- Supporting positive environments for young people;
- Building social connectedness;
- Enhancing young people participation;
- Prevention and early intervention services as a focus; and
- Building a collaborative service environment
Many of the MyCentre programs will be developed to address four broad themes identified in the Hume Youth Strategy 2010 - 2013. These themes are also reflected in the Hume City Council Social Justice Charter Action Plans, which include:
- Inform
- Access and Opportunity
- Participate
- Advocate
Inform
Facts- By 2031, Hume’s population of young people aged 10 -24 years is expected to grow to 51,761.
- Just over one in three young people speak a language other than English at home. Turkish, followed by Arabic and Assyrian are most common.
- In 2006, 65.5% of family households within Hume had some form of internet connection, 6.6% less than the Melbourne average.
(Hume City Council, Young People, Profile and Demographics Projected Populations 2009).
- Lack of information in community languages regarding local activities and events;
- Many services for youth are limited or provided on an outreach basis from agencies physically located outside of Hume;
- The capacity to provide access and utilise internet-based communication.
MyCentre will capitalise on the positive profiles of youth developed with IISNA through partnerships formed with the following organisations:
- Australian Football League (AFL) Multicultural Program;
- Essendon Football Club Multicultural Program – Extend a Hand Project, Unity Cup 2008 – 2010;
- North Melbourne Football Club, Life and Learning Centre-Unity Cup 2010 and Community Programs.
- New Australia Media - bringing the voices of the marginalised, ethnic minorities, immigrants, young people and the elderly, into the national discourse. Communities will then be better informed, better connected and better able to influence policy makers for facilities and programs in their area.
- Australian Federal Police, Community Liaison Team – Programs centred around hi-tech crime, proper usage of the internet, how to report crimes on the internet.
- Hume Global Learning Village – To facilitate the use of the Centre and incorporate projects, programs and enhance communication with the diverse youth community, to foster the themes and work in collaboration to meet many objectives of the Hume City Council, Learning Together 2 (LT2) 2007 – 2010 strategy.
- The Islamic Council of Victoria, North Melbourne Legal Service, Muslim Legal Network, the Victorian Arabic Social Service, and the African Think Tank – Legal Information Seminars for Young CALD members of the community. These seminars aim to empower young people in dealing with the law and provide the required legal information for everyday issues facing CALD and newly arrived migrant communities, e.g. gambling, public transport fare evasion, speeding fines and unemployment benefits.
Access and Opportunity
Facts- There are over 860 children and young people in Hume with profound or severe disabilities.
(Hume City Council Research Department Nov 2008) - Hume has experienced higher rates of youth accessing mental health services compared to the rest of Victoria.
(DHS, Mental Health and Drugs Division, as at 25 February 2009) - Hume has a higher proportion of residents receiving Centrelink payments compared to both Metropolitan Melbourne and Victoria.
(Centrelink, June 2008)
- According to the Hume Youth Strategy 2010 – 2013, there is an increasing number of young people and families from CALD refugee backgrounds and lack of services to accommodate their needs. There is also a lack of transport and appropriate facilities af ter hours / weekends for young people with disabilities.
- MyCentre programs and projects will address many of these gaps. MyCentre will be conveniently located near Broadmeadows station and the Broadmeadows Shopping Centre, allowing access via walking, riding, car, train and bus.
- The Centre is proposed to be open seven days per week with planned activities and programs scheduled for most evenings. These programs will be run at minimal cost to participants.
- Current partnerships between IISNA and many Australian Muslim Sports identities, including AFL Footballer, Bachar Houli; and, Indigenous role model and Boxing world champion, Anthony Mundine, will be utilised to address the apparent lack of role models for increasing numbers of Muslim and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Youth in the region.
- The facilities at MyCentre, including the indoor basketball, soccer, volleyball and tennis courts will not only accommodate the needs of a growing youth population, but also be widely accessible by the increasing number of young people with profound and severe disabilities.
- Consultation with the Football Federation of Victoria and Scope (Vic) will examine the feasibility of developing Wheelchair Football, a sport for people of all abilities.
- Finally, access to childcare facilities on site, will encourage many of Hume’s young mothers to attend and partake in recreational activities, educational classes and leadership programs, providing them with the requisite skills to take on life’s challenges and provide an opportunity to gain meaningful employment or referral to correct support services.
Participate
Facts- The number of young people, aged 15 – 24 who are not in paid employment or attending any formal education in Hume is significantly higher (11.9%) than the Melbourne percentage of 7.4%. These rates are higher for women.
- Within Hume, Broadmeadow’s Youth Disengagement rate is double that of the Melbourne rate at 15.6%. Disengagement rates are higher for females across all areas within Hume, particularly within Broadmeadows.
- According to the Issues and Ideas paper of the Hume Youth Strategy 2010 – 2013, disengaged young people in Hume have limited pathways to employment, training and alternative education. There is a lack of alternative, accessible and af fordable events.
- Existing partnerships between IISNA and large sporting bodies including the AFL and Football Federation Victoria; not-for-profit organisations, such as Sports Without Borders; Government departments, such as the Victoria Police and the Australian Federal Police; and the support of the local business network, will provide a fantastic foundation for future sporting, leadership programs and alternative education, including drugs, stress and depression, body image and personal safety classes for people of the region.
- Consultation will be conducted with women’s sporting bodies, mental health services and the Hume Global Learning Village to establish further the programs at MyCentre, increasing its outreach to those in need and increasing participation across Hume.
- Many of the MyCentre programs will be developed to meet objectives outlined in the Learning Together Strategy 2 (LT2). These programs include the development of a homework club; leadership programs; increased youth participation in sport, arts and culture; and the development of intergenerational programs for older people to exchange learning, skills and knowledge with young people.
Advocate
Facts- High numbers of assaults by young people aged 15 – 24 committed in Hume, as well as increasing general crime rates including theft, graffiti and damage to property. Young people also report they are experiencing increased bullying in school and online / text cyber bullying.
- Limited relationships with Victoria Police (local police stations) have created a gap in the way police and youth workers communicate with each other.
- An underdeveloped locally coordinated platform for young people to advocate for themselves for youth related services and issues.
- MyCentre is located in close proximity to Broadmeadows Police station and will look to capitalise on the existing positive and collaborative working relationship that IISNA currently has with the Victoria Police (Region 3) and the Australian Federal Police, Community Liaison Team.
- Many programs have been successfully run for the Multicultural Muslim youth of Melbourne, including the Extend a Hand project, held in partnership with the AFP and the Essendon Football Club, to promote positive Muslim role models, address issues of law enforcement and promote ‘real’ friendships between local police officers and youth.
- Further programs in conjunction with the Muslim Legal Network, Victoria Police, AFP, Broadmeadows Courts and Council will be looked at to address concerns, educate and empower the youth through face to face interaction and building long lasting relationships.
Conclusions
“The regular practice of appropriate physical activities and sports provides people, male and female of all ages and conditions, including persons with disability with a wide range of physical, social and mental health benefits.” (World Health Organisation, 2003)The use of sport / recreational activities is a powerful way to access and involve CALD young people in their local community. Supporting CALD young people needs a cooperative and collaborative approach from the young person, their family and the agencies involved. MyCentre will serve to address these concerns through all of its programs, staff and partners.
