NAIDOC Week
NAIDOC Week 2015 is here and this year Australians everywhere are encouraged to learn, respect and celebrate Aboriginal culture. Why in 2015 do we need this particular theme? The truth is that Aboriginal young people are struggling. They are over represented at many of our services, most notably at our homelessness service.
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At the Inner West Youth Homelessness Service, 20% of the young people this financial year have identified as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander. These young people make up 3%[1] of the population, meaning they are well over represented in this service. The same can be said for the juvenile justice system, 56%[2] of young people in juvenile detention identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander.
So what can be done to turn these statistics around and start making progress toward equality for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people? At Youth Off The Streets, we see it as connecting them to their country and culture and getting everyday Australians caring about Aboriginal issues.
Connecting Aboriginal young people to their country and culture is arguably the most important part of this. At Youth Off The Streets, all of our services are participating in NAIDOC Week events and we have a dedicated Aboriginal services team running programs all year round. We teach all young people about Aboriginal culture and run programs specifically targeted toward Aboriginal young people: helping them connect with their elders, discuss issues important to them and learn about the history of their mob and family. It's a great moment to watch when a young Aboriginal kid is learning about their history and family. They are deeply involved in the moment and you can see the positive effects it has on them immediately.
NAIDOC Week community events are a great way for everyday Australians to connect with the Aboriginal culture and people, learn about their rich history and get involved in campaigns that build respect for the Aboriginal people.
We don't want to see Aboriginal young people over represented at our services any longer. We want them to be equal and have every chance at success. There are two clear ways to do this; help Aboriginal young people connect with their culture and country and to get everyday Australians involved in Aboriginal Issues.
Father Chris Riley,
CEO and Founder at Youth Off The Streets
Teenagers’ campaign
I am writing to let parents know that beyondblue has just released a new campaign aimed at teenagers. It's called Brains can have a mind of their own and it's designed specifically to cut through the crowded social media space and grab the attention of young people. There are several short animated videos which will be pushed out into the social media space on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram over the coming weeks.
The message is that brains are weird. They can keep you awake at night, stop you going out, make it hard for you to concentrate and keep you on edge. The videos encourage young people to go to www.youthbeyondblue.com to find out why their brain is making their life difficult and where they can go for help.
It's a sad fact that despite the efforts of many organisations like beyondblue, headspace and Batyr, young people continue to take their lives. In fact, latest figures show that 350 young people aged 15 to 24 died by suicide in in 2013. That is 350 too many.
For people who are concerned about the mental health of their teenage children, please have a look at the beyondblue website www.beyondblue.org.au , which has loads of free information for parents, including Family guide to youth suicide prevention, Parents' guide to depression and anxiety in young people and videos on How to have the conversation with your young person.
If you need more advice or just someone to talk to about your concerns, please call the beyondblue Support Service 1300 22 4636 which is staffed by mental health professionals 24/7 - or you or your child can chat live online with staff between 3pm and midnight AEST at www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support
Jeff Kennett
Chairman of beyondblue