Download Registration Form

Project Description

What is the Youth Support Network (YSN)?

Western Sydney, particularly Auburn and its surrounding areas is defined by its diversity and youthful population. The Auburn Community Development Network (ACDN) has been working closely with young Australians from diverse cultural and religious backgrounds for over 30 years building strong communities through the delivery of a broad range of community, arts and youth programs. In 2007, as part of its Youth Development Program, ACDN focused on leadership development using interactive and creative workshops and consultations to provide young people with the opportunity to express themselves and have their voices heard on issues they face in Australia today.

The Youth Support Network (YSN), known as the Y’S Network is an initiative that came out of a youth leadership camp in January 2008 where participants wanted to form a network of young people through which they could share and learn from each others experiences in new ways.

The Y’S Network is a growing network of young people with a new and better vision for change. They aim to connect, engage and advocate positive change for youth all over Western Sydney and beyond. They are innovative, creative and enthusiastic young people aged between 12 and 25 from diverse backgrounds that are ready to actively participate in decision making processes which affect them and provide the support to each other when they need it. Most importantly the Network is driven and directed by young people for young people.

As part of the Network, young people will have the opportunity to develop as Youth Ambassadors where they will be supported, trained and mentored to engage with other young people, schools, local communities, government, corporate agencies and service providers representing the views, issues and visions of young people.

What will the YSN do?

The overall aim of the Network is to build a strong and sustainable support network of young people aged twelve to twenty-five years from diverse backgrounds. The network will empower and build the capacity of members to engage in advocating on issues that affect them whilst having fun at the same time.

More specifically, the Network will

1. Nurture and develop knowledge and skills of young people on a range of life skills
2. Engage young people in recreational activities and interactive workshops to help facilitate a discussion on a range of issues relevant
   
3. Empower young people to develop and apply individual strategies to deal with challenges presented in their lives including family relations
   
4. Promote cross-cultural understanding, appreciation of issues and sharing of experiences of young people from diverse cultural , religious and social backgrounds
   
5. Connect young people with relevant agencies including government, corporate and service providers providing them opportunities and creating pathways to participate in decision making processes

What are the main activities?

In the period between July and October 2009 two main activities have been planned:

1. Cultural Exchange Program

The Cultural Exchange Program aims to promote greater understanding and respect among young people from diverse backgrounds. The program will allow participants of from diverse cultural, religious, linguistic and social backgrounds from the Network to interact with and learn from each other as well as to participate in new and unique experiences beyond their own through an exchange with young people of Indigenous background from the Central Coast.

As part of the cultural exchange there will be a planned interactive day where participants will meet to share ideas, experiences, visions and explore challenges they face as young people in their areas. There will also be an excursion to Muru Mittigar, an Aboriginal Cultural and Educational Centre based in Penrith where the participants of the exchange program from the Y’S Network and the Central Coast will have the opportunity to explore the culture of the local Aboriginal community.

2. Camp

The objective of the camp is to help members of the Network and exchange program participants develop positive relationships with others, understand a range of perspectives and develop the understanding and skills needed for making decisions and choices in their lives. The three-day camp will provide the opportunity to young people to learn new skills as well as build on their own skills and knowledge where fun, creative and interactive workshops will be designed and co-facilitated by the young people. Using digital media, sport, team building and adventure activities, the camp will focus on areas such as building confidence in young people, resilience, conflict resolution, leadership, teamwork and effective networking and communication.

An interactive online web forum will be developed by the young people where important resources, links to useful information and service providers, discussions and opportunities will be available for all young people to use as a platform to share their ideas, create vision, develop understanding and shared learning. The Network will also be supported to develop important up to date, relevant and an easy to understand educational resource for young people and service providers to use to help develop a greater understanding of the challenges young people face and how to address them. The resource, like the Network, will be a tool for empowering positive change for young people.

Partners

To ensure the success and continuing long term benefits of this initiative ACDN is working in partnership with Auburn Youth Centre (AYC), Auburn Council and the Auburn Diversity Services (ADSI). ACDN will also be working closely with diverse community groups, peak youth agencies, PCYCs, schools and other local service providers. The 2008-2009 period of this initiative is funded by the Community Development Support Expenditure Scheme (CDSE).
For more information or if you would like to be involved please contact:

Anisha on (02) 9649 5559 or Email to youth@acdn.org.au