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To address youth offending, we must look to the evidence of what works
Last Thursday Jesuit Social Services joined Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton, community leaders and experts at a youth summit to discuss one the most important issues facing our state: the involvement of young people in serious and violent crime. Is it a positive step forward that the youth crime rate had been steadily dropping…
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Youth skills help build a more just future for all
With youth unemployment rising in Australia, it’s harder than ever for young people to land their first job. SEZ WILKS argues for employment programs that teach not only technical skills, but life skills, too. On July 15th each year, Jesuit Social Services joins the international community in celebrating UN World Youth Skills Day. For the…
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The National Aboriginal Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC) grew out of the recognition that the celebration of Australia Day presented a one-sided image of Australia’s history. It focused narrowly on the disruption to existing culture and life in Australia through the arrival of the First Fleet at Sydney cove. It grew into a national public holiday.…
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No 'one size fits all' solutions to youth unemployment
In an election focused on ‘jobs and growth’ both major parties have addressed youth unemployment. But the proposals of neither party will meet adequately the needs of the most severely disadvantaged young jobseekers. They ignore the human reality. Youth unemployment is now at its highest peak since the late 1990s. The average number of young…
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Calling for Just Justice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with cognitive impairments
In the Northern Territory, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with cognitive impairments are being indefinitely detained in prison despite not being charged. In 2014 the Australian Human Rights Commission found that the inability of both the Commonwealth and Northern Territory Governments to provide adequate accommodation and support services for four Indigenous men with disabilities…
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New mental health funding model brings uncertainty and instability
Yesterday (June 9), Professor Patrick McGorry from Orygen, the world-leading youth mental health program, ensured that mental health is given the focus it deserves during the federal election campaign with a powerful address to the National Press Club. Professor McGorry called for government spending on mental health to increase from 7 per cent to 13…
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Helping Aboriginal children stay out of the justice system
For many 13-year-olds, life revolves around school, hanging out with friends, spending time with family and extracurricular activities like sport or learning a musical instrument. But that wasn’t the case for Sarah*, aged 13, when she was first referred to Jesuit Social Services’ Barreng Moorop program. Barreng Moorop is a small intensive case management program…
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National Sorry Day: "The Apology is not an event. It is a way of life."
It seems an age since the Australian Parliament apologised to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children taken away from their parents. At the time it seemed a brand new day; even now, children continue to catch the freshness of what was done and are inspired by it. But the condition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders…
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Community legal centre cuts will hurt the most vulnerable
This National Law Week, Jesuit Social Services has joined a coalition of organisations from the legal and social services sectors to support the Law Institute of Australia’s Legal Aid Matters campaign. The campaign calls for urgent improvements to legal assistance funding at state and federal levels, including an increase of the Commonwealth’s share of legal…
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Youth unemployment scheme must meet the needs of the most vulnerable jobseekers
Youth unemployment is one of the most important issues facing our nation and this week’s 2016-17 Federal Budget contains some positive initiatives and investments towards addressing this. Jesuit Social Services believes that a $750 million investment into assisting young people with the transition from education to employment is a step in the right direction, however…