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Ending 2021 on a positive note:
QYHC EOY FORUM AND AGM
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You could be forgiven for thinking we’re a little crazy for holding an event so close to Christmas. The closer we came, the more we realised we were! However, hosting QYHC’s End of Year Forum and Annual General Meeting on the 13th of December was an awesome way to finish the year. After such a long period of time with meetings online, it was refreshing to be able to meet face-to-face and connect with colleagues from the sector.
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The forum featured presentations from Dovetail’s Karl who outlined the needs of young people with complex AOD presentations as well as Brisbane Youth Service’s Rhianon who presented their couch surfing assessment tool.
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We were also treated to a presentation from QYHC’s own Dina and John who provided a snapshot of the youth housing and homelessness mapping and modelling project.
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The AGM offered an overview of the 2020-2021 Financial year. We saw the return of a few management committee members alongside a couple of new faces. A warm welcome to Aunty Sandy and Jordy. Welcome back to Megan, Brett, Fotina, Allan and Kirsten. Those in attendance also met QYHC’s new staff John, Rachael and Dina. They will be out and about in 2022 introducing themselves to those who didn’t make the EOY Forum. It’s great to have such fabulous new talent on board. We’re really looking forward to 2022!
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Popular Webinar Returns!
Child Family Community Australia is returning in January 2022 with another edition of its highly attended webinar: The Power in Understanding Patterns of Coercive Control. This extremely relevant webinar addresses how child, family and community services can use the language of coercive control to support women to expose patterns of abusive behaviour.
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The webinar will be held on the 19th January 2022 from 13:00 to 14:00 AEDT.
To register for this important event, click here.
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Survey
The Queensland State Government legislated a number of changes to tenancy laws on 14 October 2021. Most of these are yet to commence, however, the government have committed to a second stage of the tenancy law review to be undertaken in 2022.
We need your help to improve tenancy laws!
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Queensland Youth Housing Coalition are part of the Make Renting Fair in Queensland Alliance, and we would love to hear your thoughts about the most important elements of the tenancy experience. This will assist MRFQ to concentrate advocacy in the next stage of the review.
The survey will only take a few minutes of your time, but will assist greatly in focusing our efforts on behalf of all Queensland renters. To complete the survey, click here, to find out more about the Make Renting Fair campaign, click here.
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Free Financial Counselling
Tenants Queensland is offering a free financial counselling service to assist with areas of debt including rental arrears; utility bills (such as water, electricity, gas and phone); loans; credit cards and fines. The service can also assist with analysing your current financial situation; budgeting; managing debt; providing advice about bankruptcy and referral to other services.
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Call 1300 744 263 for more information or visit here.
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Launch of Dovetail’s
Vaping Toolbox
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Vaping amongst young people, particularly in the school environment has been an increasing issue in 2021. This resulted in Dovetail experiencing an increase in the number of professionals that were contacting them for advice and information about vaping. Unfortunately, the information that is currently available online about vaping is inconsistent and unclear. This led to Dovetail launching a vaping toolbox for professionals to utilise when working with young people who are vaping. The toolbox contains resources and research that are accurate and it will continue to be added to as more information about vaping becomes available.
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Dovetail’s vaping toolbox is available in the resources section of their website. To check it out, click here.
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The Targeted Outreach Project: Support to Access NDIS
Queensland Disability Network’s Targeted Outreach Project and the Queensland Government’s Assessment and Referral Team (ART) are helping more eligible Queenslanders with disability join the NDIS and experience the benefits of the scheme.
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The Targeted Outreach Project supports people aged 7 to 64 who have a disability and assists with determining their suitability for the NDIS. It also supports clients to access free and practical case management support to navigate the NDIS application process from start to finish.
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Click here for the referral form. For more information call 1300 363 783 or email here
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School Holiday Fun!
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As always, PCYC Mt Gravatt has school holiday activities available for youth in January 2022. Activities include skateboarding, hip hop dance and musician workshops. There are even drop in sessions available where young people can play pool, air hockey and board games or relax and watch movies.
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Find your local PCYC and check out holiday activities here, for the full program at Mt Gravatt, click here
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Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Foundation (QATSIF) and Australian Catholic University (ACU) are inviting all Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people to yarn with, learn from and share stories of elders.
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Students are being encouraged to yarn with an elder about an important aspect of their life and present this in a creative format. This can include written, recorded and visual art pieces of work. ACU will be preserving and collecting these pieces of work for future generations to learn from. Prizes will be on offer for exceptional pieces of work.
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Entries close: Friday 25 February 2022.
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For the student consent and entry form, click here.
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Be aware of increased DFV risks over the festive season
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DFV remains a significant issue within our community. The Palaszczuk government recently announced a funding boost to the sector to support the incredible work that support services are providing. Additionally, a new phone app called Be There is now available. This app allows for Queenslanders to access vital information to assist them with supporting loved ones who are experiencing DFV. It is important for the community to remember that DFV can take many forms, to check on their loved ones over the holiday period and encourage them to reach out for support. You can call DV Connect on 1800 811 811.
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Queensland Housing Investment Growth Initiative (QHIGI)
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The Palaszczuk Government has released expressions of interest for the QHIGI. The QHIGI is being delivered through the Queensland Housing and Homelessness Action Plan 2021-2025, with the aim of achieving over 7000 new homes for Queenslanders by 2025.
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The Government are partnering with the private sector to deliver new infrastructure as well as calling on the property sector, institutional investors and local governments to team up with the community housing sector to propose new housing ideas. There are three different programs to submit expressions of interests under, including the Housing Investment Fund, Quick Starts and Help to Home.
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For more information about submitting an expression of interest, click here.
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Gold Coast Youth Foyer on Track
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After opening its doors in August 2021, Gold Coast Youth Foyer experienced a steady increase of young people moving into their service. By the end of December, the foyer is on target to have 40 young people housed in their units and 80% of their residents earning or learning.
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This is a huge achievement in supporting and working with homeless young people in the Gold Coast area. Congratulations to the Gold Coast Youth Foyer team. To read more about this accomplishment, click here.
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At-risk young people
turn over a new leaf
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In Townsville, a group of 10 young people have been the first to complete a new course being run by TAFE Queensland and Youth Justice. The program teaches at-risk young people skills in land conservation, mining and horticulture while also aiming to address their underlying trauma and behavioural issues through the use of equine therapy.
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Just after completing the course, this group of young people obtained paid employment planting 3000 saplings north of Townsville. To read more about the program and the young people’s fabulous achievement, click here.
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You can make a difference!
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Sadly, many young people will be homeless this Christmas without a safe place to stay. Early intervention is crucial to decreasing their exposure to trauma and stopping them from losing hope for the future. Due to COVID-19, Brisbane Youth Service is running their annual Christmas Hamper Drive differently this year.
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Support can be provided by purchasing a hamper online for a young person or young family in need. To donate, click here.
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Calling For Case Examples
Changes to the Queensland Criminal Code: New legislation requires every adult in Queensland to report information relating to child sexual offences committed by an adult in relation to a child under 16 years of age to the Queensland Police Service. Failure to do so is punishable by 3 years in prison. The Queensland Criminal Code (Child Sexual Offences Reform) and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2020 received assent in Parliament on the 14 September 2020 and commenced in Queensland on the 5 July 2021.
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Following information and practice forums across the Youth, Women’s and Sexual Assault sectors a Working Group has been formed to further assist organisations in implementing this legislation.
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If anyone has feedback or case examples to share, please contact the working group via Lorraine on 0448 073 463 or lorraine@qyhc.org.au
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To read more about the Laws targeting sexual offences against children, click here
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National Housing Conference 22
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NHC Melbourne 2022 program includes an overview of the five conference plenary sessions as well as the first 12 concurrent sessions. The theme for next year’s NHC is Resilience, Connection, Transformation.
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For more information, click here
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Find services in oneplace
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oneplace is an online directory for Queensland parents, families and professionals that lists community services throughout Queensland. There are more than 58,000 services that provide assistance with a range of issues including parenting, domestic and family violence, legal issues, mental health and counselling, housing, financial and food assistance. It is free and easy to use. Access the directory here.
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Adjust our settings:
An approach to cyberbullying
In line with the recommendations of Adjust our settings – A community approach to address cyberbullying among children and young people in Queensland, Department of Communities, Housing and Digital Economy developed internet-based resources in consultation with QYHC. Read here
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In October 2020, the Human Services Quality Framework (HSQF) was amended to include a requirement to have anti-cyberbullying policies and procedures in place.
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GCBF Super Round
For the first time, annual grants of up to $100,000 will be available in a Gambling Community Benefit Fund super round. These grants are for non-profit community groups to provide services and events for Queenslanders.
The super round will be available to eligible organisations in the first round of 2022 and will close 28 February.
GCBF encourages all organisations to apply for funding, including those from some of our under-represented applicant areas such as domestic and family violence services, multicultural groups and those located in regional and remote Queensland.
To find out more about how to apply, click here.
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BRISSC’s podcast
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Human Rights in Housing and Homelessness
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The Human Rights Act 2019 (Qld) came into effect on 1 January 2020 and requires the consideration of an individual’s human rights in the delivery of government services. This includes public services delivered by non-government providers.
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There are 23 human rights protected in Human Rights Act 2019 (Qld). It is worth being familiar with the rights, and keep this poster handy as a quick reference guide.
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QCOSS is providing 1:1 assistance to help you implement the Act in your workplace. You can speak to QCOSS about a specific situation, a policy approach, or any general human rights questions. To talk to one of the QCOSS team, call or register for a call back on the support request page here
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There are a range of resources to help staff to understand the Act and consider human rights in service delivery decisions. You can view existing resources here or sign up to the community of practice, ensuring you will receive new resources as they are released.
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Considering human rights as we make service delivery decisions is the best way to engage the human rights of everyday Queenslanders. You can make sure you are giving proper consideration by following QCOSS’s easy 4 step process.
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For more information about the project, click here
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Dovetail: Shifting our gaze
Holistic responses to AOD use for our most at risk young people
Dovetail to launch their much-anticipated Youth AOD Safety Support Plan at Platform 1225. In response to concerns raised by youth housing and residential care workers regarding problematic alcohol and other drug (AOD) use, Dovetail has developed a safety support plan for high risk AOD use. This has entailed significant input from sector colleagues and young people. It aims to assist sector workers in responding to high risk AOD concerns like managing intoxication, the binge/crash cycle and risky behaviours which include: criminal, sexual exploitation and injecting drug use. This practice tool for AOD safety and harm reduction planning is an important resource for the youth sector and all who work with clients who experience problematic AOD use.
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For more information about all the presentations and Platform 1225, click here
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