AICAFMHA:
promoting mental health for young Australians
Australian Infant, Child, Adolescent and Family Mental Health Association Ltd
ABN 87 093 479 022
NYPS Project Update - 7/1/2004
Hope you all had a MERRY CHRISTMAS and a SAFE and HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Since, the previous update many new names have been added to the list. For new members I encourage you to go to the AICAFMHA website, www.aicafmha.net.au and click on youth, then scroll down to 'regular updates' if you are interested in reviewing what we have been up to so far?.UPDATE
After a great break over the Christmas and New Year period we have started working with a group of young people to pull together all the ideas collated so far from discussions with you guys out there in the community and from the literature. These ideas are forming the basis of our draft models document, which we plan to have out there for discussion by MID FEBURARY!
How you can have your say!
The draft models document will be available for comment over February and March. Already we have over 35 young people, workers and groups from all states and territories who have registered their interest to be involved. Interestingly, like the models we are proposing how you can be involved is as flexible as what the models must be to ensure an inclusive approach is achieved.
Some of the ideas groups are 'throwing' around include:
Online closed forum over 3 weeks
Conference call link up with other young people
Group discussion with young people and/or workers
Power point presentation - with myself as the lady 'in the box' talking and
listening through a hands free phone
Hard copy sent out - with stamped self addressed envelope
And of course accessing the online tutorial where you will be presented with
small amounts of information at a time and asked to answer some questions. The
plan is some form of auditory commentary will be available for those who don't
like reading much!
So if you and/or a group of young people/workers would like to give comment simply email Dy on smith.dy@saugov.sa.gov.au or give us a call on 08 8161 7338 so we can discuss a process which best suits your needs. Also, if you need any extra information or marketing material to advertise this opportunity within your local community we are happy to help out!
Just remember, we truly do want to hear the good, the bad and the ugly!
MARKETING
Once again I would like to encourage you to forward the following to your networks so we can market the reviewing of the draft models document.
National Youth Participation Strategy!
Interested in having a voice in the development and implementation of programs under the National Mental Health Plan and National Suicide Prevention Strategy?.. well we have something for YOU!
AICAFMHA has reviewed the literature and consulted with over 100 young people, workers and organizations over the last 4 months about their experiences of youth participation. Over January we will be working with a group of young people to develop a draft models document using ideas collected and presenting it in a youth friendly and professional format.
The draft documents will be available for comment during February to March. They can be accessed online, hard copy and in a group format, however, we are happy to develop resources that best suit your needs. There is no right or wrong answers instead we want all ideas, that's right the good, the bad and the ugly.
The AICAFMHA team wants to make sure the models presented to the Department of Health and Ageing in May are achievable and will work for young people and service providers.
So, if you or a group of young people are interested in reviewing the draft documents please contact the project officer, Dyanna Smith McCue either by phone 08 8276 2283 or email smith.dy@saugov.sa.gov.au as the AICAFMHA team are keen to support you in this process.
EMAILING LIST
NB: We encourage you to use this emailing list as a discussion tool in regard
to the field of youth participation or I am happy for you to email me directly
if you have any information you would like to have put 'out there' for
discussion.
INFORMATION UPDATE
DEVELOPING EMPOWERMENT IN THE JOURNEY OF PARTICIPATION
Feedback from the community and literature indicates developing empowerment
in the journey of participation is essential for sustainability purposes.
Therefore the following areas need to be considered in the National Youth
Participation Strategies.
Ownership.
Young people must be given a sense of ownership that the work being
done belongs to them. Any sense that the final result belongs to a different
set of people immediately diminishes their commitment to it.
Familiar culture and lifestyle.
Culture and surrounding must be one that is
familiar to the young person's culture and lifestyle. Young people are easily
daunted or deflected by the adult ideas, e.g. formality, suits, and official
bureaucratic processes. The notion of marginalization can kill their creativity.
Real power.
Young people need real power to influence decision makers or else
they will perceive their efforts to be useless and quickly lose interest.
Unrealistic expectations
Harboring unrealistic expectations of what the young
people can do is destructive for both the young people and the adults working
with them.
Honor the forms of expression.
In editing, look only for clarity but honor the
color of their language; in painting, do not change their illustrations and
other forms of expression. In this way, young people feel that the finished
expression is essentially their own.
Support the young people with adult experience.
Do not threaten them with it.
Discourage them from feeling that they have to do everything themselves.
Encourage them that it is OK to lay off difficult tasks to the professionals.
Respect.
Young people's respect for adults is generally the product of all
these other principles being observed. Adult's respect for young people has
to be visibly felt and needs to be an essential component of the adult's
attitude.
Openness and communication are essential.
Adults and young people must
communicate constantly and openly for any partnership to work. Both (young
people and adults) must feel able and supportive for open communication to
occur.
Time alone.
Young people must be given time alone with no adult presence.
This enables the less confident members of a group to come forward with ideas
and feel included in the process. It also enables the strange chemistry that
occurs between young people to produce the unexpected ideas and strategies
that are the most lasting product of any participation.
Democratic principles and ground rules
Young people must adhere to democratic
principles and establish ground rules of fairness and respect for minorities.
If possible, they should not be conscious of it. They must know the principles
of personal choice and democracy, to ensure fair discussions.
Dyanna Smith-McCue
National Youth Participation Strategy Project Officer
smith.dy@saugov.sa.gov.au
Ph: (08) 8161 7338
Fax: (08) 8161 6983
PO Box 387, Stepney SA 5069
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