Information
This section includes reports, survey results, interviews, broadcasts, etc.
Research Messages 2011
Research Messages 2011 is a collection of summaries of research projects published by The National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) ) in 2011. The publication also has an overview essay that captures the themes and highlights from the research for the year, including, but not limited to - the initial education and training of young people and their pathways to employment; apprenticeships and traineeship completion statistics / research; trends in the labour market and more!
NAPLAN Achievement - National Report for 2011
The National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) tests are conducted in May each year for all students across Australia in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. All students in the same year level are assessed on the same test items in the assessment domains of Reading, Persuasive Writing, Language Conventions (Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation) and Numeracy. The 2011 NAPLAN National Report has been released.
Early Signs of Psychosis in Young People
A person with psychosis ‘loses touch with reality’: they may have disorganised thoughts, hallucinations or delusions and find it difficult to interact with others. In young people many psychotic illness occur as a result of depression or experimenting with drugs and alcohol. In this article, Generation Next provides a list of early warning signs to look out for, and tips on things that you can do to help.
Peer Teaching as a Strategy for Conflict Management and Student Re-engagement in Schools
This article reports on a major action research program that experimented with the use of cross-age peer teaching in schools to assist teachers to manage conflict issues in their classrooms, and to re-engage disaffected students in learning. The research, which was conducted in a range of elementary and secondary schools in Australia, was part of a larger international project using conflict resolution concepts and techniques combined with drama strategies to address cultural conflict in schools.
Youth in Communities
The objectives of the Youth in Communities measure are to deliver a comprehensive youth strategy in the Northern Territory that provides an effective diversion for young Indigenous people from at risk behaviours; improves life choices and outcomes for young Indigenous people; and improves the youth services infrastructure. Many projects have been funded throughout the Northern Territory by the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA) under this initiative. FaHCSIA have a very transparent process, and project information is publicly available on their website.
MJD Foundation 2010–2011 Annual Report
The MJD Foundation seeks to provide a better quality of life for Indigenous Australians and their families living with Machado Joseph Disease in Arnhem Land and beyond. The MJD Foundation’s 2010-2011 Annual Report is now available.
WELL Resource Kit - Core Skills
Do you know of any young people that could benefit from some additional language, literacy and numeracy support in the workplace? This comprehensive and easy-to-use Workplace English Language and Literacy (WELL) resource kit is mapped up to Level 3 against the Australian Core Skills Framework, it is contextualised to the Community Services and Health industries, but flexible enough to be used in other industries. The resource is ideally suited for supporting Core Skills in the workplace without the specific need for a Language, Literacy and Numeracy (LLN) expert.
Specialist Homelessness Information Platform (SHIP) Update
In July 2011 the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) implemented the new Specialist Homelessness Services (SHS) data collection in order to provide a better picture about pathways into and out of homelessness as well as the assistance provided by homelessness services. To support agencies reporting as part of the SHS collection, AIHW in partnership with Infoxchange Australia developed a new online client management system. Since its launch six months ago, the Specialist Homelessness Information Platform (SHIP) has helped over 6650 staff from over 1100 homelessness agencies input client information, manage case notes, develop case plans, as well as record and report SHS data.
Understanding Childism: Are We Prejudiced Against Children?
A great tragedy of 2011 was the sudden death of Elizabeth Young-Bruehl a month before the publication of her book, Childism: Confronting Prejudice Against Children, released January 10th. Not only was this the loss of a great mind, but also the opportunity for her to represent her very important ideas, ones that are likely to cause some controversy, in public discussion.
Teaching Kids to be Wise Consumers
Kate Wiedman is a dietician and professor at a university in Midwest USA. In this article she offers some valuable tips for teaching kids, in particular “tweens” (8-12 year olds) how to be wise consumers. It is a useful article, and has some great tips that would be of interest and benefit to parents and care givers.
Do Teenagers Have it That Bad?
Adolescence is a tough time for many – and a new review has produced some startling figures to describe just how tough. Approximately one in five teenagers has a psychiatric disorder. Adolescence signals an increase for rates of depression, panic disorder, agoraphobia, and substance abuse disorder.
An Inspiring Story on Dealing with Grief
Grief after the loss of a close friend or family member can sometimes be extremely difficult for young people to understand, express and / or come to terms with. A young man called Mat who recently attended a ReachOut.com Workshop, shares his story about his experiences in dealing with the loss of a close friend.
Energy Drinks: Health Risks and Toxicity
The new millennium has ushered in a wave of synthetic, caffeinated high-energy drinks targeted at the youth market. Over the past 10 years, the consumption of caffeinated beverages intended to “energise” has increased significantly. A paper recently published in the Medial Journal of Australia describes the epidemiology and toxicity of caffeinated energy drink exposures in Australia.
The Role of Assertive Outreach in Ending ‘Rough Sleeping’
A recent study by the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI) sought to examine how assertive outreach has been conceptualized and implemented in practice in Australia, and the extent to which it is achieving its policy intent. It did this by drawing on evidence from policy-makers, service providers and service users, through three case studies in Sydney, Brisbane and Darwin.
Brain Development in a Hyper-tech World
In the face of the nonstop barrage of technology-induced stimulation, a question on the minds of many parents, educators and scientists is: how is this affecting young brains? The question is an important one, and from a scientific standpoint, reasonable to ask given what is known about the developing brain. The Dana Foundation has recently released a briefing paper that addresses this topic.
Budd:e Cyber Security Education
Budd:e (Secondary) has been developed for Australian secondary schools, specifically for Years 7 and 8. Budd:e is an educational and interactive tool about the risks people take by going online, and the possible consequences of those risks. It also educates about the technical and behavioural measures we can all use, to help reduce our risk, and bolster online security. Security for people, for internet devices, and for personal data.
Child Protection Australia 2010–11
Child Protection Australia 2010–11 is the fifteenth annual comprehensive report on child protection. The report was produced by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), and provides detailed statistical information on state and territory child protection and support services, and some of the characteristics of the children receiving these services.
Latest Data Releases – Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth
New data for the active Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) cohorts is collected annually. The data is then added to the respective data sets and lodged with the Australian Data Archive. The latest LSAY data collected from the 2010 interviews for the Y03 and Y06 cohorts is now available
A New Ten Year Plan for Mental Health
The Australian Government is currently seeking public opinion on a draft ten year roadmap for national mental health reform via an online survey. The survey will be available from 16 January 2012 until 7pm AEDST 1 February 2012.
The Growing Up Our Way Resource
The Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care (SNAICC) is the national non government peak body in Australia representing the interests of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families. The SNAICC Resource Service has recently produced a document titled “The Growing Up Our Way: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Rearing Practices Matrix” This resource provides a snapshot of some of the values, beliefs and practices informing the ‘growing up’ of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children across Australia.