Youth Voice NT

The countdown is on! In just 6 weeks the annual COUCH SURFING races for Youth Homelessness Matters Day will be in full flight.

Get your race team together and start decorating your couch - the best dressed couch wins a prize as does the fastest team on the track.

Couch Surfing is coordinated by Anglicare NT, City of Darwin and LAUNCH Darwin with major sponsors First Nations TV First Nations Radio and Trafficwerx NT. The day brings together young people, schools and community organisations for couch surfing races, best decorated couch displays and information stalls - all raising awareness of youth homelessness.

Contact our youth team to enter a team, hold an information stall or donate prizes: email [email protected] or call 8946 4800.

Today is International Women’s Day, and we celebrate all girls, women and non-binary folk as we strive to

Youth Voice celebrates the achievements of all young women, girls and non-binary young people across the Territory! Imagine a gender equal world, free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination. Pushing forward for equity and inclusion! A future where all young people thrive!

It was so great to share Youth Voice’s achievements and our 2024 plan this morning with a room full of amazing people and organisations!

We’re ready for 2024, we’re excited to have you along on the journey 🧡💛💚

Massive thanks to Youth Voice Grant recipient for making time to share the highs and lows of his, and co-recipient Jaiden’s , voice referendum experience. Not an easy story to share, certainly paving a path for those who follow you. Your leadership is inspiring!

Youth Voice is excited to share our Theory of Change work with you!

This will shape the next four years of Youth Voice NT and be underpinned by four main objectives- scroll through to have a look. Big thanks to Dr Chay Brown who facilitated workshops in late December 2022. Very excited to see theee things lift off the page and come to life!!

To see the full Youth Voice NT Theory of Change visit youthvoice.org.au and head to the Clearinghouse

Another huge thanks to and for the amazing artworks ❤️‍🔥.
We absolutely LOVE them!!! Front cover and illustrations were commissioned for the project, both artists are young Territorians.

John Paterson Indigenous children are 29 times more likely than non-Indigenous kids to be locked up in juvenile detention centres across the nation.

In the NT, it is almost always above 90 per cent and at times, all the children in detention are Aboriginal.

The NT and Queensland had the highest rates of Indigenous children aged 10 to 17 in detention (50 and 45 per 10,000, respectively) and Victoria had the lowest (7.7 per 10,000).

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has released a new report with data showing that, in the four years from June 2019 to June 2023, more than half (59 per cent) of young people aged 10 to 17 in detention were Indigenous.

Maggie Munn is national director of Change the Record, a First Nations-led justice coalition dedicated to reducing the number of Indigenous people behind bars.

"First Nations children are incarcerated en masse across Australia due to racial profiling, over-policing and a complete and utter failure on behalf of governments to address the systemic disadvantage, discrimination and racism our people face.

"It's undisputed that First Nations people, people who experience housing insecurity or instability, people with disabilities or mental illness, people who live in poverty, people who experience family or domestic violence - all are exposed to the legal system at higher rates than those who live without those issues," Maggie Munn said.

"As a result we are seeing trends and tendencies where poverty, racial, economic and health issues are criminalised."

The statistics are even more stark for the youngest children legally able to be locked up, aged 10 to 13, with Indigenous kids 46 times as likely as their non-Indigenous peers to be in detention.

The number of Indigenous children aged 10 and older in detention has been increasing since the September quarter of 2020.

Before this, the number had been decreasing.

"Often children who are in contact with the legal system at a very young age have complex trauma," Maggie Munn said.

"They've seen and been through events in their little lives that nobody should have to go through, and, instead of supporting them, their families and communities, governments perpetuate carceral and punitive solutions.

"Nothing changes if nothing changes and so, while governments increase their budgets and resources for police and prisons, and decrease their budgets for critical services in family violence prevention, Aboriginal legal services, housing and health, it's no surprise that more children are funnelled through the legal system."

The vast majority of children in detention (77 per cent) were unsentenced - that is, they were awaiting their initial court appearance or sentencing.
The remainder were serving a sentence.

On an average night in the June quarter of 2023, Indigenous children were more likely to be in detention than non-Indigenous young people across all states and territories.

"We are asking governments to invest in solutions that work," Maggie Munn said.

"There are hundreds of evidence-based programs that are working with children and their families to give children the support they need.

"Governments across Australia have this evidence, they just need to invest."
Among the states and territories for which rate ratios could be calculated, the rate ratio for Indigenous young people aged 10 to 17 in detention ranged from 10 times the non-Indigenous rate in Victoria to 30 times in Western Australia.

In the NT, it is almost always above 90 per cent and at times, all the children in detention are Aboriginal.

The NT and Queensland had the highest rates of Indigenous children aged 10 to 17 in detention (50 and 45 per 10,000, respectively) and Victoria had the lowest (7.7 per 10,000).

Across the four-year reporting period, the NT consistently had the highest rate of kids in detention on an average night (6.6 to 22 per 10,000 aged 10 to 17).

During this time, there were declines in the rate of young people in detention on an average night in NSW, Victoria, WA and South Australia.
Rates of young people in detention on an average night increased in Queensland and the NT.

THIS FRIDAY!

We are putting on a free concert this Friday in Malak to celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children's Day!

All young people are welcome to come down and check out performances from Riley Page and up and coming rappers at TAL Media, and Dream Impact Inspire on the decks! Hoops 4 Health AUS will be putting on some basketball, and Domino's Australia have you sorted for dinner!

All are welcome, so spread the word and come down for a good night!

YOUTH VOICE PROFILE:
Meet Skye Lavelle

We asked Skye some questions, have a read 💛🧡💛🧡

Skye is a talented young digital illustrator and designer, can’t wait to see what she does with all that creativity!

YOUTH VOICE PROFILE:
Meet Armani Francois

We asked Armani some questions, have a read!

Armani is an incredible person with so much love for life! You’d be lucky to spend even just a day in her orbit

Northern Territory Council of Social Service Youth NT

A photo of a young stockwoman from the East Kimberley is among the finalists for this year's National Photographic Portrait Prize.

Kununurra photographer Nathan Dyer's portrait of Anne Clarke was selected as one of 47 finalists, from more than 200 entries.

Anne is a Miriwoong woman and teaches Nathan's daughters horseriding on weekends.

“Pretty much the first day I met Anne, I thought that she would make a powerful portrait,” he said.

“I really wanted to get to know her before I asked for that, and after about a year I asked if I could take her portrait and she said yes.”

Nathan had planned to photograph her outside with her horse in a paddock, but wet season weather forced the photoshoot into a saddle shed.

“I took one frame of Anne to check the lighting and I looked at the camera and it was a really powerful reaction that I had,” he said.

“I’ve never taken a photo of someone who looked so powerful in the image.

“I knew honestly when I took that first frame that something really special was going to come out of that photo shoot.”

📷 Nathan Dyer.
Via Kimberley

Amazing work Anne Marie!!!

Wow. 🤩 Anne Marie (19 yo) works in the Kaltukatjara (Docker River) Store during the day, then the NPYWC Youth Service in the evenings. She is also a carer for her siblings. Anne Marie has just been awarded the Contribution to Community Award for her outstanding hard work in her community and has recently completed the Meeting The Youth Gap Training. This training will put her on track of achieving her career goal to be the full-time Youth Development Officer in Kaltukatjara. Anne Marie is one our Iwara graduates, Iwara supports young people prepare for employment. We just wanted to say you are doing great Anne Marie!! This picture of her is from our Rikina magazine.

Hi everyone!
For NAIDOC Week, Alice Springs Town Council is offering a FREE priority screening of 'The New Boy' at Alice Springs Cinema on Wednesday the 5th of July at 4 pm. 🎬
Free popcorn and soft drinks included. 🥤
No registrations required- first come first served!
Don’t forget to pop it in your calendar and share with you networks!

The first ever Northern Territory Youth Strategy was launched 2 week ago! 🙌

Youth Voice is proud to have been a part of the Project Reference Group for the strategy and is excited to keep working on the development of the action plans which will bring about initiatives that support young people to thrive in the NT!!

The first ever Northern Territory Youth Strategy was launched last week! 🙌 Youth Voice is proud to have been a part of the Project Reference Group for the strategy and is excited to keep working on the development of the action plans which will bring about initiatives that support young people to thrive in the NT!! To read the NT Youth Strategy head to link in bio @youth_nt @laurenmossnt #youthvoice #youthvoicent #youthpolicy #youthleadership

Youth Voice NT supports #RaiseTheAge Right now in there are children as young as 10 years old being arrested, thrown into police vehicles and locked away behind bars across Australia. Use the easy email tool to contact your local MP, Attorney-General and Premier/Chief Minister and urge them to Raise the Age to at least 14 years old. Link in bio #youthvoicent #youth #youthjustice @chanseypaechmla @natashafylesmla @marionscrymgourmp @lukegoslingmp

💜💚 Join us for two days of inspiring speakers and discussions! Connection: The Force for Change NTCOSS Conference at the Alice Springs Convention Centre 3rd-4th May To purchase your tickets and view the Conference program see link in bio

Get excited!!!!!

NTCOSS supports a Voice to Parliament

The Northern Territory Council of Social Service (NTCOSS), with full support of the NTCOSS Board, proudly supports constitutional recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through a Voice to Parliament.

The Voice to Parliament is one of the three pillars of the Uluru Statement from the Heart, along with a Makarrata Commission, which is the coming together after a struggle, to oversee Truth-Telling and Treaty processes.

The Uluru Statement of the Heart was ratified at Uluru in 2017 after an extensive process of consultation across Australia.

The Voice to Parliament will be a representative body that empowers Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to advise Parliament on legislation, policies and projects that affect their lives. Enshrining the Voice in the Constitution ensures a constitutionally protected mechanism that governments cannot abolish based on the politics of the day, which have historically impacted on solutions and progress in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander affairs.

Here in the Northern Territory (NT), where we have the largest per capita Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population in Australia, the importance of the Voice to Parliament is clear.

More than 30 per cent of people in the NT are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, and this population has a median age of just 26. This young population wants a say in the laws and policies that will impact them and for the government to support their active participation in these processes.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have long been excluded from decision-making spaces.

This has been done both deliberately and unconsciously because of systemic racism. Without the ability to have a say in decisions that impact their communities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have been disproportionately negatively impacted by policies and laws.

NTCOSS is acutely aware of the ongoing effects of racist and paternalistic, contemporary, and historical policies on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people: colonisation, the forced removal of children from families, systemic racism, and the failed NT Intervention, which undermined any principles of agency or self-determination.

NTCOSS also recognises the great strength repeatedly demonstrated by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership in the face of such adversity.

The proposed principles for the Voice offer an opportunity for local decision making to be communicated to the highest levels of decision making. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Territorians are disproportionately impacted by high levels of poverty, and inequity in housing, education, health, and justice.

The Voice offers an opportunity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to directly advise Parliament on measures, including increased investment, that is desperately needed across programs and services that will make a difference in people’s lives.

The Uluru Statement from the Heart called for a Voice, followed by Treaty and Truth-Telling, and as allies, we support this sequencing. NTCOSS respects that there are different positions on this process, but, with the backing of our Board, we believe we cannot miss this opportunity to correct a wrong in Australia’s history.

NTCOSS believes this provides Australians and Territorians with an historic, nation-changing opportunity to recognise the distinct status and special place of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, who have been in Australia for thousands of years.

NTCOSS will be supporting the Voice campaign in the lead up to the referendum, and will be sharing tools and resources for those looking to become more engaged in this process. We encourage all our members and stakeholders to participate in supporting the YES campaign for a Voice to Parliament, before Australians vote in this once in a lifetime opportunity to make our constitution better.

ntcoss.org.au
https://ulurustatement.org/education/faqs/

Are you a young person that wants to build their public speaking skills???

Want to build your public speaking skills? MC @ Couch Surfing 2023!🌴🙌🎤

We are on the lookout for young people aged 17-25, who want to build their confidence in public speaking, and have knowledge or the willingness to learn about homelessness, to MC at this year’s Couch Surfing event🥰🌈

The MC role includes…
👋 Presenting to the public
🤝 Connecting with young people
✌ Workshops to build your public speaking skills

When is Couch Surfing?
🗓 Wednesday 19 April
⏰ 10:30am – 2:30pm
📍 Civic Park, Darwin City Centre

⚠ REQUIREMENTS ⚠
✅ Aged between 17-25
✅ Able to attend a workshop to develop your MC skills

To register your interest and to find out more click the link below
https://launchdarwin.com.au/mc-couch-surfing-2023/

📸 Pic of Raquel & Manoj – MCs of Couch Surfing 2022

Anglicare NT Casuarina Senior College Youth NT Youth Voice NT Young Carers NT CDU Student Ambassadors

This week .mparntwe heard from students at Sadadeen Primary School!

Have a look at what they love about Mparntwe/ Alice Springs.

What’s your favourite thing about Mparntwe?

An amazing young person doing amazing things!!! Break a leg Armani!!!!

Tickets are on sale now for our show “Cuttings” at the Adelaide Fringe! Please get your tickets so as not to miss out!!!! 🎟 🎟 https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/cuttings-af2023 we look forward to seeing you all there!!!! Jo Dutton

Send in your love letters!! 💌💌💌

Do you have a Love Letter to Mparntwe/Alice Springs to share?

Together with Youth Voice NT, we have been busy dropping off print outs to help people share what they love about living in Mparntwe/Alice Springs.

Keep an eye out while you're out and about, and if you are interested in getting your hands on some, send us a DM!

A selection will be spotlighted on our socials, as well as shared across other social channels, such as by the Northern Territory Council of Social Service and Youth Voice NT.

Young people doing amazing thing in Mparntwe!
💕💕💕💕

Thank you to Tangentyere Artists who have been running some painting sessions with young people from Town Camps. Everyone has enjoyed spending time learning from the artists and developing their painting skills.

Mparntwe/Alice Springs has been receiving a lot of negative attention lately, but here at youth voice we feel very lucky to wake up each day in Mparntwe/Alice Springs. The town we love and the community we love.

We decided to ask young people what they love about living here. Have a read of their stories and DM us your love letters to be featured!

💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕

Have your say on the NT Youth Strategy!

Draft Northern Territory Youth Strategy 2023-2033 The Northern Territory Government (NTG) is committed to developing a Northern Territory (NT) Youth Strategy (the Strategy) and is asking Territorians what they think should be included and what the Strategy should achieve. What will the Strategy do? The Strategy will

Great to see Minister for Youth Lauren Moss in a Youth Voice T-shirt!!!! Thanks for stopping by the Alice Springs office ☺️✨💚

Fantastic to be down in Alice meeting with Northern Territory Council of Social Service (NTCOSS) to support youth voice in the Territory 💬

There are lots of big projects in the pipeline and we’re looking forward to continuing the work alongside NTCOSS, and Youth Voice NT, to deliver for Territorians.

PROFILE: Youth Voice talked with Jaiden McGregor, see what he had to say about his experience as a young person and what young people growing up in the Territory need.

YOUTH VOICE PROFILE: Meet Jaiden McGregor We asked Jaiden some questions ➡️ If you know a young person doing awesome things send Youth Voice a DM #youthvoicent #youthvoice #youngleaders @cdu_student_ambassadors @pilchardthefish

Let's stop with the myths and follow the evidence. NTCOSS CEO Deborah Di Natale couldn't have said it better! NT Government announced it will raise the age of criminal responsibility to 12, a step in the right direction. All young people in the Territory deserve a bright future.

Let’s stop with the myths and follow the evidence. NTCOSS CEO Deborah Di Natale couldn’t have said it better! NT Government announced it will raise the age of criminal responsibility to 12, a step in the right direction. All young people deserve a bright future. #raisetheage #youthvoice #youthvoicent #jailingisfailing #children

The Transitioning to Independent Living Allowance (TILA) national online survey closes in one week!

The Department of Social Services wants to hear from you if you have lived experience in out-of-home-care, are a carer, a caseworker or support worker.

Your feedback is vital to inform future improvements to the TILA payment.
Visit engage.dss.gov.au to have your say and help improve outcomes for people leaving out-of-home care.

Public consultations will close on 30 July 2022.

LAUNCH Darwin headspace Darwin headspace Katherine Create Foundation Office of the Children's Commissioner NT Yo Palmy NT Coss CatholicCare NT Territory Families, Housing and Communities Youth Voice NT YouthWorX NT Lifelong Learning and Care inc Larrakia Nation

Your lived experience with out of home care could help improve the system.

You can complete the online survey by visiting https://engage.dss.gov.au/
The survey will close on 30 July 2022.

For more information about the TILA payment, please visit: https://www.dss.gov.au/our-responsibilities/families-and-children/benefits-payments/transition-to-independent-living-allowance-tila

Are you a young person with a lived experience of out-of-home care? Or a carer or caseworker supporting a young person transition to independence?

Have your say and help improve the Transition to Independent Living Allowance (TILA), a $1,500 payment available to eligible young people leaving care to assist them cover basic costs while they transition to independence.

The Department of Social Services’ national online survey aims to gain the views of young people transitioning from out-of-home care, caseworkers and carers, as well as gather information on why young people are not accessing the payment if they are eligible.

You can complete the online survey by visiting https://engage.dss.gov.au/
The survey will close on 30 July 2022.

For more information about the TILA payment, please visit: https://www.dss.gov.au/our-responsibilities/families-and-children/benefits-payments/transition-to-independent-living-allowance-tila

LAUNCH Darwin headspace Darwin headspace Katherine Create Foundation Office of the Children's Commissioner NT NT Coss Voice NT CatholicCare NT YouthWorX NT Yo Palmy