Youth Forum
Forum Report
This report summarises the key discussion points and community solutions suggested by participants at the Stakeholder Forum held in Alice Springs on 21 June 2007.
While youth was the focus for this stakeholder forum, a range of antisocial behaviours of other groups and community solutions for those behaviours were discussed at the start of the forum.
Alcohol management
A range of community solutions were suggested by participants to address antisocial behaviour arising from alcohol abuse in Alice Springs. They include:
Alcohol supply reduction
- Minimum pricing benchmark for alcohol
- Reduction in hours for service for takeaway outlets
- Grog Free Day
- Buy-back of liquor licences.
Monitoring and policing
- Vigilant monitoring and enforcement of responsible drinking on licensed premises
- Improving Police response time
- Develop closer relationship between Night Patrol and the Police to target trouble hotspots.
Preventative treatment and rehabilitation
- A holistic approach towards supporting and treating individuals at risk, including more liaison officers, psychologists and health workers
- Gain better understanding as to why people suffer from alcohol abuse and develop appropriate solutions and support to help them break the cycle.
Access
- Improve access to reliable telecommunications, particularly at the town camps, so that people have access to contact the police for emergencies
- Improving access to a range of short-term accommodation available in town.
Young people
There was a general view that there are limited activities that appeal to young people in Alice Springs. This contributes to young people loitering in town when they should be at school and at night.
One participant felt that it was important to intervene and engage youths at risk while they are still in town.
The voice of youth
Youth participants at the forum expressed the importance of consulting with young people, particularly those who are at risk, to “hear the voice of youth”. Participants agreed that it is important to find out the reasons why young people are on the streets and what they would like to participate in.
There was general consensus that there was a need to improve the range of activities for young people in Alice Springs. These activities need to be affordable.
Participants all agree that a whole-of-community approach is needed to engage young people. This was considered a long term objective.
Education, skills development and employment
Participants agree that education, skills development and providing employment opportunities for young people are essential to engaging with young people.
Participants heard about Gap Youth’s programs to deliver courses in multimedia and graphic arts through an internet café that young people access in town. Partnerships have been established with IED and BIITE to deliver some courses through this channel.
Community solutions suggested by participants include:
- Reinforcing the need for and benefits of education to parents, families and communities
- Provide learning opportunities to young people that are relevant and important to improving their lifestyle. For example, literacy and numeracy could be taught based on life experiences.
- Improving transport linkages to enable children and young people to go to schools
- Create better linkages between youth organisations and schools to support young people
- Further develop and strengthen programs focusing on skills development, work experience and mentoring for young people
- Develop better partnerships between school and businesses to prepare young people for work
- Positive stories about successful youths should be profiled in The Advocate to demonstrate to other young people what they could achieve or aspire to.
Young people at risk
For young people at risk, the following additional solutions were suggested:
- For young people at risk, there is a need to proactively follow-through and support them after they complete any programs.
- Community support to provide basic needs for young people at risk, e.g. clothing and food.