people looking for full-time work) for people aged 15 to 19 years old is at a 15 year high at 27.3%, (June 2013 ABS Labour Force Data). Youth unemployment is 4 times the national average. This issue is even more pressing as our demographics change, with more and more retirees and less people of working age.

In August, ACYS conducted a webinar on the issue, bringing together experts, those at the ‘coalface’ and young people to provide insight into how to best support young people and provide opportunities to secure their futures. You can download the webinar here and find further information from ACYS here http://www.acys.info/facts/webinars.

AYAC's previous work on this issue includes the report ‘Beyond Learn or Earn’, which gave young people themselves the chance to speak about their own experiences of school and work and government policy, in their own words. AYAC also brought together a range of experts on the issues of employment and education at AYAC 2013 National Youth Affairs Conference, in partnership with OurSay. Keep on eye out for those videos, which we hope to upload soon!

Source: AYAC enews 30/08/2013

National Young Leaders' Day is hosted by the Halogen Foundation whose mission is to inspire young people to lead themselves and others well.

• The largest event of its kind in Australia gathering over 20,000 young leaders annually in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth.
• Endorsed by Australia’s top leaders including the Governor General and all State Premiers.
• A day of keynote speakers and leadership insights from current and high profile leaders in a variety of fields designed to empower young people to shine bright on behalf of those they lead now and in the future.

Are you interested in being involved, having a stand at the event or having a speaking spot? Have a look at the resources below and contact Halogen.

ECCQ are looking for AFL enthusiasts between the ages of 13 and 19 who would like to play in AFL Queensland’s Unity Cup! Male and female community teams from across South East Queensland will compete in the inaugural AFL Queensland Unity Cup on November 16th 2013 at Yeronga.

The Cup focuses on strengthening ties with the community and culturally and linguistically diverse communities through Australian Football Rules. The Unity Cup carnival day will feature community stalls and activities that showcase our many cultures.

The program is an important part of the AFL Multicultural Player Talent Identification Program and provides CaLD participants an opportunity to participate in the National Unity Cup in Melbourne. If you are from a CaLD background, aged between 13 and 19 years old and would Iike to try out for your local team, head to your nearest community team selection day.

Toowomba: Thursday September 5 at 4:30pm at USQ Oval, Baker St, Toowoomba
Brisbane & Gold Coast : To be confirmed - contact us to register your interest

For information, contact:
Brett Fragiacomo [Diversity Manager]
brett.fragiacomoeaflq.com.au or 07 3033 5448
Keith Shangare [Diversity Development Officer]
k.shangareegmail.com or 07 3033 5448

Twin Rivers & Metropolitan South Institute of TAFE are collaborating together to deliver Certificate II in Community Services & Launch into Greater Futures Program, provided under the Training Places initiative for Single and Teenage Parents, commencing Tuesday 8 October 2013 and concluding Friday 13 December 2013.  

The program aims to improve the job-readiness and workforce participation of single and teenage parents, in receipt of parenting payments, by providing them with opportunities to participate in training. The program also includes extra Literacy & Numeracy support, Life Coaching, counselling (if required) and assistance in other areas to overcome barriers to education, training and/or employment.

Eligible participants will receive a full fee exemption.  Attached is also information and costings for those not eligible, providing places are available.

Referral forms are required to be signed off by either the participants JSA, DES, or Centrelink, stating their eligibility.  If the participant is not eligible a JSA purchase order is required, paying at full price or the participant can manage payments themselves at Twin Rivers.
Once the referral form is completed or other payment arranged, an interview will be arranged at Twin Rivers, to meet with the participant, to brief about the program and to identify potential barriers that they may need assistance in overcoming. 

The National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) has published a report called "The impact of school academic quality on low socioeconomic status students"

The authors of this paper explore whether low socioeconomic status (SES) students benefit to a greater or lesser extent from attending high-quality schools when compared with their more advantaged peers. They find that academic school quality is even more important for students from low-SES backgrounds in terms of Year 12 completion. The differential impact for low-SES students also holds for tertiary entrance rank (TER) and the probability of going to university.

Click here to read the research.

This paper is a simplified excerpt from the Legal Australia-Wide Survey: Legal need in Australia

Abstract: This paper summarises findings from the Legal Australia-Wide (LAW) Survey on the legal problems experienced by younger people aged 15–24 years in Australia. Similar to previous studies, the findings show a higher vulnerability to legal problems for younger people compared to the oldest age group. Also in keeping with past research, different ages or life stages were associated with different types of legal problems. Accidents, crime, personal injury and rights problems peaked either at 15–17 or 18-24 years. In addition, younger people were less likely to seek advice from professionals for their legal problems. The policy implications of these findings are discussed.

Source: Law and Justice Foundation of NSW Research Alert August 2013