The Australian Government is investing over $100 million over the next decade to 2022 in the Youth in Communities Program, a major youth initiative that is helping thousands of young Indigenous people in the Northern Territory become more engaged with school, work and community life.
Youth in Communities supports local diversionary activities in remote communities for Indigenous youth aged 10-20 years, particularly those at risk of substance abuse, suicide or self-harm, entering the justice system and disengagement from education, training, employment and community. Organisations are currently funded until June 2014.
Youth in Communities Project Information |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
Funded Organisation |
Communities |
Total Funding 2012-14 GST excl |
Project Description |
|
Anglicare NT |
Nhulunbuy, Birritjimi, |
$300,000 |
Oversee implementation of Gove Peninsula Youth Action Plan Priorities; develop MOU/working together partnerships and good practice principles; deliver targeted suicide awareness and intervention workshops; co-deliver targeted services in partnership; manage brokerage for a considered/planned/supported crisis response. |
|
Anindilyakwa Land Council |
Groote Eylandt, Bickerton Island, |
$290,000 |
Continue to implement the 'It's our future' youth strategy. The funds may be provided to contract providers with relevant expertise in the area or may be used directly by ALC to implement areas of the youth strategy. |
|
Australian Football League NT |
Galiwinku, Wadeye |
$500,000 |
Football themed community enhancement programs which align strongly with the six key aims and objectives of YIC. Continuation of remote football projects. |
|
Australian Red Cross |
Tiwi Islands, Daly River |
$900,000 |
Build on learnings from the past and implement a roving program coordinator model to support the delivery of a range of recreation and youth enterprise activities across the Tiwi Islands and Nauiyu. |
|
CatholicCare NT |
Barkly Region |
$300,000 |
Increase the capacity and quality of services to young people in the Barkly region through: workforce development including skills development for people working in youth services in the areas of mental health, suicide prevention and intervention, AOD and community work; external monitoring to youth workers through trained mentors; increasing qualification levels of youth workers in the Barkly region through supported Cert IV training. |
|
East Arnhem Shire Council |
Angurugu, Yirrkala, Gapuwiyak, |
$3,460,000 |
Recruitment and upskilling of youth workers and trainees; health and wellbeing activities; diversionary activities; case management; development and implementation of youth advisory councils where appropriate. |
|
Julalikari Council Aboriginal Corporation |
Tennant Creek |
$143,228 |
Drop in centre on Thursday nights. |
|
Laynhapuy Homelands Association Inc. |
Laynhapuy Homelands |
$910,000 |
Health and Wellbeing including sports, social media, nutrition, cooking, bush medicine and food, community gardens, school holiday camps; Training and Education including numeracy and literacy, computer literacy, transfer of cultural knowledge, referrals to other training eg Cert IV; Leadership including workshops and camps, youth advisory council and role models; and Managing at risk behaviour through collaboration with other youth agencies, mentoring and targeted diversion activities. |
|
MacDonnell Shire Council |
Amoonguna, Areyonga |
$4,500,000 |
Delivery of youth development services in nine communities, plus extension to a further three. |
|
Malabam Health Board Aboriginal Corporation |
Maningrida |
$760,000 |
Youth activities specifically targeting - strengthening social networks of young people across various age and clan groups, improving self-esteem through achievements of young people and positive reinforcement, cultural activities linking up young people with community elders, diversionary activities for young people who engage in alcohol and substance abuse, criminal activity or antisocial behaviour, developing job skills and promotion of employment, life skills, case management, education including suicide prevention, sexual health, relationships, hygiene and smoking, and physical health promotion. |
|
Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara Yankunyt-jatjara (NPY) Women’s Council |
Apatula (Finke), Imanpa, Kaltukatjara (Docker River), Mutitjulu |
$2,340,000 |
Case management activities including suicide and substance misuse, youth leadership and support including education and employment, community consultation, engagement and advocacy to deliver effective support and services for Anangu and Yarnangu across NPY Lands, youth recreation and diversion activities including increased support during school holidays. |
|
Relationships Australia - Northern Territory |
RANT to provide mentoring support across the NT |
$240,000 |
Provide personal development and mentoring support to youth workers and youth worker trainee employed by YiC providers. |
|
Roper Gulf Shire Council |
Ngukurr, Numbulwar and |
$1,960,000 |
Provide effective diversion for indigenous youth from at risk behaviours, improving life choices and outcomes by encouraging them in positive activities that promote pathways to better health and wellbeing, community capacity building and participation in school, work and social networks. |
|
TEAMHealth |
Darwin, Palmerston, Batchelor, |
$300,000 |
Provide early intervention training and education - delivering engagement and education program/s such as DrumBeat, Mental Health First Aid (Standard and Aboriginal) to targeted groups and particular needs groups identified in service areas, to increase help seeking capacity and mental health literacy relevant to the community context. |
|
Thamarrurr Development Corporation |
Wadeye |
$550,000 |
Service to build on existing services run from the Social and Emotional Wellbeing Centre including: Counselling and case management; Monthly Family Cookups; Art Diversion; Australian Indigenous Warrior Program; and |
|
Warlpiri Youth Development Aboriginal Corporation |
Lajamanu, Willowra, Nyirrpi and |
$667,000 |
Continuation of existing YiC services of outreach coordinator based at Yuendumu who supervises two youth workers in each of Lajamanu, Nyirrpi and Willowra, and one Lajamanu youth worker and operational costs for Lajamanu program as well as extension of program to Willowra and Nyirrpi. Further options are provided for infrastructure at Yuendemu. |
|
West Arnhem Shire Council |
Gunbalanya |
$560,074 |
Funding will be used to: Establish leadership and mentoring groups; Youth diversion activities including sport and rec, art and music; and increase employment and training opportunities for youth. |
YMCA of Katherine |
Katherine, Binjari, Rockhole, |
$750,000 |
Increase educational and employment opportunities, develop life skills, Drug and alcohol education, mental health awareness and education, cultural activities, Duke of Edinburgh, Support to other service organisations, Youth and family support, Holiday activities for youth, Diversionary activities, Community engagement. |
|
Young Men’s Christian Association of the Top End Inc |
Palmerston |
$710,000 |
YMCA Palmerston Youth Education, Employment and Community Program, including peer mentoring and pre-employment skill development pathways, improving school attendance, referrals and case management. YMCA Belyuen Education, Employment and Community Program, including as above for Palmerston as well as engaging with boarding schools |
Program Evaluation – Final Report
Courage Partners was engaged by the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs to conduct an evaluation of the Youth in Communities program. The evaluation commenced in July 2010 and was finalised in June 2012. The final evaluation of the program showed participants are more engaged at school and with their peers, are involving themselves more in cultural programs, sport and leadership activities, and are benefiting from higher self-esteem.
The evaluation also found that organisations supported by Youth in Communities had successfully strengthened their service models to deliver better outcomes for young people. This includes developing more gender-specific programs to improve participation among young males, offering youth work traineeships to help create sustainable local employment opportunities, and strengthening relationships with local elders.
Final Report Final Evaluation of Youth in Communities 
PDF [2.31MB] / 
DOCX [1.80MB]