Youth development programs have been a popular and successful approach to address various health and social issues among young Aboriginal peoples in Central Australia. Yet, little research has been conducted to evaluate the effectiveness and appropriateness of youth
programs in the region and much of the knowledge from local, national and international work is dispersed and often unpublished.

A study was undertaken in a partnership between the Centre for Remote Health (CRH) and the Central Australian Youth Link–Up
Service (CAYLUS) to explore the enablers and barriers of youth programs in remote Central Australian Indigenous communities.

The study involved interviews with stakeholders such as community members (including young people), youth workers and community service providers (teachers, store owners, police and health workers). Participants (n=60) were drawn from one community in each of the three Central Australian Shires (Barkly, Central Desert and MacDonnell).

The Youth Affairs Council of Western Australia (YACWA) is very pleased to have today launched  a brand new resources to assist workers to support the sexual health needs of young people. With STI rates increasing and more and more young people saying they aren’t getting enough information about sex, this resources designed to assist workers to be able to work confidently with young people.

The Blog includes:

• Resources and training guides for running programs with young people
• Media clippings on sexual health and blood borne viruses
• Youth friendly website relating to sexual health
• Ability to share thoughts and challenges via comments and forums

This resource is the result of extensive consultations across the State with those working with young people, about what tools they need to better meet the needs of young people. YACWA is pleased to have the support of the WA Department for Health who has funded this initiative.

Head to the blog NOW: youthsexualhealthblog.com.au

This booklet is part of a continuing education resource for foster carers called Real Kids, Real Carers. Real Kids, Real Carers contains 9 separate booklets covering topics of importance to foster carers.

The titles in the series:

• Independence and connections: caring for adolescents
• I’m an individual: children and young people with disabilities 
• Participation: creating opportunities for children and young people to contribute to decision-making
• Reality fostering: the impact of fostering on carers and their families
• Whose job is this? team work in foster care
• Whose problem is this? managing and responding to challenging and difficult behaviour
• Aboriginal history: the context of Aboriginal children and young people in care today
• Preventing another stolen generation: keeping Aboriginal children and young people in care connected to their culture
• Maintaining culture: helping a child retain their cultural connections and identity

Click here to download a copy of this resource.

Source: Peakcare enews 1st August 2013.

A new publication by the Australian Clearinghouse for Youth Studies has found that financial insecurity, employment insecurity and confusing access and compliance arrangements can create challenges for young people trying to survive on government income support for long periods.

Face the Facts: Youth income support in Australia (http://www.acys.info/facts) brings together information and views from a wide range of organisations with an interest in the wellbeing of young people on Newstart and Youth Allowance.

Income support is the third topic in the Face the Facts series of reports on key issues in the youth sector. Each topic comprises a short, sharp ‘Snapshot’ and a more detailed ‘Briefing’, which includes details of policy implications and recommendations from interest groups.

Source: Youth Field Xpress June

Written by AYAC, this Australian Government Publication provides examples of youth engagement approaches from across the Commonwealth on how young people engage with other young people to develop and progress campaigns, activities or causes in the communities and countries in which they live.

Senator Matt Thistlethwaite, Parliamentary Secretary for Pacific Island Affairs launched the New energy, ideas and perspectives – How young people are creating change across the Commonwealth guide on Wednesday 16 April 2013 at the 8th Commonwealth Youth Ministers Meeting in Papua New Guinea.

To check out the full guide follow this link: http://www.ayac.org.au/newideas.html

Please note the publication is also available at www.youth.gov.au

Social Policy Research Centre has released an Interim Evaluation Report of the Neami Macarthur Youth Mental Health & Housing Project. 

Social Policy Research Centre has released the School readiness program for Aboriginal children with additional needs: working with children, families, communities and service providers - Interim evaluation report. Click below to download.

New Publication from the Social Policy Research Centre- Research on the need for two care workers in a community setting has been released for publication.

New Publication - Preventing Child Abuse and Neglect Through a Common Approach to Assessment, Referral and Support: Evaluating the Trial (Stage 2) has been released for publication.