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March 2023 Edition
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March saw key Homelessness data and reports released
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ABS homelessness data was released this week
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Q Shelter released their latest policy and investment framework this week:
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Green Light for Controversial Youth Justice Bill
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Following 3 days of debate, new laws to get tough on youth crime passed Queensland parliament last week. The government's bill makes breach of bail a crime for children, alleged car thieves who post footage of their offending on social media will be spending more time behind bars and bail laws have been tightened.
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Experts have voiced significant concerns about these laws such as breach of bail changes, cautioning they would see higher numbers of children imprisoned if they missed a reporting appointment or broke curfew. Concerns were also raised about the uneven consequences the legislation will have on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.
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PeakCare Queensland and Youth Advocacy Centre are leading the campaign to get smarter, not tougher on youth crime. QYHC is proud to be involved.
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Queensland Care Consortium
The Queensland Government has committed $750,000, part of an almost $2 million three-year package, towards grants funding for not-for-profit community organisations, industry organisations, an enterprise or group of enterprises to design and implement projects to meet the gaps in local workforce planning and development.
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The funding is available through the newly formed Queensland Care Consortium (QCC) which supports the development of the health and community services workforce and will seek to develop and deliver practical workforce solutions driven by industry, for industry.
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The QCC is a partnership between Jobs Queensland, CheckUP Australia, the Community Services Industry Alliance (CSIA), Queensland Council of Social Services (QCOSS) and The Services Union.
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Round one funding applications are open until 24 March 2023. Find more here.
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New approach to save lives
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Queensland’s Police Drug Diversion program will be expanded to include the minor possession of all types of drugs by implementing a new tiered approach:
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- 1st minor drug-possession offence - a police officer issues a warning, accompanied by a drug warning notice and a police referral to a support service.
- 2nd and 3rd minor drug-possession offence - a police officer offers the opportunity for the person to participate in a mandatory Drug Diversion Assessment Program.
- 4th minor drug-possession offence - a police officer issues the offender with a notice to appear in court.
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Queensland Police will have new powers when it comes to dealing with people found with small quantities of drugs. It is about helping people, who are often young, by providing a tiered health response.
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Campaign calls on State Government to make renting fair
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Over 50 organisations across the housing and community sector are calling on the State Government to make Queensland’s rental laws fairer in the midst of the state’s housing crisis.
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The Make Renting Fair Alliance of which QYHC is a member is calling on the State Government to take real action to address the state’s rental crisis by introducing laws to limit rent increases at no more than ten per cent above inflation, and only once per year.
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The Make Renting Fair campaign welcomed the news Tuesday 21st March that the State Government is considering capping rent increases. This announcement comes at a time when Queensland’s rental market is at crisis point, with record high prices and the lowest housing availability on record. In 2022, the average rental increase in Queensland was over $100 per week. Some renters had their rent increase by over $300 per week.
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Last Wednesday, the Make Renting Fair campaign called on the State Government to take real action to address the state’s rental crisis by introducing laws to limit rent increases at no more than ten per cent above the consumer price index, and only once per year. Improving protections for and experiences of renting households is a vital part of a healthier housing system in Queensland, with keeping rents affordable a key part of that.
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Ms Carr, Tenants Queensland CEO and member of the MRFQ Alliance said, “Members of the Make Renting Fair Alliance will be attending next Tuesday’s Housing Roundtable where Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced rental caps will be discussed, and we look forward to finding out more about the State Government’s plans to improve conditions for renters. We congratulate the Premier for putting this important issue on the table”.
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QYHC is looking forward to discussing rental reform and the diverse needs of homeless and at risk young people at this Roundtable.
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Read the full media releases here and here Read more about the campaign and sign the petition here.
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Housing in the News
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Housing affordability is impacting the nation. With soaring house prices, rental hikes and a shortage of homes, it’s a national crisis. With social and affordable housing demand skyrocketing, specialist youth homelessness services are backlogged. Young people are locked out of almost all housing options.
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Here’s QYHCs 2023 Youth Homelessness Matters Day Poster. Please feel free to distribute and print and share on social media. Download PDF here.
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Youth Homelessness Matters Day
Youth Homelessness Matters Day is the annual national awareness day for youth homelessness in Australia. It’s a day of celebration, learning and understanding and advocacy and is happening on Wednesday 19 April.
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This YHMD 2023, we are calling on the federal government to develop a standalone National Child and Youth Homelessness and Housing Strategy.
For too long, the specific and complex needs of children and young people who are homeless or at risk have been assumed to be the same as those of adults and subsequently not explicitly addressed in government policy and plans to address homelessness.
As the Labor Government commits to developing a National Housing and Homelessness Plan, we are calling for a commitment to develop a strategy specifically for children and young people.
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Queensland Youth Week is an annual celebration of young people aged 12 to 25 years and the positive contributions they make to Queensland. This year Queensland Youth Week will be held from 11–17 April.
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During the week individuals and organisations across the state will host events and activities in celebration of young people – read more here.
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Human Rights Training
The Queensland Human Rights Commission is providing training sessions including:
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- Introduction to the Human Rights Act
- Introduction to the Anti-discrimination Act
- Human Rights Act for Community Advocates
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Trauma-responsive care LGBTIQ+ young people and their families
Alongside young people and specialists across education and health, Open Doors Youth Service has developed a series of professional development opportunities. This interactive training utilises current research to provide an introduction to trauma-responsive care and LGBTIQAP+ Sistergirl and Brotherboy affirming practice.
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Tuesday 15 April and Wednesday 28 June 2023.
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Lighthouse Training
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Rebuilding Relationship After Trauma and Violence -This 2 day workshop offers an opportunity to consider the potential detrimental impacts of growing up in a family system where there may be neglect, abuse, DFV, emotionally absent parent or similar.
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13 and 14 April 2023 – register here.
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Youth Mental Health First Aid - Participants will receive an introduction to mental health, mental health problems and mental health first aid; must complete self-paced online module first; second module being delivered via zoom on 5 May 2023 – register here.
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This is a unique opportunity for youth workers to join a state-wide online Community of Practice (CoP) to explore practice frameworks that help improve ethical and effective youth work. There are six pre-planned sessions throughout the year. Interested in joining? Find out more here Youth Affairs Network Queensland
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2023 QCPW Award Nominations Now Open
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Nominations are now open for the 2023 Queensland Child Protection Week Awards. You can nominate professionals, volunteers and initiatives that have demonstrated an exceptional commitment to child protection. Nominations close on 19 May 2023 – find out more here.
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2023 QCPW Grant Applications Now Open
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Regional Grants of $5,000 are available for each of the six regional areas of Queensland. Funding submissions must reflect collaboration with a minimum of five other agencies within the region – apply here.
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Grants of up to $1000 are available to non-government organisations, community organisations and networks to hold events – apply here.
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Not for profit groups can apply for a one off grant payment of $5,000 to promote child protection messages within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities – apply here.
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All grants close on Friday 12 May 2023.
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Multicultural Queensland Awards
Nominations for the 2023 Multicultural Queensland Awards are now open. The awards recognise individuals and organisations who support people from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds across the state.
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Nominations close on Wednesday 5 April 2023. Winners will be announced during Multicultural Queensland Month in August.
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INFORMATION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
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QDN-Y Online Support Group is on!
Queensland Disability Network (QDN) is inviting young people with disability living in Queensland to participate in their QDN-Y online peer support group. This support group will be held on the last Monday of the month from 3pm to 5pm on zoom. The next group will be 24 April 2023.
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Seeking Talented Youth Actors
Mind Blanks is a mental health promotion charity seeking young talented actors to become part of their acting ensemble in Brisbane and surrounding areas.
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If you know any local young talented creative artists who would love a chance to make a real difference in the community, Mind Blank has a wonderful opportunity to provide:
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- paid casual employment to support a creative career
- social education and youth development experience
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Register now to perform
Registrations are now open for young people who are interested in performing at the Inala First Nations Youth Festival on Monday 3 April, 2023.
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Helping Hands TV
Helping Hands TV have recently launched a series accessible on 9Now. Vignettes are presented on the Benefits of Community connection, Young People and Anxiety, Paying It Forward and many others.
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Young People and Anxiety talks about young people and the growing sense of anxiety, looking at factors contributing to a higher sense of anxiety among young people, peer pressure and the impact of technology on developing minds.
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AOD Program for LGBTIQ+
Young People
The Alcohol and Other Drug Program at Open Doors Youth Service provides psychosocial interventions to LGBTIQ+ young people between the ages of 12 to 24 who are experiencing problematic alcohol and other drug use, or who are impacted by the alcohol or drug use of others. Refer here.
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Open Doors is also starting AoD focused group programs that will explore concepts including sobriety, safe engagement with substances, and harm minimisation. The first of these groups is Sober Qurious, a 4-week program to explore the challenges around staying sober. Read more here.
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Upcoming Nature Freedom Events
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Nature Freedom is about inclusion and creating positive and meaningful opportunities for participation in the natural environment. Their programs are designed with a focus on the lived experiences of young people with disabilities and/or mental health issues. Various events and activities are offered both indoors and outdoors in locations around Brisbane City, Moreton Bay and Logan. The programs are aimed at getting together to help each other experience the joys and benefits of being in nature. Register for upcoming events here.
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The Sleep Ninja App
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Sleep Ninja is a free adolescent focused app which helps young people improve their sleep. Over 6 weeks, the six training sessions go through the importance and role of sleep, raise own awareness of habits that are contributing to poor sleep hygiene and teaches behavioural and cognitive strategies to change unhelpful sleep patterns. Find out more here.
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Support your mental health
Smiling Mind is Australia’s #1 mindfulness app supporting every mind to thrive. It provides daily mindfulness and meditation guides at your fingertips. Their evidence-based tools support people to learn the skills to maintain their mental health in fun and interactive ways.
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Everybody’s Home is a national campaign to address the housing crisis. It focuses on working together to call on Australian governments to bring balance back to the system, so that everybody has a place to call home.
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QYHC’s vision is All Young People Safely Housed. QYHC is a proud supporter of the Everybody’s Home campaign as young people are locked out of almost all housing options. We need to address this crisis urgently. Find out more here.
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The campaign to Raise the Rate for Good is key to reducing poverty and inequality in Australia. QYHC is consistently reminding government that poverty is the main precursor to homelessness. Income support for young people that keeps them above the poverty line is essential for inclusion in our community. QYHC is a proud supporter of the Raise the Rate for Good campaign. The goal of this campaign is to raise Australia’s social security safety net to keep people out of poverty. This requires an income of at least $70 a day.
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The meagre increase recently announced is just over one dollar a day extra. It’s no where near enough to make a difference. You can act by signing up to the campaign to raise the rate to above the poverty line. Find out more here.
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In the lead up to the federal budget, Raise the Rate is hoping to mobilise service providers and community groups to contact their local MPs.
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Find resource packs to help you take action if you are a service provider - here. Find a more general resource pack – here.
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Call to Halve Child poverty by 2030
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Poverty affects far too many Australian children and families, diminishing their life opportunities now and into the future. As one of the wealthiest countries in the world, it’s just not right that 1 in 6 of our children grow up in poverty.
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The campaign calls upon all politicians to commit to halve child poverty by 2030. QYHC is cognisant that childhood poverty is strongly connected to homelessness as a young person and in later life. Addressing poverty is essential.
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SAVE THE DATE
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