NAYSS News - AUGUST 2008
|
IN THIS EDITION...
|
> From the Lead Provider
|
> Updates from FaHCSIA
|
> Introducing your colleague... Abderahim Gime from CMY North West; Trina Fuller from MYS Canberra
|
> Colony 47 Equine Assisted Learning program
|
Click here to subscribe to future NAYSS e-News
|
|
|
From the Lead Provider
|
Welcome to the August edition of the NAYSS e-newsletter. This edition includes some insights and updates from the Lead provider and FaHCSIA. We take a look at Colony 47 in Tasmania as they highlight some of the work they have been doing with their Equine Assisted Learning program. And a new section of the newsletter entitled ‘Introducing your Colleague...’ Aims to do just that!
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank everyone again for their participation at this year's Good Practice Forum. The tailored open space framework facilitated dialogue into Action Research and Good Practice promoting and forging relations to continue inter service discourse. The forums’ resources, summaries, presentations and audio visuals are now available online on the NAYSS website; click on Good Practice Forums on the menu to the left to access, or simply click here!
The upcoming Teleconference has been scheduled for Thursday 28 August at 3pm after consultations with service providers an agenda surrounding asking Money, Bills and Debt how can NAYSS workers better support young people facing these issues? Will be investigated...
|
back to top
|
|
|
Updates from FaHCSIA
|
The Reconnect/NAYSS Section in FaHCSIA National Office has moved location, as advised in late July. If you need to contact the team, the details are still:
|
Reconnect/NAYSS Helpdesk
Phone: 1800 813 750
|
The postal address for FaHCSIA National Office is:
Reconnect/NAYSS Section,
Homelessness Branch,
PO Box 7576,
Canberra Business Centre,
ACT 2610
|
The new fax number is (02) 6244 7909. Please start sending your data forms to us on the new fax number.
Other contact telephone numbers for the NAYSS team in National Office are:
|
- Sharon Bowen-Smith – Section Manager: (02) 6244 1361
|
- Steve MacKenzie – Assistant Section Manager: (02) 6244 7118
|
- Rose Beatty – NAYSS Program Manager: (02) 6244 5761
|
|
NAYSS Data Forms and Self Evaluation Reports
|
It has been great to see the number of services that are using the latest data form, as circulated at the NAYSS forum in May. If anyone wishes to discuss NAYSS data requirements, please telephone the Reconnect/NAYSS Helpdesk as listed above. Please note the new fax number above for sending through the NAYSS data forms.
A reminder to services that 2007-08 Self Evaluation Reports, including Action Research reports, are due by 15 August 2008. To discuss this further, please contact your FaHCSIA State/Territory Office.
|
The Australian Government White Paper on Homelessness
|
On 27 January 2008 the Prime Minister and Minister for Housing announced that the Government would develop a Homelessness White Paper to set the agenda for tackling homelessness to 2020. The White Paper, which will be released in September, will include a comprehensive, national action plan to reduce the number of Australians who experience homelessness. While we cannot predict what will be in the White Paper, FaHCSIA is aware that Reconnect and NAYSS, as youth homelessness early intervention programs, are well regarded for improving services and tackling youth homelessness.
The Reconnect/NAYSS Action Research Committee’s submission to the Green Paper on Homelessness was circulated to services for their information in July. If anyone did not see the email and is interested in having a look at the submission, please let Rose Beatty know (rose.beatty@fahcsia.gov.au).
To keep up to date on the Homelessness White Paper, please visit the FaHCSIA website.
|
back to top
|
|
|
Introducing your colleague...
|
| Abderahim Gime
Multicultural Youth Worker
North West Victoria (Brimbank)
|
|
|
|
Tell us something about yourself….
|
The last 15 years I have weighed 68 kilos.
|
How long have you been working with NAYSS?
|
2 years
|
What attracted you to your current position?
|
The vision and philosophy of helping newly arrived young people and their family.
|
One aspect of your role you most enjoy...
|
The group activities
|
One aspect of your role you least enjoy...
|
Driving to work
|
Name a famous person you would most like to invite for dinner...
|
Bob Brown. Because of his principles in politics.
|
Trina Fuller
Multicultural Youth Services, Canberra
|
Tell us something about yourself...
|
I am someone who loves working in challenging roles and amongst people from diverse cultural backgrounds.
|
What attracted you to your current position?
|
I love working with Youths from all over the world! I really enjoy learning about their cultures too! We all have so much to learn from each other. I think my time spent in remote places like working in a village in Kenya or on an island in Arnhem land, Australia living and working with people was a rich and rewarding experience inspired me to want to continue mixing and learning from others.
|
One aspect of your role you most enjoy...
|
Laughing with and getting to know our clients at MYS as well as working along side a brilliant team of other likeminded people at MYS.
|
One aspect of your role you least enjoy...
|
Having to talk with people who are misinformed and shut down to engaging with people who have recently come to Australia.
|
Who would you most like to meet (dead or alive), and what would you ask this person...
|
My Pop! I never knew him, but would love to know what life was like for him growing up in rural NSW.
|
back to top
|
|
|
Colony 47 Equine Assisted Learning program
|
Towards the end of April and early May, NAYSS formed a partnership with Scilla Sayer of Compassionate Connections to run a pilot program of three sessions of Equine Assisted Learning.
|
The young people involved were 4 Young men originally from Burundi.
The program objectives were:
|
- Recreation and fun to enhance settlement, connection and belonging in Tasmania;
|
- Confidence building and team work development;
|
- Exploration of respectful relationships, both human and other.
|
|
 The program went extremely well and we all had an awesome time, horses included!
Al conducted evaluation interviews with Scilla, Mike and the young men who participated.
Please see Mike if you are interested in the entire document, however, I’ve added a few quotes to illustrate the outcomes achieved.
|
"I learned about the similarities between people and horses. The horses came from different places and so do we; with different habits. If the horses can come together than so can we." (Participant)
|
 "Before, I thought that horses were dangerous. I can transfer that to people and not make assumptions before I know someone." (Participant)
|
"A highlight for me was watching one of the participants who has always been reluctant to use english, talking with his horse. I saw him come out of who he was before; blossom…and he was more animated; smiling and talking."
|
(Facilitator)
We are trying to continue this type of work in the future building on the success of this initial pilot. Fingers crossed for funding... as usual!
For more information on this project or Colony 47 please contact Mike or Al - by phone on (03) 6214 1471, fax on (03) 6214 1495, or post:
|
PO Box 555
North Hobart Tas 7002
|
back to top
|
