Youth Homelessness Inquiry - Australian National Youth Commission

[TorR]

Hi Everyone,

My name’s Tor and I’m a researcher with the new Australian National Youth Commission Inquiry into Youth Homelessness.

This Inquiry is the first independent, national look at homelessness since Brian Burdekin published Our Homeless Children in 1989 when he was working at the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission.

As part of our research, we’ve been travelling around Australia, talking to young people and to services. We’ve heard about some of the problems young people face and we’ve also heard quite a few stories about young people overcoming really difficult situations. We want to hear more and we want to listen to young people’s ideas about what should be done.

Could you help us with the project? We have a website at www.nyc.net.au where you can find out more about the Inquiry, send us submissions or just make a few comments. By the way, we’re funded by the Caledonia Foundation, which is a charity, which means we are completely independent of government.

We’re going to be making some recommendations to the community and to government about helping young homeless people when we’ve finished our research so any help you can give us could make a difference.

Thanks and looking forward to hearing from you…

[Tom.]

Hello TorR ....

Here is a copy of the Welcome that I posted to Louise .... I hope that you don't mind sharing it ? A warm welcome to you also from a spring morning in the UK.

I applaud your project or if you prefer inquiry ... I'm in the Uk so I'm not of much use to you, but never the less It's good to see activity like your's happening.

I hope that these forums will prove to be of great benefit to you. Understanding the issues of homelessness has got to be the first step forward towards finding a solution to the homeless situation, and getting to the roots of those issues is the only realistic method of doing so.

[Dominic]

Welcome both Louise and Tor from the National Youth Comission.

Feel free anyone to comment in this thread, you can make an official submission / comment via the website Tor mentioned.

From the website, here is what they are researching:

1. To document the history of policy, programs and initiatives by Federal, State and Territory governments to assist homeless youth.

2. To identify the issues that prevent homeless young people from connecting with their local community and participating in the broader society as active citizens.

3. To draw attention to positive and negative changes affecting homeless young people since the last national independent inquiry on youth homelessness by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission in 1989.

4. To report on the adequacy of existing services and programs, as well as identifying innovative initiatives for responding to the needs of homeless young people.

5. To recommend actions that should be taken by various stakeholders and government authorities to resolve and ameliorate the problem of youth homelessness within a broad policy framework from prevention to post-supported accommodation.

6. To explore the basis for a renewed national accord between the Commonwealth and the states and territories and between government and the community on the issue of youth homelessness.

[LouiseG]

Hi Tom and Dominic

thanks for the warm welcome. this is the first time I've used a discussion list like this and I can see I will enjoy it.

I thought I'd let you know a little more about the NYC inquiry. Dominic has posted our terms of reference--many thanks.

There are four commissioners involved in the inquiry, all of whom have had a long interest in homelessness issues in Australia.

Major David Eldridge is the Chair, and is from the Salvation Army. He's currently based in Geelong. He's chaired two national taskforces and has made major contributions to homelessness and youth policy in Australia.

Ms Narelle Clay AM has served on national committees and peak bodies and works tirelessly as the CEO of Southern Youth and Family Services in Woollongong.

Father Wally Dethlefs was one of the three HEROC Commissioners in the Burdekin Inquiry in 1989 and has been a leader in the Queensland youth sector over many years.

Associate Professor David MacKenzie is a leading Australian researcher on homelessness and youth policy. David has also served on national committees in the homelessness sector.

The commissioners are heading this inquiry because they all think that now is the time to make the social investments that are necessary to eradicate homelessness in Australia. The inquiry is all about what is needed to do this. When the report is finished (due out April 2008) then it will be distributed to all Australian governments and to the community.

As a researcher I think the real challenge is getting evidence and really honest appraisals about what the problems are and what needs to be done from young homeless people themselves and their friends and families--and not just service providers and policy makers who have their own perspectives and interests.

For example, after reading through a few threads in the Oz homelessness forums I have learnt more about hostels and refuges from the people who use them than from the people that run them.

I look forward to hearing what people think about this inquiry. And just another thought, I'm wondering what differences and similarities there are in the experience of homelessness for young people in Australia and young people in other countries?

many thanks for taking the time to read this post

Louise

[Tom.]

And just another thought, I'm wondering what differences and similarities there are in the experience of homelessness for young people in Australia and young people in other countries?

Hello again Louise ...

With the above quote in mind below is a link to ..' centre point ' .. which is a charity based organisation for young homeless people here in the UK. Maybe you could establish some lines of communication by making your website known to them.

http://www.centrepoint.org.uk/ ... Email: info@centrepoint.org

Also,

As a researcher I think the real challenge is getting evidence and really honest appraisals about what the problems are and what needs to be done from young homeless people themselves and their friends and families--and not just service providers and policy makers who have their own perspectives and interests.

With this (above quote) I could not agree more. Even though I'm homeless I have sat on various meetings regarding homelessness and found it so frustrating and annoying when I hear those people that would have us to believe that they are representing us talk a load of utter ..' codswallop ' ..There are far too many people talking about the homeless, but not enough talking to the homeless people. It's as though we [being the homeless] are not capable of entering into debate for ourselves, or not having anything valuable to contribute to the conversation. We have become a product as opposed to being human beings.

Stereotyping is a common enemy to homeless people, and many employed within the homeless industry are guilty of this .. whether by default, or by professional design for their own financial interests.

That is why I applaud what you are doing with the NYC .. It's grass roots stuff ... and it's long overdo here in Great Britain.

[sk8r_rat]

Hey,

I recently had the priveledge of being interviewed by the panel previously mentioned as part of the Inquiry. Two of my friends and I were supported by Brisbane Youth Service to tell our stories and have the opportunity to have our say on what should be done about youth homelessness. I was very much impressed by the quality of questioning from the panel and their interest in our perspectives and opinions.

I always try to speak up as much as possible, but I really valued that opportunity in that I could see that those doing the inquiry were going to do everything they could to hear young people's concerns and take action on those.

The only thing that I'm concerned with in terms of the inquiry is that no action will be taken at all. Earlier this year I also participated in the Queensland Youth Drug Summit, pouring my heart out about my experiences with the services in the youth drug and alcohol sector and the lack of detox and rehab facilities for under eighteens in Queensland. It was a great experience, but one that I put a lot of enough into and in the end came to nothing. The Queensland Government hosted the summit and the Premier and also Minister for Communities were in attendance, but so far no committment has been made to uphold any of the recommendations made by the participants of the drug summit.

As an Australian, a young person, and somebody who has experienced homelessness for two out of the last three years, I believe that the system is at crisis point. Want to go to detox in Queensland? There's ONE 11 day detox service in Queensland for under eighteens. ONE. Want to go to rehab? If you're like I was, under eighteen, a girl, and would feel unsafe living with men eight years your senior, your choice is Mackay. ONE rehab in queensland for girls. For boys, it's not much better.

We're talking about kids here. If a child has enough strength to give away every coping mechanism they have and deal with their pain for a life free of drugs, they should be given that opportunity. It's pretty obvious that child welfare is not a priority in Queensland.

I think more needs to be done also to inform kids of their options BEFORE they end up on the streets. The streets can be fun and exciting at first and it's not long before kids have been out there a few months and are already drug fucked, traumatised and with a crimminal record. I quickly learnt about all the services that could help me out, but if I had known about them before I left home, I might have never ended up on the streets.

I could go on forever about how the state of systems, services and society don't give homeless young people a fair go. I made it, and now I've got a job and a place to live, a dog, a pantry with food and an ok relationship with my parents. But so many of my friends are still out there battling the street life, let down by the Australian government and predijuces of society.

They derserve a chance. I hope the recommendations of the inquiry are implemented and we see some positive change for young people.

Sk8r girl. 19 yrs.

[Dominic]

Good on you sk8r girl... an inquiry like this will help and I'm so pleased you were able to contribute.

I will be doing a submission and I'm really interested to read the final report for my own learning. It will be something everyone involved in responding to homelessness can use in some way potentially. Already there is media interest and there will be more, government departments will be interested in the findings also. Of course we won't get what we want entirely but the research will help once published for us to point to in funding applications to highlight aspects of the findings different organisations want money to work on.

I believe it will contribute to an overall effect on where the services are and where they will aspire to head. But realistically so much change is needed that it will I think be like providing a new heading so a huge ship can slowly alter course towards the right heading. It will take time, but the new insight will at least help in the navigational process.

So much has changed since Burdekin's 'Our Homeless Children' report in 1989. When I started it was only 5 years old in 1994 and the most significant research, now it's 18 years old so much has changed (largely for the positive - but obviously not enough).

[LouiseG]

hello everyone who has taken an interest in the NYC.

thanks for your tip tom about centrepoint in the uk. i've been having a look there and its a great website. i especially enjoy reading people's stories, which is the main reason i found this website fascinating. we actually had some feedback from someone in the USA asking about whether they could contribute to discussions on our website (www.nyc.net.au). i'm sure they found out about us through these discussions which is fabulous. if the discussion on our website is anywhere as insightful as the ones here than we should be able to gather heaps of valuable evidence to use in our report.

it was great to hear from you sk8r_girl. i'd actually noticed a few of posts in other threads and was going to post you to see if you could come share you wisdom on the nyc website. then it turns out you've already contributed. i've told the commissioners to come and have a look at this discussion. I'm sure they'll be pleased with your positive response to them. and i'm sure they'll also share your concern that "no action will be taken at all". As Dominic said the media interest is positive and it is important to contribute research that can hopefully be used to influence things. we are very aware of needing to make an impact on what gets done, but also what gets thought about homelessness. our perspective is long term and over the next year the plan is to do extensive research and to raise public awareness. hopefully the report and a documentary on youth homelessness (based in sydney) will be ready to launch next year during National Youth Week (which includes the Youth Homelessness Matters Day)

importantly i think the inquiry can have a real impact when there's been extensive consultation not just with services, youth workers, govt depts, policy makers, politicians, etc, but when there has been a great input from those most expert on youth homelessness in australia ie young homeless people and young people who have experienced it. Hate to be a nag but I'd like to encourage you guys and anyone who is reading this discussion to come visit the nyc website and help liven it up!! There are discussions on "being homeless" and "early intervention" and "causes of homelessness" and a few others.

Look forward to getting your submission too Dominic. you're right how so much has changed since burdekin, but not enough. i can't wait to read what you have to say about the post-burdekin world and your ideas about what we can do to improve it. this website you have set up is actually a great example of what can be done. congratulations.

talk soon
Louise

[Dominic]

I didn't end up having time to make a submission to the NYC inquiry into youth homeless issues. But I am interested in reading the report. Is it available online? I heard it was released today!?

[sk8r_rat]

I heard that as well, I made submissions and would love to read it, if anybody finds out where to get a copy of the National Youth Commission Inquiry into Youth Homelessness, let us know!!! Thanks.

[sk8r_rat]

This is the link: http://www.nyc.net.au/files/Australi...less_Youth.pdf for the NYC Youth Homelessness Inquiry report, I saved a copy, will be good to see if anything comes out of all the work everybody's put into the report.

[bradcapo2]

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