-
Jade -
submitted 16/11/2009
Many young Australians choose to volunteer their time. Some do it because it looks good on a CV, others because they genuinely connect with issues of social change. But what happens when you want to turn “social change” into your career?
I’ve been offered a job with an organization that I’ve been volunteering with and I’ve accepted the job on the condition I can source external funding…this proved to be tougher than I anticipated. There are hardly any grants available for individuals and fewer that will fund a salary/stipend. My question is this: How can we as young Australians invest ourselves in something we’re passionate about if there is no avenue through which it is financially viable? Trusts, grants and sponsorship are designed for projects and organizations, which makes it near impossible to turn social change into a career as someone who is working for a not-profit organization as appose to running it.
Being a young person who isn’t from the most privileged background makes it difficult to do something you love which doesn’t pay. So my suggestion is to have: More funding for operational costs for not-profits- so they can employ young people who genuinely want to invest in the organization but don’t have the funding available to do so on a volunteer basis. Also; Specific Grant programs that are designed to fund stipends- so young people who don’t have family or friends to support them, can still participate.
-
vanessa -
submitted 20/11/2009
Young people leading mental health and wellbeing promotion, supported by adults.
The active participation of young people is a direct health issue.
Evidence from health promotion and prevention fields (including the areas of resiliencey, health and well-being and drug education) makes a direct link between active participation, and individual and societal health. Active participation is also linked with school engagement - and positive engagement with school assists a student to develop the human connections and resilience that reduces the risk of developing later mental health problems as well as facilitating successful progression through learning and wellbeing pathways. Young people need more opportunities and responsibilities within and beyond education settings to authentiacally lead mental health and wellbeing promotion, with support from adults.
-
Venessa Chidiac -
submitted 7/11/2009
Through these sessions I’ve been able to experience; it has changed me in many ways. I’m not the same person i was yesterday. It made us realise that only we can achieve our dreams & most of all to BELIEVE IN OURSELVES which then leads to the IMPOSSIBLE WILL BECOME THE POSSIBLE. This program bought hope back to our lives & made us determined to achieve our dream.
I’m very thankful to have such organisation to come and encourage us to do our best and aim high, but however others need to hear it as well, this organisation needs to be stretched higher than it has aimed to do, and speak nationally and help others like myself receive hope and guidance once again. How many young students have been haunted by their past and are too afraid to move on? It’s countless. And here I am saying this because I’m one of those students. I’m not afraid to open up anymore because I’ve realised that others my age, have had worse experiences then myself but yet still haven’t moved on, with this forum and sessions used, it has helped me do so and move on. “DON’T ALLOW YOUR HISTORY TO GET IN THE WAY OF YOUR DESTINY”I really think that this organisation needs to take their programs to the next possible level, which is to speak at schools nationally. Think about this: if they could change those in Australia, what makes you think they can’t do so nationally? & if you really do care about us as students and our futures, you’ll just accept and support what this programs aiming to do!
-
Julia -
submitted 10/11/2009
As this generation is facing new challenges i think it is essential that we get educated on skills that will help us shape our future and to be who we want to be. It is important that all young people get the chance to voice their opinion and have a say in their future. Young people need to be able to negotiate the challenges that lie ahead of them and be able to overcome all of these. I think everyone should get the chance to be inspired by others who have been in similar situations as them and to know that they can make a difference and that thier dream can become a reality.
-
NSW CAAH -
submitted 20/11/2009
Prevention and advancing youth health through General Practitioners
Investing in young people’s health is an important way to improve our population’s health. For young people, accidents and injury, mental health difficulties, substance use and sexually transmitted infections are the biggest health issues. These affect young people today, but they can also have life long effects.
Primary care, particularly general practice, is at the centre of health service delivery for youth in this country–approximately 70% of young people aged 12-24 years visit a GP at least once a year. This presents an enormous opportunity for screening young people for risky behaviours and mental health disorders and responding with appropriate interventions.
Young people say that they would welcome the opportunity to discuss health issues such as contraception, sexually transmitted infections, diet and exercise and substance use with health care providers and trust their advice (and their parents also want this). However, GPs experience barriers to providing early and preventive intervention because of time pressures, inadequate remuneration, training, skills and confidence in responding, as well as the often limited availability of support from other services.
Given that most first episodes of mental illness and first uptake of health risk behaviours occur during adolescence, a Medicare model for annual preventive health checks is essential for those aged 12-24 yrs.
-
Clive -
submitted 15/11/2009
Flourishing Young People
We know that 1:4 young people are in distress. Evidence-based coaching, as an applied positive psychology, provides a wealth of evidence that it is possible for us to increase levels of happiness and well-being. Outcomes of research studies at Sydney University have shown that coaching can result in significant increases in levels of well-being, resilience, hope and goal attainment in young people.
The field of positive psychology sets out a clear and applicable framework for living a life of pleasure, engagement and meaning. We know that the most hopeful and optimistic people share three simple characteristics – they have goals, they have agency (self belief) in their ability to reach the goals and they are able to identify a range of pathways or routes to success, which helps them to persevere when faced with inevitable setbacks. Coaching can make a real difference.
The Australian Youth Strategy should help young people to learn about and understand how they can use their personal strengths and inner resources to achieve a life of purpose, satisfaction and achievement. The integration of evidence-based coaching within the existing skills sets of youth and community workers and within youth workforce development programmes could indeed help to create flourishing young people and flourishing youth services.
-
Karen -
submitted 21/11/2009
Improved mental health services for young people is a must. For 15 years as a criminal defence solicitor, I have worked extensively with juveniles and young adults who've come in contact with the criminal justice system because of mental disorders. Those who have family support and/or resources often manage to get diagnosed and treated correctly and are unlikely to reoffend.
It is almost impossible to achieve the same result for the majority (those mostly from lower socio-economic backgrounds). As a result, re-offending and often incarceration can be the short term and long term result. Please, we need more resources to deal with this very importantly issue effectively, for the benefit of the young people and the wider community ! Spending money at this end, instead of at the other end (eg by building new gaols), is bound to be a better investment in Australia's future. Did you know it costs around $150K p.a. to house a juvenile in a NSW detention centre !
-
Susara -
submitted 24/10/2009
What role do you think the Australian Government should have in supporting young people to develop positively?
I believe strongly that in order to support the Australian youth,the Government NEEDS to stop young university students being in debt via HECS fees.It is just wrong that at the end of working tirelessly for three to four years young students have to pay back the Government a lot of money for helping improve this country's professionalism.How could this country run without Doctors,Nurses,Teachers,Scientists etc.It does not seem fair that tradies get paid whilist completing their chosen trade yet University students get nothing and then they have to pay back the Government a substantial amount of money.What ever happend to a FREE EDUCATION?
I am currently attending a rural school in Queensland and I have applied for a Bachleor of Primary Education even though I know that once I finish four years of extremely hard work and having to live off my part time job and move out of home, I will simply be put on a contract by Education Queensland and then have that contract terminated just before the Summer holidays so I have to work over Christmas in a job that I should not have to do.I also know that many intelligent students at my school will not be able to attend university because they can't afford to move and they have to get a job or jobs to support their families.If I could ask the Government one question it's why do youth have to suffer to benefit Australia?
-
Tim -
submitted 30/10/2009
I think the School Based Youth Health Nurse (QLD) program adds much needed balance to the psycho-social well being of young people. More funding in this area is needed nationally to focus on the REAL issues young people face in 2009.
-
Kayla -
submitted 11/11/2009
Being a teenager and one out of two people in my class who actually care about schooling I would have to say the students or young Australians hate a boring old speech.
These type of teenagers have this block in which it is IMPOSSIBLE to get through to them because I used to be one of them. Something the young Australians can participate in that does not include a boring old speech or a video should be organised because frankly young Australians aren't wanting to rent or buy a dvd that is not to their likings. HEALTH and SAFETY are two major things the young Australians don't worry about. I didn't either but I still believe in something more POWERFUL!