Rural Young People Policy

Principles

1. Young people in rural and regional areas of NSW should be given access to services specifically designed to meet their needs, both during times of crisis and in their every day lives.

2. Young people in rural and regional areas of NSW should be actively involved in designing, developing and delivering services and programs in their area. Services need to be developed specifically for rural communities using local knowledge and models of successful service delivery in rural areas.

3. Project models and services need to be created in consultation with local rural young people and service providers, to ensure projects are designed to meet the needs of rural young people and remain grounded in addressing practically the rural experience.

4. Indigenous rural young people and their local communities should be actively engaged in rural youth policy developments. Involvement of indigenous Australians is required in the development, management and staffing of rural youth service projects. Aboriginal Youth networks at local, regional, state and national levels are essential to enable young indigenous Australians to have input into the planning and decision-making processes.

5. All recreational services or projects should be developed with an awareness of gender balance and its impacts on the nature of the service and its delivery. There needs to be an equal distribution of resources so that the recreational and social needs of both boys and girls are met in rural communities.

6. Early intervention with children at risk in the 12-14 year old age group should be made possible through relevant and adequate education, training and work experience opportunities. (See the Education policy).

Goals

7. The Greens NSW believe that the level of youth service provision should be increased in rural areas. In many rural communities crisis services for young people are non-existent or inadequate; this should be immediately rectified in consultation with youth services, local community services and young people.

8. The provision of an adequate, safe, reliable and affordable public transport system in rural and regional NSW is a priority. Lack of transport compounds the isolation experienced by rural young people. Community transport schemes are ideal ways to provide appropriate and affordable transport options for rural young people.

9. Homelessness of young people in rural NSW (for whatever reasons) must be urgently addressed. The Greens NSW support the development of a project model that is based on rural specific supported accommodation service for young people in crisis.

10. This should be addressed to those young people requiring short or long term supported accommodation due to abuse, neglect or exploitation, or because they are geographically isolated from community resources. To address this need, multi-tiered accommodation options are required, including crisis centres, short term and longer housing.

11. Significant resources are required to extend employment and educational opportunities for young people in rural communities. The current trend of young people having to leave rural areas to find employment and education opportunities can be detrimental to the community and the young people.

12. Young people need to have the option to remain in their communities to study and work if they so choose. Flexible models of education delivery such as online learning and video conferencing from regional areas should be funded. Support for cultural, technological and service industries and small business in rural areas will help to increase the employment options for young people.

13. Young people in rural areas need to be able to meet and socialise in safe and supportive environments. They require appropriate recreational activities to be provided at times when they wish to access them such as in the evenings and weekends.

14. Youth friendly services for health, drug and alcohol treatment and rehabilitation and mental health must be available to young people at all times. Training for health professionals on confidentiality obligations and re-assurance to young people regarding confidentiality is required on an ongoing basis.

15. Community arts and media projects such as those run by BIG hART with young people in rural communities should be widely funded and implemented. Such community arts projects assist young people to develop skills, self esteem and gain recognition within the wider community. They support the development of a sense of identity and pride for rural young people. Similarly, projects such as the ABC Heywire, giving rural youth a voice in the wider community, should be supported and extended.

Detail

The Greens NSW:

16. Support the development of an extensive rural youth transport program based on existing successful models of community youth transport schemes such as in the BAT BUS schemes. This model should be extended to all rural areas of NSW;

17. These community transport schemes have the following features:

• 17.1 The coordination of buses, owned by existing local community services and bus companies;

• 17.2 Yearly grants from the state government that pay for a part time coordinator, the hiring of buses and other associated costs;

• 17.3 Volunteer drivers who are remunerated with a meal and travel payment for every four hour shift they work;

• 17.4 The absence of a regular or formal timetable, to allow for local awareness of the dynamic needs of the youth community. Groups of 8 or more young people on a common journey can use the service by arrangement with the coordinator;

• 17.5 On some occasions, many buses running at once to cater for a diversity of destinations and origins; and

• 17.6 The payment of a minimum fee.

18. The Greens NSW will also work towards community and public transport models to be run with vehicles in rural areas that are as sustainable and least environmentally damaging as possible.

19. Support the expansion of travel concession fares to a broader range of young people including young people on low incomes, junior rates of pay, young students, CDEP participants, young apprentices and trainees and all job seekers regardless of breaches imposed at a Commonwealth level. These concessions should also apply to private bus companies which would be subsidised to support travel concessions.

20. Advocate that all local and shire councils create formal positions of Youth Development Officers (YDO), and Community Service Officers (CSO). The objectives of these positions would be the successful and relevant delivery of youth services.

21. Advocate that all local and shire councils be required to have a youth consultation and participation strategy and that the Department of Local Government monitor the involvement of young people in developing and delivering Council’s Social Plans.

22. Training and support should be provided to young people participating in boards and committees. Models of youth participation in services and local councils should be trialled and showcased.

23. Believe that the managing bodies of any project or service development should have representation and involvement by the local indigenous community, girls and women, and other relevant groups within the local community.

24. Will work toward a rural-specific youth housing service. The service would be multi-tiered, so that a range of supported accommodation options can be offered from the one service.

25. The service would operate in coordination with existing youth and community services, and would assist young people in accessing community resources.

26. The development, management and staff of the service would have representatives and involvement from the local youth communities

27. Accommodation services would provide supported accommodation for young mothers, young people with drug and alcohol problems and young people with mental health issues.

28. After appropriate consultation, support the development of local and regional indigenous Australian resource networks consistent with local Aboriginal Land council boundaries. These local and regional networks, as well as regular state-wide and national meetings, will provide young indigenous Australians with opportunities for input into planning and decision making processes at all levels of government.

29. Support the development and application of models of rural youth participation in services and local councils and the showcasing of successful projects and models.

30. Support the funding of programs for local job creation initiatives in rural areas. We support the diversification of employment opportunities by subsidising cultural, technological and service industries in rural areas;

31. Support the funding of community arts and creative media programs for young people in rural communities such as the BIG hART project and the ABC Heywire project. These projects promote skill development and a sense of identity and pride for rural young people. We support the revitalisation and extension of the IDENT music program to rural areas and increased funding for rural areas for Youth Week.

32. Support the promotion of strategies to improve negative community and media perceptions of young people in rural communities.

33. Support the funding for existing youth community facilities and services to purchase entertainment and recreational equipment and to extend opening hours to evenings and weekends.

34. Support the revitalisation and expansion of youth health services to rural areas and commitment of funds to the Innovative Health Services for Homeless Youth (IHSHY) services. We support the development of strategies to address concerns over confidentiality of young people in rural areas.

35. Support increased drug and alcohol treatment and rehabilitation services specifically for young people and funding to increase the “youth friendliness” of drug and alcohol services.

36. Support the provision of specialist adolescent mental health services in rural areas, including acute care units.

37. Support strategies to improve safety for young people in rural areas. Provision of safe spaces in towns on evenings and weekends with appropriate recreational activities are required. We advocate the inclusion of young people in local safety committees and safety audits.

38. Support funding regional support and co-ordination programs to improve service delivery through existing community based models. We support funding grants to employ full time co-ordinators for all services in regional and rural areas wishing to amalgamate.

39. Support funding for online local and state service directories for young people.

40. Support the development of flexible learning initiatives for young people in rural areas including the use of supported online learning and video conferencing from regional centres.

41. Support the establishment of adequate support services for young people experiencing discrimination on the basis of sexual preference.