Back to school
"Our work is based on empowering them rather than having authority over them" A statewide network of youth workers is supporting young people to stay at school
Charles Darwin said it's not the fittest or the strongest who survive but those who are best able to adapt to their environment. At the start of a new school year more than 100 Youth Support Coordinators around the state will be pondering Mr Darwin's theory as they gear up to support young people to adapt to the school environment so they can complete their secondary education.
Tanya Stevenson is the Youth Support Coordinator for the Hervey Bay region. She works at the Urangan State High School (1700 students), Hervey Bay High (800 students), the Urangan High Great Alternate Program (40 students) and at Glendyne Education and Training (100 students).
Tanya says it's her role to help young people see that success is based on the ability to adapt to the environment and situation you are in. "I can help interpret schools for young people by bringing an adult perspective on how decisions are made, how young people are marginalised and how discipline structures work," Tanya says. "By working with individuals and small groups I can help young people understand the processes that lead to their exclusion, failure or unhappiness at school."
Youth Support Coordinators (YSC) assist young people aged 12 to 18 years who are at risk of disengaging with education to come up with strategies to survive and succeed in school. Because they do not have to maintain a position of authority, and because they are skilled at developing egalitarian, friendly relationships with young people, YSCs can talk frankly and respectfully about the functioning of the school. They are able to be an independent third party, observing conflict between schools and young people and being aware of the difference in power between the two parties.
Tanya says that for students, the act of being heard, and not disbelieved, when describing their perspective on a conflict, can allow young people to negotiate with teachers or their peers more strategically. Destiny, a high school student in the Hervey Bay region who was experiencing problems with a teacher, says that Tanya really listens while you explain the whole situation. "Tanya says to take a breath, think about what you say before you say it and think about whether you'll regret what you've said in the future," Destiny says.
"She has helped me with my behaviour — how to talk to teachers — how not to. I would have started fights with other kids before but now I know how to walk away. Tanya doesn't tell us what to do — she'll say 'How could you handle this situation? What can you do next time?'"
Apart from individual counselling Tanya also runs group programs in the schools. "I try to aim for the kids with emotional or social problems, the ones who get bullied," she says. "I run a group at lunchtime for the students who sit by themselves. We do interactive activities like beading, scrapbooking and playing board games.
"The problems students experience in the Hervey Bay region are similar to schools throughout the state — challenging behaviours, conflict with teachers, learning difficulties, bullying both as perpetrator and victim, homelessness, emotional or sexual abuse, misuse of drugs and alcohol, self harm, low self esteem, difficulties in personal relationships, sexuality issues, pregnancy and family conflict. YSCs provide a strictly confidential service that is outside the school system. Although schools and parents can refer to the Youth Support Coordinators, young people ultimately decide if they will accept support," says Mark Buckland of the Office for Youth, who is also the longest serving YSC in the state.
"Young people decide if they will seek support, they can complain about the service they receive and it's up to them to invite the YSC to communicate with their parents," Mark says.
"YSCs deliver information in a different way than schools do, which allows young people to explore their options further. Our work is based on empowering them rather than having authority over them — we don't use discipline to stop the behaviour, we seek to change the behaviour through support and skill development."
Youth Support Coordinators also provide an opportunity for young people to seek help discretely. Young people who may be vulnerable but would never access a community service in their own time, and would never wag school to do so, can approach a YSC in the school play ground and ask if they can talk to them in private.
Mark says YSCs don't judge young people. "We point out the consequences of their behaviour and the responsibility they have to themselves and the community. We show young people how to positively contribute and get something out of it for themselves. We help them see that education is relevant to their future."
The Youth Support Coordinator initiative is a joint project of the Department of Communities and the Department of Education Training and the Arts.
To find your nearest Youth Support Coordinator visit the Queensland Youth Housing Coalition or phone 3876 2088.
Youth Support Coordinators provide:
- Counselling and support to help young people to assess their circumstances and strengths, and make choices, decisions and plans.
- Information, advice and referral to facilitate access to community services and resources to support personal and social functioning.
- Individual advocacy to help young people access services and entitlements.
- Mutual support and group work to help groups exchange information, experiences and skills to meet common needs and provide practical support.
- Social, cultural and personal development activities that promote wellbeing, positive relationships and a sense of belonging.
- Products and services to help young people move into and through the senior years of school, TAFE or other training programs.