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A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 1 5 - 2 0 1 6 1
ANNU
AL R
EP
OR
T 2
01
5 - 2016
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“Young people need models, not critics.”
John Wooden
“Children, after all, are not just adults-in-the-making. They are people whose current needs and rights and experiences must be taken seriously.”
Alfie Kohn
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AN
NU
AL R
EP
OR
T 2
0
15 - 2016
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CONTENTS5 A little bit about YAC6 Our objectives and philosophy8 From the Chairperson: Good news!10 A new look for our new premises!11 From the Director: The times they are a’changing...12 Who are our clients? A snapshot17 Making a difference - the theory18 YAC model19 Service delivery summary20 Legal service21 Youth support service and Family support service22 Youth Bail Accommodation Support Service23 Community legal education service24 Making a difference – in practice30 Supporters and funders33 Networks34 Volunteers and Students35 Management Committee35 Staff
Financial Report – separate document available on request
YAC affirms that the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are the Indigenous inhabitants of Australia and acknowledges their unique relationship with their ancestral country.
In particular, we acknowledge the Turrbal and Jagera peoples, the Traditional Custodians of the land in and around Brisbane, and pay our respects to the their Elders, past, present and emerging.
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YAC opened its doors in June 1981. It was set up as a response to concerns identified in the 1970s by the then chaplain to the Sir Leslie Wilson Youth Centre - the Brisbane based youth detention centre which had formerly been a children’s eye hospital! Father Dethlefs was concerned to see children as young as 10 appearing in court without any legal assistance - a normal rather than unusual occurrence it turned out. He was also concerned at the manner in which children were treated in the Centre where there were clear breaches of children’s human rights. It was also apparent that most young people held there had serious issues in their lives which were contributing to their involvement in the juvenile justice system. Together with a number of committed lawyers and citizens, he formed the Justice for Juveniles group which developed a blueprint for a Youth Advocacy Centre. The centre would provide legal information, advice and representation, but also seek to address the reasons why children and young people were offending. The blueprint remains as relevant today as when it was first conceived.
YAC offers a range of free legal and social welfare services to young people generally aged 10 to 18 years (inclusive) who live in or around the greater Brisbane region, particularly those who are involved in, or are at risk of involvement in, the youth justice and/or the child protection systems, and/or are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
More limited support is available to those under 10 and over 18 years of age; and to young people outside of Brisbane via telephone, website and publications.
VISIONYoung people achieve their full potential through the community accepting collective responsibility for their importance, empowerment, rights, well-being and humanity.
MISSION To increase young people’s access to legal and social justice by actively supporting and speaking out with and for young people.
The YAC office is open from 9am-5pm Monday to Friday. A message can be left on the answering machine out of office hours.
A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT YAC
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Our objectives
One To support and advocate for the legal needs and rights of disadvantaged and/or vulnerable young people.
YAC does this by:providing appropriate, effective, timely and accessible -
• legal advice and referral to young people in the youth justice and the child protection systems and such other areas of law that can be accommodated
• legal advocacy for young people in the youth justice system, the child protection system and other such areas of law that can be accommodated, in courts, tribunals or hearings.
Two To support and advocate for disadvantaged and/or vulnerable young people involved in, or at risk of involvement in, legal systems or other processes in relation to their social welfare needs.
YAC does this by:• providing support and advocacy for young people
especially those who are homeless or who are disadvantaged or disempowered in their contact with, or access to, a range of systems such as housing, income support and education
• providing information and practical and emotional support to young people who are attending meetings/discussions in relation to their matters or appearing in courts, tribunals or hearings as victims, witnesses, applicants or offenders
• providing bail accommodation and support for young people who would otherwise be placed in detention on remand
• providing support and family intervention services to young people and their families where appropriate, such as situations of family crisis and relationship breakdown.
Three To enable young people, families, and workers with young people, to better understand the law and the legal system as it is relevant to them.
YAC does this by:• providing legal and life skills information and education
to young people
• providing legal information, education and training to those working with or supporting young people.
Four To support the development of a socio-legal system that is more responsive and appropriate to the needs of young people and which takes account of their developmental and situational issues and Australia’s international obligations.
YAC does this by:• maintaining a current understanding of youth legal, social
welfare and developmental issues
• raising government and community awareness of the problems facing young people, particularly those at risk, and the (potential) impacts on young people of laws and legal and social welfare systems, processes and reforms
• seeking greater understanding of international human rights standards relevant to children and young people.
Five To provide and maintain high quality support and advocacy services to young people.
YAC does this by:• ensuring quality of service provision, in collaboration
with other agencies where appropriate, to meet client needs
• ensuring a positive, communicated and shared strategic direction for the organisation
• securing the financial sustainability of the organisation
• having highly competent and capable staff who are supported through ongoing professional development and supervision and provision of a safe and healthy work environment.
• having effective governance, sound financial and administrative systems
• identifying opportunities to deliver services in innovative ways (especially for rural and regional young people and families).
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Our philosophy With respect to service delivery
Children and young people are a vulnerable group requiring special consideration. They are in a process of development, physically and mentally, and this process is significantly affected by the adults around them. As a result, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCROC), to which Australia is a signatory, reinforces that children are entitled to all the fundamental rights and freedoms that adults have but additionally that they require specific protections.
PrinciplesYAC is guided by UNCROC in any dealings with a young person, in particular:
• the right of young people to be treated equally irrespective of “colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national, ethnic or social origin, property, disability, birth or other status”
• the right of a young person to have an opinion and to be heard in all matters affecting the young person
• consideration of the best interests of the young person to include consideration of the views of the young person.
The best interests of a young person can only be ensured if justice is not only done but, more importantly, that the young person perceives that justice has been done. To that end it is acknowledged that:
• young people’s interaction with legal and administrative systems and processes is
frequently the result of their life circumstances and
experiences (such as their family environment or
homelessness, disengaged from education), as well
as other personal issues (such as drug and alcohol
use, mental health and behavioural problems
associated with ADD, ADHD and similar): as such,
the best way to address these issues is to work
with the young person, listening to, and advocating
for, their perspective
• a young person has the right to an advocate to rebut any allegations made and/or to put forward their views in any matter which affects them, irrespective of whether they are alleged or found to have transgressed the legal or other systems in some way or they are the victim of a specific act, situation or a systemic problem
• in accordance with Australian law, if a young person is considered to be “Gillick competent” in relation to the presenting issues, the young person is entitled to have an advocate act on their instructions and to confidentiality from their advocate.
YAC seeks to provide an holistic response to the issues a young person is facing and, where appropriate, takes a multidisciplinary approach with YAC legal and social welfare staff working collaboratively to assist with the diverse needs of the young person.
With respect to its staff
YAC values having a strong and unified team and acknowledges the skills that each individual team member brings.
YAC recognises all staff as collectively responsible for upholding YAC’s philosophy and mission and contributing to a safe and productive team environment.
The views and opinions of all staff in relation to matters which affect them individually or as part of the broader organisation are valued equally and have an important role in decision-making processes.
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Good news!
Whilst the focus of the annual report is the financial year 2015/16, the exciting news is that, on Thursday, 3 November 2016, the Queensland Parliament passed an Act re-locating 17 year olds to the Youth Justice system. As both parties acknowledged in the House, that was a reform that has been dear to YAC for many years, and I want to spend some time reflecting on the change and our role in it.
When the Juvenile Justice Act was passed in 1992, the Minister indicated that, whilst 17 year olds would initially be dealt with in the adult system, it was intended that a change would be made soon so that young people only entered the adult system at 18. Indeed, section 6 of the Act specifically empowered the Government to make the transition by regulation.
But the change never came, and YAC lobbied successive governments to make good on the promise. Janet Wight began pressing for the reform about three years after the Act was passed, and the campaign was continued by Anne McMillan, Gwenn Murray, Damian Bartholomew, Cristy Dieckmann, Paul Spooner, Rosslyn Munro and Craig Mackie to name a few. Political inaction meant that 17 year olds were deprived of the benefits of the children’s courts (with their strong focus on diversion and rehabilitation) and, if those young people were given a custodial sentence or even just placed on remand, they were housed with adult prisoners. Wonderful opportunities were lost; unspeakable things happened in their place.
Soon after the 2015 State Election, I arranged to meet with the relevant Ministers in the new Government, along with Damian B., our longest serving legal caseworker. We pointed out that this particular reform was ALP policy and we presented letters of support from community leaders. It became very apparent to us, however, that there were no immediate plans to make the change.When the Don Dale scandal unfolded in the Northern Territory, there was a surge of national interest in youth
justice. We saw an opportunity, and we published an article “Do Queensland Children Matter Less?” in the Brisbane Times, questioning why Queensland was the only state to treat 17 year olds as adults. At the same time, Shane Duffy from the National Aboriginal and Islander Legal Service raised the issue on Radio National, and Professor Kerry Carrington, Head of the QUT School of Justice, instigated a petition on Change.org. There was a little momentum in the press but our modest beach head was in danger of falling back into the sea.
For some time, YAC had reached the view that what we really needed was a 17 year old who was prepared to tell the story of how they fared in prison. We had canvassed many potential sources but could not find a young person prepared to endure the public attention that was likely to follow. In early August 2016, however, all that changed. I was riding the “river loop” at 5.30am on my bicycle when I caught up with Terry Fisher (a solicitor in private practice on the Management Committee of the Prisoner’s Legal Service), and happened to mention YAC’s search. Three weeks later, Peter Lyons, the PLS Director, contacted us to say they had a young person who met all our criteria. The boy had been 17 when he was sent to the Brisbane Correctional Centre. He had no previous history. He was only on remand but, when it emerged that he could be “lippy”, he was confined to his cell for 22 hours a day, week after week. Indeed, on the very first night, he was placed in a spit mask, handcuffed and shackled, as some form of punishment for his verbal transgressions. The PLS had made a complaint about his treatment and, whilst the complaint was inexplicably dismissed, it had yielded, amazingly, high-quality hour-long footage taken from the Corrective Services camera.
The footage did not permit of argument. It depicted a 17 year old boy wandering aimlessly around a tiny cell, occasionally shouting under the door, and then – whilst he was totally compliant and clearly endangering no-one – being surrounded by six prison officers, and forced into a spit hood, as well as handcuffs and a body brace.
It made the point, eloquently, that adult prisons and prison officers didn’t seem well-equipped to deal with young people.
The PLS contacted the boy, Jarrod, who was now 20 years old (and residing at a Correctional Centre so that he was not permitted to speak to media) and also his mother. They both agreed to participate in the YAC campaign. We were very mindful not to squander the privilege. It had occurred to us that successive Governments might have steered clear of the reform for fear of the reception they might receive from the media. On the recommendation of a close friend and media advisor, Simon Turner, (who, incidentally, subsequently secured a number of press interviews), I provided the story to a particular journalist at The Courier-Mail, Dave Murray, who had a history of considered and well-written articles.
The PLS had obtained internal reports from Corrective Services regarding the incident with the spit mask. They had also prepared their own summary of Jarrod’s treatment, and, of course, they had a DVD with footage. I provided all those documents to Dave. On Sunday, 28 August 2016, we watched the footage together in my kitchen, and he agreed immediately that it was a big story. Peter Lyons spent the Monday confirming with Jarrod and his Mum that they could deal with the exposure. In the meantime, I provided policy background to Dave, and YAC contacted some key players – the Bar Association, NAILS, the Queensland Law Society and Professor Carrington – to say that a story was about to be published, and that we would be grateful if they would weigh in when it appeared. On that day, we also reached agreement with The Courier-Mail that, when the story went to print, they would simultaneously upload the CCTV footage to their website so that it was there for the world to see.
On Tuesday, 30 August 2016, the story – together with stills from the footage – was front page news in the
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Courier-Mail. There were also interviews inside the paper about the treatment Jarrod had received, and about the 17 year old policy issue generally. From about 7.00 am, the radio stations and the TV channels picked up the issue and the footage. Peter Lyons and I did a series of interviews together or separately, and the story was covered on ABC 612, and on every TV channel that night.
On Wednesday, 31 August 2016, the Bar Association and the Law Society issued press releases, expressing dismay at Jarrod’s treatment and urging prompt reform. Amnesty International launched a damning report at Parliament House Annexe, criticising the youth justice system in Queensland, particularly as it affected Indigenous people, and raising the 17 year old issue. The Courier-Mail also ran a second article by YAC, deconstructing various responses to the story that had emerged.On Thursday, 1 September 2016, the story was front page again. The Courier-Mail and A Current Affair published the mother’s account, which was particularly moving. She explained that she had three children and that Jarrod was the only one who had succumbed to drugs and been taken into custody. She said that she was well aware that he could misbehave but she had been devastated to discover what he had endured in prison. She was particularly distressed to learn that the treatment had started from his first night on remand, and that it had been the subject of concern amongst prisoners and their visitors.
By this time, it became clear from the letters to the editor, from radio talkback, and from the tone of the media coverage, that now that the public fully understood the proposed reform, there was overwhelming support for it. The Courier-Mail published a cartoon by Sean Leahy on the issue and its editorial adopted, and presented, in strident terms the arguments that YAC had agitated for so many years. There was also a lengthy article from a psychologist explaining the counterproductive nature of the punishment meted out to Jarrod, and Siyavash Doostkhah of the Youth Affairs Network Queensland (which has also been active in this campaign for many years) was quoted separately, threatening to take the Queensland Government to the UN. The story was picked up by Hack at Triple J and - albeit for a brief time - it became the number one topic in a national bulletin maintained by journalists.
On the afternoon of the Thursday, I received a call from the Premier’s Office, asking if the PLS and YAC would attend a meeting on the following day. We agreed.
On Friday, 2 September 2016, the Courier-Mail’s headline was “Adult’s Only”, and the article suggested that the Government was about to take steps to remove young people from Queensland prisons. Janet and I attended the Government offices with Matt Woods from the PLS. The Premier was there, as was the Attorney, and there were three senior Government advisors. We have agreed that we would not make public what occurred at the meeting. Suffice to say that, in advance of the meeting, we were clear that YAC was no longer interested in general assurances. There was overwhelming public support for the reform and now we would not be satisfied with anything less than a transition date. Shortly after the meeting, a timeline was announced.
I understand that, on Monday, 5 September 2016, there was a cabinet meeting and I infer that this issue was keenly considered there. Then, on Wednesday, 7 September 2016, the PLS and YAC, as well as other key stakeholder, were invited to the Executive Building for a press conference. The Premier announced that a bill would be introduced the following week to move 17 year olds from the adult system to the youth justice system, with the aim of passing the legislation by the end of the year and coming into effect 12 months after assent. The Premier went so far as to explain that the change was being introduced by bill rather than by regulation to ensure it could not easily be repealed. That bill entered the House on 15 September 2016 (and YAC, amongst others, put in comprehensive submissions when it reached Committee stage).Importantly, the Premier and Attorney committed to ensuring that appropriate interim measures would be made for 17 year olds already in the prison system, and to developing a world class youth justice system that addresses the causes of youth offending with a focus on prevention and early intervention, which in the longer term will be better for the community as well as the children themselves.
When the bill came before the House on the afternoon of 3 November 2016, there were approximately 30 speakers. The Attorney spoke passionately and eloquently in support of the transition, as did Jackie Trad, Shannon Fentiman and Peter Russo, amongst others. MP after MP from the Opposition raised perceived problems with the change but, happily, we had secured the support of four of the five cross-benchers and, when the vote was called, the bill narrowly prevailed, 43 to 41.
There is much still to do. A working party has been set up to oversee the change and YAC has been invited to participate. It will presumably consider the logistics of altering youth justice courts and prisons to accommodate the new cohort. It is hoped that this working party or a wider review will also deal with issues such as why there are so many 10 to 12 year olds in our youth detention centres and why young people in Queensland are spending so much time in custody on remand.
YAC applauds the Government for listening to community sentiment. We also take a moment to be proud of ourselves. If YAC didn’t exist, I don’t believe this change would have happened. I can’t help thinking that, for all these years, there have been many YAC hands, feeling for a way through the brick wall and, as a result, when the portal opened, when the opportunity presented itself, YAC was ready and piled through.
It has always been a core part of YAC’s mission to inform public policy on youth justice, in addition to providing front line services. We had a strategic review meeting in August 2016 and the staff made very clear then that one of their key goals was to see that this reform was effected. We are blessed to have staff who think in such disinterested terms, and I could not be happier with the joy that this reform has brought to them, as well as the management committee and members, past and present, and to criminal lawyers generally.
We have learnt, importantly, how effectively a visual image breaks through political prose but we have also been reminded (if we needed reminding) of how critical the YAC voice is to debate about young people.
For a little while, we will be like the dog who caught the car, but the new challenge will be to build – in terms of services and profile – on this success.
Damien AtkinsonChairperson
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A new look for our new
premises!
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The times they are a’changing...We live in a time when change is now expected and commonplace. This is also true in relation to the world of community legal centres (YAC being a specialist CLC), the funding world (both government and philanthropic) and the community sector generally.
One big change for YAC this year. In May we moved premises after eight years at Wilston. This was the result of losing 80% of a grant for our rent. Finding premises that meet a number of important criteria was challenging: we need to be close in to the City as the lawyers attend the Brisbane Childrens Court very regularly; close to public transport, preferably the train, to be accessible; the building itself needs to be physically accessible, and so on. We now find ourselves on Petrie Terrace and while the move itself was disruptive, we think our new home works well. If you have not yet visited our premises, please drop by and check them out!
The move also provided an opportunity to have a look at some of our information materials and to refresh these. The image on the left is taken from the new poster. It shows the issues which constantly “rain down” upon children and young people and that, hopefully, YAC can provide some protection from these and life can look brighter. We hope you like the concept. Many thanks to Tina Louise, a graphic designer and youth worker, who put this together for us.
While things change, sometimes they really stay the same – they are just expressed differently! As we enter into the brave new world of tendering, we are told that we need to consider outcomes – what difference we are making in the lives of our clients. While this may seem revolutionary to some, to many working in the community legal sector and community welfare space, we think that this is what we have always been working towards! The reason staff come to work every day is to ensure that young people’s legal and human rights are respected and support them so that they can change what is happening in their lives for the better – for now and for the future.Yet again, some things really do not change much at all. The model of a Youth Advocacy Centre with its integrated but multidisciplinary way of working, is
as relevant today as it was when YAC was first established. Young people still need lawyers to deal with the law and legal system and they still need to stabilise their lives by re-engaging with school or finding employment, having somewhere safe and secure to live, re-establishing family relationships for ongoing support, and so on. This does not mean that YAC is stuck in the past and is not “innovative”: but there is no point in change for change’s sake.
As this report shows, YAC staff have maintained their commitment to advocating with and for and supporting young people in a variety of ways and forums, putting the theory of making a difference into practice. Young people, parents and workers regularly express their appreciation of what YAC staff have been able to achieve.
It is likely, however, that the coming year will see more change: some welcome, some less so. We know that our current YBASS program is not going to be re-funded because youth justice monies are being reinvested in other ways. Depending on what other opportunities there are, there is potentially a great loss to YAC as part of its integrated service delivery for young people but particularly for young people who will otherwise be held in detention.
However, we continue to look at other ways we may be able to provide services to young people. We are very excited, for example, about our new Youth Skills project which will deliver vocational and foundational training for employment and broader life skills under the Skilling Queenslanders for Work program. We hope to be able to build on this experience in due course to provide broader education opportunities for young people and workers with young people.
We are also looking to launch a new fundraising project – at this stage, all I will say is look out for the orange wigs!
Importantly, we are looking forward to working with the Department of Justice and Attorney-General in progressing the transition of 17 year olds into the youth justice system and the reform of the youth justice system more generally.
Thank you for taking the time to read our report: we hope that your support for YAC will not change as our members, partners, and supporters are key in ensuring YAC’s future.
Janet WightDirector
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Who are our clients?A snapshot
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Not attending school
Child Safety involvement
Single parent family
AGE16
CALD*
Not attending school
Substance use
Mental health issues
Single parent family
Not attending school
Child Safety involvement
Developmental disability
Substance use
Mental health issues
Sleeping roughSometimes with
family carer
AGE16
Excluded
Risk of homelessness
AGE16
Not attending school
Not working
Unstable accommodation
Substance use
Mental health issues
Family conflict
AGE14
AGE15
Legal serviceFamily support
referral
Legal serviceFamily support
referral
Legal service / Youth support
referral /Family support referral
Legal serviceYouth support
referral
Legal service / Youth support
referral /Family support referral
*Culturally and Linguistically Diverse14
Suspended/excluded
Substance use
Single parent family
AGE18
Not in school or work
Unstable accommodation
Non-family carers
Suspended/excluded
Child Protection order
Substance use
Mental health issues
Single parent family
AGE17
Not in work
Suspended/excluded
Previous child safety involvement
Substance use
Mental health issues
Suspended from school
Substance use
Single parent family
AGE14
AGE16
AGE16
Random selection of clientsNot all referrals are taken up
Legal serviceYouth support
referral
Legal serviceYouth support
referral
Legal serviceYouth support
referral
Legal serviceNo referral as
in care
Legal serviceNo referral
wanted
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43%
86%
52%
48%
63%not in school or training
more than 60% of legal, youth support and family support clients not in education or training
mental health Average of 47% of clients in social welfare programs
had a past or current mental health problem
family breakdown 43% of clients in single parent families; 12% with carer
other than parent; 19% disengaged from family
homeless /risk of 48% Legal Service clients not living at home
substance use over 50% of legal, youth support and family support clients
had a past or current substance use problem
child safety services 80% of bail support clients and 47% legal clients
known to Child Safety Services
38%
Note: data based on percentage of clients who provided this information16
MAKING A DIFFERENCE - THE THEORYKEY ASSUMPTION:
That, for young people, the experience of complex life issues (eg mental and behavioural disorders, homelessness risks, family conflict, child abuse, etc) is associated with involvement in the youth justice and child protection systems and poor life outcomes. As such, addressing both areas of support need (personal life issues and legal advice /representation), concurrently where appropriate, will produce positive outcomes for young people in terms of reduced incidence and severity of involvement with legal systems and processes and enhanced overall wellbeing. This has benefits at the individual, family and community levels.
Inputs
• Funding
• Staff expertise in specialised areas (homelessness, family, law, advocacy)
• Students and volunteers
• Management Committee
• External networks and collaborations
• Research and evidence on social, behavioural and legal issues for young people
Outputs
Program Activities
1. Legal services
2. Bail support services
3. Youth services
4. Family services
5. Community legal education services
1. Young people (10-17) receive legal information, advice, advocacy and representation
2. Young people (10-16) at risk of being remanded in custody pending their court case being finalised due to accommodation difficulties receive services to find and maintain appropriate accommodation and maintain bail
3. Young people (10-19) receive services to address homelessness and risks of homelessness and associated issues and support to develop and maintain life skills
4. Young people (10-18) and their families receive services to assist families with relationship or other issues to be better able to support their young people: through individual and group work
5. Young people (10-18) receive information and education services to better understand how the law impacts on them and understand their rights and appropriate exercise of those rights; and workers with young people so that they are better able to support young people where there are legal issues for themselves or their clients
Outcomes
Short Medium
YP have advocacy andrepresentation so they are heard in legal matters
YP have the with relevant information to make informed decisions about their legal matters
YP have access to appropriate accommodation enabling release on bail
YP and their families are supported to address social issues, particularly those contributing to involvement in legal systems and processes
YP are educated and supported to be able to make informed decisions about legal issues and related life skills relevant to them
Workers with YP have access to expert training on legal issues
Fair and appropriate outcomes of legal processes for young people and others involved
Reduced incidence and severity of criminal behaviour by YP assisted
Reduced incidence and severity of social issues affecting YP through access to appropriate accommodation, legitimate income and activities and development of life skills
Families take a greater role in addressing social welfare and legal issues affecting their YP
YP make better choices through having better information and workers have enhanced capacity to provide appropriate, skilled support to YP
Impacts
Young people demonstrate enhanced wellbeing
Reduced financial and social burden on the community through reduced contact with legal systems and processes and increased ability and capacity to participate in the community
Enhanced family and community wellbeing
A greater proportion of community sector staff have enhanced knowledge and skills to appropriately support young people
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YOUTH ADVOCACY CENTRE
MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
LEGALSERVICE
YOUTH BAIL ACCOMMODATION SUPPORT SERVICE
ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE SUPPORT
FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICE
LEGAL EDUCATION SERVICE
YOUTH SUPPORT SERVICE
DIRECTOR POLICY & RESEARCH
YOUNG PERSON
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YOUTH ADVOCACY CENTRESERVICE
DELIVERY SUMMARY
6-20hrs 29%
Under 5hrs* 60%
More than 20hrs 12%
26-52 wks 15%
2 to 14 wks 35%14-26 wks
23%
428 65%35%
11 2542
80 76
21
53 CASEWORK CLIENTS
(ADDITIONAL 73 CASUAL CLIENTS)
55%45%
26 27
1
18-21yrs
2 wks 27%
68%27%22
1
85
18yrs
1224
13
34 3833 66
366The longest period a client was in YBASS Program
COMMUNITY LEGAL EDUCATION
1467 YOUNG PEOPLE FACE TO FACE
439 YOUTH WORKERS FACE TO FACE
FACT SHEETS: • 1 NEW FACT SHEET
• 28 EXISTING FACT SHEETS REVIEWED AND UPDATED
• 1949 HARD COPIES OF FACT SHEETS DISTRIBUTED (ALSO AVAILABLE ON THE YAC WEBSITE AND ACCESSED DIRECTLY)
^ BREAKDOWN RELATES TO NEW CASEWORK CLIENTS ONLY DUE TO DATA COLLECTION SYSTEM
^
INCLUDES DUTY LAWYER CLIENTS
Under 5hrs 4.5%
6-20hrs* 64%
More than
20hrs* 31.5%
80%
20%
18-20yrs15-17yrs 21-25yrs
5%
Transgender
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1AND THEIR FAMILIES
*some families joined the ParenTEEN groups
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Brisbane Children’s Court
/ CCQ
Caboolture
Beenleigh
Cleveland
Holland ParkIpswich
Maroochydore
Pine Rivers Redcliffe
Toowoomba
SandgateWynnum
Richlands
LEGAL SERVICEYAC court attendances 2014-2015
60% Property related(including arson 0.2%, unlawful use of a motor vehicle 3.8%)
11.6% Offences involving violence (including possession of a weapon 2.0% and rape (1 charge))
5.5% Drug and alcohol offences
4% Public nuisance
3.7% Obstruct/assault police
6.5% Transport (including 3.8% evade fare)
4.8% Breach of bail or community based order
2.4% Sexual offences
1.6% Driving offences (unlicensed/registered)
Making a difference…Fair and appropriate outcomes of legal processes for young people and others involved
YAC solicitors made 78 submissions to police and prosecutors with positive outcomes for young people in 85% of matters. The charges were withdrawn in two thirds of cases with diversionary measures being used in most of the remainder.
For those young people who were repeat clients, nearly 60% had less serious charges than previously and/or fewer charges.
“I would like to thank you for all your support through YAC for my son. The way you explained things simply to him so he could understand the court process, Youth justice conference and all the charges he was facing.
As you know he is generally a good kid and has disabilities that tend to interfere with his life from time to time. Without your help and YAC I believe my son would have been just another misunderstood youth.
He learnt from his mistakes and with your help was able to apologise for what he had done and show how he deserved a second chance.
Thank you very much YAC and a huge thank you to you [solicitor]”.
“Hi [solicitor], it’s me, XX. You helped me through my first court date I just wanted to say thank you heaps for that. If you weren’t there to help me out I would have been nervous but you came in the court room with me so that calmed my nerves a lot. I don’t know what I would of done with out you by my side and I hope not to see you again....
... but in a good way thanks again ”.
Aside from their own clients, YAC solicitors also appear fortnightly as Duty Lawyer in the Brisbane Childrens Court, as well as attending court on an ad hoc when children are brought before the court and require bail applications. They represented young people 324 times as Duty Lawyer in 2015-16.
CH
AR
G
ES
60%11.6%
5.5%
4%
3.7%
4.8%2.4%
1.6%
6.5%School related 7
Child Protection 10
Victim/witness (including Family & Domestic violence) 11
Family problems 9
Injuries compensation 4
Consumer, Credit and Debt 3
Wills and Probate 3
Change name/birth record 2
Discrimination – sexual orientation 1
Employment 1
Complaints re: police, detention 4
TOTAL 55
Type of issue No. of matters
Non-criminal matters (actual numbers)
20
Youth support service Services provided to clients from 38 different suburbs the greater Brisbane area
No. of housing and support services
• Also - 42 court outreach sessions with 468 individual young people provided with one off assistance, brief assessments in relation to housing and support needs
Making a difference…• 80% of clients whose files were closed during
the year were housed in secure and sustainable housing
• 52% of clients whose case was closed were in formal education and 26% in full time or part time employment
“I am very thankful of the help and support given from Youth Advocacy Centre and [youth] support worker with helping me get back on track after experiencing a really rough time as well as helping me start my course Certificate II Early Childhood Education and Care and previously helping to begin school again.
Without help from YAC I wouldn’t know what to do. I thank YAC greatly for helping me to buy work equipment and clothes to begin my work experience at a childcare centre. And a big thank you to [solicitors] both fantastic lawyers and amazing.
Most of all a massive thank you to my support worker for always being there for that support.”
Assistance to sustain tenancy 11%
Living skills 7%
Assistance to access finance/income
6%
Material aid/brokerage 6%
Employment, training and education assistance
6%
Family relationships assistance
1%
Victim support / DV 1%
Child protection support 1%
Assistance with trauma 2%
Assistance with challenging social issues
3%
Court support and other assertive outreach
9%
Advice/legal information 14%
Advocacy/liaison on behalf of client
12%
Transport 8%
Retrieval of personal belongings
2%
Other basic assistance 10%
Linking with specialised support
4%
Youth Support Service Support – Youth Justice 188
Support – child protection 33
Victim support 22
No. of court related support services
*Clients often provided with services – and services of different types – on several occasions
Family support service Families from 20 different postcodes across the greater Brisbane area
Single parent 43%
Family with step parent 16%
Family carer (not parent) 11%
Two (birth) parents 16%
Independent 5%
Living with:
Substance use 39%
Mental Health 41%
behaviour (not behavioural) 16.5%
ADHD/ADD/ASD 30%
Disengagement from school 38%
Child safety concerns 27%
Presenting issues
4 ParenTEEN groups (8 weekly sessions per group):
24 Parents/carers attending group
Monthly ParenTEAM meetings: 5 to 8 parents who continue to meet to provide each other with peer support and seek additional information on particular concerns eg substance use.
Making a difference…
Families take a greater role in addressing social welfare and legal issues affecting their YP
“[Family Support Advocate] has been a wonderful help to Jayne of late, spending a lot of time with her and advocating for her. YAC are a fantastic community service for our troubled youth and their families and they need to be recognised more.
I have found the ParenTEAM group meetings that I attend really beneficial. [Family Support Advocate] is a very good facilitator who has helped me enormously with regards to my relationship with my child.”
• Engaged with 28 parents or carers
• Total 24 siblings across families
21
Youth Bail Accommodation Support Service
70%
SUCC
ESSF
ULLY
CO
MPL
ETED
BAI
L
REM
ANDE
D IN
CUS
TODY
MOV
ED O
UT O
F CA
TCHM
ENT
11%
NOT
WAN
TING
AS
SIST
ANCE
Program Completion
2
HOM
ELES
S
SHEL
TER
ABSC
OND
7
EXTE
NDED
FAM
ILY
6
CUST
ODY
46
53
INDE
PEND
ENT
DOC
PLAC
EMEN
T
2
17
SELF
SEL
ECTE
D
16
IMM
EDIA
TE F
AMIL
Y
53Making a difference…
“Hey [caseworker] it’s me James* thanks for what you done for me today and thank you for being a great roll model to me means a lot, and I don’t wanna stuff this up or get in trouble coz I don’t wanna let your hard work you’ve done for me down and just wanna say thank you once again for everything you’ve done for me it’s been along time since I was this happy, honestly your good at your job and what you do coz you make kids dreams come true and I can tell you that, thanks again.”Young person
“The Court has advised James that he should be proud of what he has achieved with all parties during his bail program.
Likewise, the Court was extremely satisfied that all parties involved in James’s bail program - have done well to engage and progress him to how he presents today.
The Court however, did also remind him that the offences are very serious; and really hope this is his past.”
*Not his real name
70% of YBASS clients
30% of YBASS clients
16% identify as Maori or Pacific Islander.
have some history with Child Safety.
identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.
57
57
13
43
4%M
OVED
OUT
OF
CATC
HMEN
T4%
11%
22
Community legal education service Making a difference…YP make better choices through having better information and workers have enhanced capacity to provide appropriate, skilled support to YP
…“It’s not like on the tv……”
YAC’s CLE program is focussed on getting accurate legal information to young people about those things which they are most likely to get into trouble over, such as their behaviour in public spaces. When young people find themselves in a new and challenging situation they are likely to seek advice and information from their peer-group or take what they see in American crime shows and apply it to their own lives.
In our experience young people have some very interesting interpretations of their legal rights and there are many myths which young people accept as fact, for example in relation to whether police can come into your home without a search warrant. By providing the right information to young people about what the ‘rules’ are young people are less likely to break them. By informing young people about police powers, for example to confiscate alcohol and cigarettes, they are less likely to be confrontational with police.
The CLE program works with young people in a variety of settings, including at services where young people are not engaged in a mainstream education program or are receiving specialist support for particular challenges. Such places include:Youth Outreach Service (YOS) (Salvation Army)Jabiru Community Youth and Children’s Services Adolescent Drug and Alcohol Withdrawal Service (ADAWS) (Queensland Health)Brisbane Education and Training Centre at the Wacol Youth Detention Centreyourtown (formerly BoysTown).
Apart from the positives of connecting with particularly vulnerable young people in a space where they feel safe and supported, running workshops in those setting also provides the CLE worker with the opportunity to keep youth workers informed not only about changes in the law but also the legal information resources developed by the CLE program. These resources, which are freely available through our website, cover a myriad of topics including:Sexting Driving Drugs and AlcoholPolice SearchesParties and PoliceOut of Control Events.
Our resources are Queensland specific and regularly reviewed to ensure accuracy.
party talks
54
(this covers the law and decisions in relation to holding a party, noise, alcohol, drugs, fights/assaults, public nuisance, sex, interactions with police, 17 year olds)
• 23 high schools (3894 students)
• 12 Flexi schools (268 young people)
• 10 youth detention centre visits (74 young people)
• 6 youth services (74 young people)
laying down the law
6
6 Laying down the Law youth worker training sessions (two days per session) – 100 workers
5 sessions for youth workers on changes to the youth justice legislation –
136 workers
young people
youth workers
23
a team effort
MAKING A DIFFERENCE – IN PRACTICE24
YAC was contacted by a young person, Oscar*, and his parent. Oscar was facing a serious charge but had no previous criminal history.
Oscar’s parents had separated shortly before he started offending and he subsequently disengaged from school. Oscar was refused to have contact with one parent as he did not have a good relationship with that parent’s new partner. Sole responsibility Oscar’s care fell to the remaining parent. The parent needed to work full-time to re-establish financially post separation and also had another school-aged teenager to care for.
A YAC solicitor provided legal advice and representation in relation to the serious offence, including applications for the provision of forensic material. Oscar denied any involvement with the serious offence although acknowledged he was in the vicinity around the time the offence was likely to have occurred. Submissions were made in relation to the lack of firm evidence and the possibility of another person having committed the offence. However, the submission was rejected and the matter set for trial.
As is often the case when a matter goes to trial, for a range of process-related reasons there was a lengthy remand period. Due to the serious nature of the offending, Oscar was placed on strict bail conditions which kept him basically at of home except whilst engaged in structured programs. As his parent did shift-work, this resulted in significant periods of time when he was at home alone. Oscar experienced periods of high anxiety and depression and there was
repeated offending, albeit property related offending of a less serious than the trial matter.
Due to this reoffending, Oscar was remanded in custody. The YAC solicitor referred him and his parent, with their agreement, to YAC’s Family Support Advocate (FSA) who commenced regular sessions with the young person’s parent to provide assistance in the stress associated with involvement in the court system and to discuss general parenting strategies for the benefit of the parent and Oscar.The YAC solicitor sought bail, which was granted but Oscar had to comply with a Conditional Bail Program (CBP). YAC’s solicitor then referred Oscar to YAC’s bail support program, YBASS. The YBASS caseworker was able to organise some psychological counselling for Oscar and a youth worker time to reduce the time Oscar was at home alone, liaising closely with Youth Justice Services in relation to the CBP.
Things did not go well at home, unfortunately, and the parent advised YAC Oscar could not stay at home. YBASS was able to locate alternative accommodation for the young person and assist in transport and the solicitor brought an urgent bail application to have the bail address varied. YBASS continued to support Oscar whilst he was living in alternative accommodation and the FSA continued contact with the parent during this time. After a short stay at the shelter Oscar’s parent felt able to have him return home. Arrangements were also made for the young person to stay with another family member from time to time to relieve the family tension.
Over six months after Oscar came to YAC, he was charged with a number of offences, most of which pre-dated the serious offence which had brought him into his initial contact with the youth justice system. Initially Oscar was advised that bail would be refused due to the outstanding offences. The YAC solicitor argued that he was complying with his current bail and that as these matters were alleged to have been committed before the trial offence, and were of a different order to the trial offence, that Oscar’s bail should continue. Bail was granted with some variation of his conditions.
With the assistance of YBASS, Oscar was then able to participate in a training course that he successfully completed as well as a series of other recreational activities. After a period of regular engagement he no longer required the assistance of the psychologist. The serious charges were ultimately withdrawn on the morning of the trial. Some of the other property offences were also withdrawn after a further submission.
By the time the young person was sentenced for his remaining matters he had not re-offended for nearly six months. The young person received a short supervised order based upon the progress that he had made during the remand period.
Postscript: since YAC closed his file, Oscar has remained out of trouble and has permanent employment based on the training course he undertook.
*Not the young person’s real name.
a team effort
25
Not all the advocacy the legal team undertakes relates to alleged offending.
A 17-year-old young woman, Lisa*, was referred to the legal team. Child Safety Services had applied to the court for her seven-month-old baby to be taken from her and placed into care for a period of two years. Lisa had previously been to another Community Legal Centre who had facilitated representation for her by a private lawyer. Regrettably, shortly before the matter first went to court, the private firm indicated that due to resource constraints, they were unable to continue with the case. Lisa was supported by a local community youth organisation who referred her to, and facilitated her attendance at, YAC, as well as at court and meetings with Child Safety Services.
A YAC solicitor appeared for Lisa in the court proceedings and attended the Family Group Meeting. She recognised the need to undertake some development as a parent and to address some of her own health issues but wanted her child to be cared for by members of her immediate family who had had the care of the baby’s sibling for over 24 months without any intervention by Child Safety Services. This had the obvious advantage of ensuring that the baby was placed with its sibling.
Child Safety Services initially refused to even assess the family members as potential carers and consequently the YAC solicitor advised the court Lisa might oppose the application. This was based
upon the lack of risk to the child should the child be placed with immediate family who were willing and able to care for both children. Child Safety Services agreed to assess the immediate family members but indicated that, in their view, the assessment was unlikely to be favourable. Ultimately, however, the assessment was favourable and Child Safety Services approved the family members as carers for the child and Lisa consented to the order. The child has now been residing with its extended family and sibling for some months. Lisa is now able to address her own health issues and improve her parenting skills over the coming months, confident that her child is placed safely and appropriately within the child’s own family. This is also to the long term benefit of the child.
*Not her real name
legal service
26
Centre based supportPrue* was referred to YAC’s homeless and support program from the Department of Child Safety as a component of her transition to independence case plan and as she had previously been a client of YAC’s legal service. Prue was residing in a residential where things were not going well due to being ready to move into independent housing. Prue’s long term goal was to be reunited with her child who had been placed in kinship care arrangements. Prue displayed a good level of maturity and living skills, however, no housing options were identified by the Department of Child Safety (having exhausted all appropriate options the Department could offer).
Client Outcomes:
The case study spans a period of 24 months whereby 153 hours of support were provided over 182 contacts.
*Not their real names
Mobile supportKrystal* was 16 years of age when she accessed youth housing support through the Integrated Youth Court Assist Program (YCAP- court outreach component of the program). Krystal had been rough sleeping and couch surfing for over a year after leaving home due to family conflict with her mother. Krystal’s offences were as a result of her living on the streets.
Client Outcomes:
The case study spans a period of an 8 month period (36 contacts) whereby 48 hours of support were provided.
youth support
Before Support After Support
Short term residential
housing
Transitioned to private rental housing from transitional housing
Education attendance
sporadic
Completed year 12 and undertaking certificate
course at TAFE
Limited contact with daughter
Fulltime care of daughter with no child
safety intervention
Before Support After Support
Legal matters No further legal matters
Rough sleeping/couch surfing (over a year)
Renting in the private rental market
Enrolled in alternative education
(attendance spasmodic)
Enrolled in TAFE course with long term goals
Lack of living skills
Living skills to sustain private rental
27
Heather and Frank* began to care for their 15 year old grandson, Harry*, following the death of his other grandmother who had been his legal guardian since he was a young boy.
Harry has no contact with his mother who suffers from mental health issues and is not able to care for him. She also has substance use problems.
Harry’s father, Dave, was imprisoned about 10 years ago and has had limited contact with Harry since his release from prison. Dave occasionally visits them.
When Harry came into the care of Heather and Frank, he was not regularly attending school and was very withdrawn and angry. Now a teenager, his grandparents were looking for help and were referred to YAC’s ParenTEEN Program.
Through the program Heather and Frank learnt new skills to help them live with a troubled teenager. Over the weeks, they would go home and try out new ideas of managing Harry’s behaviours and developing a relationship with him. Each week positive progress was made.
Heather says she learnt to listen more and take more time to know about Harry’s feelings. She discovered realistic ways to set boundaries and stick to them. In turn, Harry has become more respectful and affectionate to his grandmother. He can be found chatting with Heather in the kitchen and helping her cook meals.
*Not their real names
Frank was very ‘old school’ in his way of raising children and had to learn more patience and how to control his own temper in frustrating times. Through the steps of the program he became more self-aware and understanding of teenagers and was able to put into practice different methods of having calm and positive conversations with his grandson. Harry responded very positively to this and copied the new method of communication. Frank says their relationship has improved enormously.
Harry is now much calmer and more confident, attends school regularly and has made friends, who he often invites home. Teachers have commented to his grandparents about the positive transformation in Harry’s attitude.
Heather and Frank said the ParenTEEN program taught them so many new ways and it has created a much calmer and happier household for the benefit of all its members.
family support
28
Samuel* was referred to YBASS in June 2016 from the Court Services Team as he was remanded in custody due to not having accommodation. Samuel had moved to Australia in 2009, living with his parents. They were now refusing to him being at home due to his poor behaviour and continual disregard for household rules and boundaries.
YBASS accepted the referral and met with Samuel at the Brisbane Youth Detention Centre to assess his accommodation and bail support needs. Samuel was desperate to be released from custody, however his parents refused to allow him home, he had no extended family or friends with whom he could stay and he was not being supported by Child Safety Services.
Given this situation, the only accommodation option for Samuel was a youth shelter and this was discussed at length with him, including all the rules and requirements expected of him if he were to reside in such a placement.
A support plan was developed in consultation with Samuel in order to best support him and within twenty-four hours, YBASS negotiated and secured a placement with a Shelter. Due to Samuel not having any form of income as he was unable to access Centrelink benefits, YBASS was now responsible for supporting Samuel whilst he was on bail.
YBASS contacted all relevant stakeholders, including Samuel’s solicitor and a successful bail application was made 2 days later. Samuel was released from detention and taken to the Shelter where the bed that YBASS had secured was waiting for him.
*Not his real name
YBASS commenced regular contact with Samuel and reviews were held on a fortnightly basis with all relevant stakeholders. Samuel settled in well at the shelter and did not breach or re-offend while he was on bail. He commenced counselling and having personal contact with his parents and ultimately was able to go back home with his family in time for Christmas.
Brokerage support offered to Samuel and the shelter in order to assist him comply with his bail conditions and maintain his placement included:
• rent and all personal expenditure payments for Samuel as he was not financially supported by his family and unable to apply for Centrelink benefits
• provided additional youth worker support in the evenings to improve the staff to resident ratio at the shelter in order to ensure suitable supervision for Samuel
• a culturally appropriate counsellor to work intensively with Samuel and his parents with a view to him being able to return to the family home.
Given that Samuel had no accommodation options available to him at the time of referral he would have been remanded in custody for an extended period if a referral to YBASS had not been made. YBASS supported Samuel so that he had somewhere appropriate to live whilst working on his relationship with his family which led to him being able to return home – and staying out of further trouble during that time.
YBASS
29
OUR SU
PP
OR
TE
RS
AN
D F
UNDERS
Legal ServicesYAC’s legal services, including the base funding for the Community Legal Education program, are funded through the Community Legal Services Program, which is administered on behalf of the Australian and State governments by Legal Aid Queensland. Funding for the program is provided by:
• Commonwealth Government (Attorney-General’s Department)
• Queensland Government (Department of Justice and Attorney-General)
GovernmentSocial welfare and management servicesThe Youth Support Service is funded under the Homelessness funding program administered by the Department of Housing and Public Works.
The Family Support Service is funded by the Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services through the Family Support program.
The Director’s position and the Youth Bail Accommodation Support Service are both funded by a Youth Justice Service grant administered by the Department of Justice and Attorney General.
30
Our administrative staff are funded through the overheads component across all grants.
The government has been seeking to streamline its contractual arrangements and, to this end, has standardised agreement templates for human services across government. To complement this, YAC negotiated with the Department of Justice and Attorney-General to bring the agreements for as many of its various programs as possible together with the aim of reducing red tape. The result is one agreement with schedules relating to the YBASS and the Director’s position (funded by DJAG) and the Family Support Service (funded by the Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services).
To access the Professsional Indemnity Insurance and be a member of the State and National community legal centre peak bodies, YAC has to be accredited under the National Association Accreditation Scheme. We have also been able to negotatiate that meeting the requirements of this accreditation fulfils the requirement to comply with the Human Services Framework, again avoiding duplication.
31
Non Government Funding
YAC thanks the following for their support:
Gambling Community Benefit FundYAC expended a grant of $30,108.00to replace our server which was at risk of failure at any time, and new computer equipment andsoftware to better support our service delivery.
Lord Mayor’s Charitable TrustThe Trust provided YAC with a grant of $1425 to purchase practical resources for some of our disadvantaged young people, such as Go Cards; Mobile Phones and Food Vouchers
Ian Potter FoundationThe Foundation has provided YAC with $20,000 to develop and run peer support groups for parents who have completed YAC’s ParenTEEN program.
Mary McKillop FoundationYAC received $4,800 for A new start: household packages for young people transitioning to independent living who are not eligible for Child Safety funding.
Milton Corporation FoundationThe Foundation provided a grant of $8,000 for practical resources for some of our disadvantaged young people: school uniforms; psychologist appointments; equipment so that they can participate in pro-social activities etc.
Queensland CLE Collaboration FundFunding has been provided to work with QPASTT and QACC on a project to provide community legal education and resources to members of the African communities with the assistance of lawyers/law students of African background.
Transurban Small Community GrantsFunding of $3,000 to provide Safety Packages to young people such as mobile phone with credit; go-cards with credit; food vouchers & basic toiletries
Sponsors And DonorsPrivate donationsYAC has received a number of generous donations from private individuals over the year, including some who have become monthly donors. We would like to express our gratitude for these donations which are often used to provide practical assistance and resources for young people which our government funding does not cover.
YAC would also like to acknowledge the generous contributions by the Presentation Sisters of Queensland through their “Promotion of Mission” grants and $1000 received from Women and Change.
PartnershipsCBP LawyersCBP Lawyers has provided practical assistance to YAC over the year, including providing a venue for its Strategic Planning day and a workplace donation by staff.
YAC continues to liaise with Save the Children in Queensland who have expressed an interest in supporting young offenders to identify opportunities for working together.
YAC has developed an innovative legal education project with Queensland Program for Assistance to Survivors of Torture and Trauma (QPASTT) and Queensland African Communities Council for which we have been seeking funding. Some monies have been secured through the Legal Aid Queensland CLE Collaboration Fund.
Pro Bono support6YSWe have been very fortunate to receive pro bono and reduced cost IT support services from 6YS. This has saved YAC significant costs, both at the time of moving premises but also on an ongoing basis in providing our IT support. Many thanks to Sam, Matt, Michael and Chuck.
Herbert Smith FreehillsHerbert Smith Freehills, Brisbane, has continued to provide a transcription service pro bono. Transcripts of police interviews are typed and printed with a quick turnaround. This greatly assists our busy administration team as well as the solicitors and their clients. Herbert Smith Freehills’ ongoing support in relation to this service is greatly valued.
OUR SUPPORTERS AND FUNDERS CONT.
32
No agency, government or non-government, works in isolation. YAC understands that it delivers valuable services not only as part of a broader service system but also as part of a number of “subsystems”. YAC maintains connections with relevant agencies for the benefit of our clients as well as identifying new opportunities when they arise.
Community legal centresYAC is a specialist community legal centre (CLC) and, as such, is one of 33 members of the Community Legal Centres Queensland (CLCQ), the peak body for CLCs in Queensland. CLCQ, in turn, is a member of the National Association of Community Legal Centres (NACLC).
YAC’s Director has been Chair of CLCQ for the last three years and on the NACLC Advisory Board for the last 12 months.
CLCQ members recognise that cooperation between them is desirable to maximise the effectiveness of their work in addressing the legal and socio-legal needs of disadvantaged Queenslanders. YAC connects with South West Brisbane Community Legal Centre and Logan Legal Service, in particular, both in terms of service delivery and legal education. At a national level, YAC staff engage in community legal education and youth law networks.
Other legal networksYAC lawyers are active members of the Children’s Law Committee of the Queensland Law Society.
The Director continues to represent YAC on the Police Ethnic Advisory Group.
Homelessness servicesYAC is a partner organisation in the “500 lives 500 homes” project. It remains an active member of Queensland Youth Housing Coalition even though the peak organisation is no longer funded.
Youth networksYAC attends meetings of the Inner Urban Youth Interagency, Brisbane South Youth Interagency and Brisbane North Youth Interagency groups. Through this YAC establishes and maintains
links with more general youth agencies and services in and around the Brisbane area which is useful in terms of knowing what other services may be able to address our clients’ needs as well as providing a forum for communicating legal information. A number of legal education sessions for young people and workers with young people have come from these connections.
We acknowledge Sisters Inside and the Youth Affairs Network of Queensland with whom we have worked on youth issues for many years, but particularly in relation to inclusion of 17 year olds in the youth justice system.
Family networksThe Family Support Advocate and the Director have shared attendance at the Brisbane North and Brisbane South regions Local Level Alliance meetings which aim to support implementation of the recommendations of the 2014 Child Protection Inquiry. The Director also participated in the series of workshops to identify outcomes for family support facilitated jointly by the Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services and QCOSS.
General networksYAC is a member of PeakCare with its focus on care and protection issues as well as being a member of G-Force and its associated committees. It is also a member of QCOSS as a broader social welfare sector body. YAC regularly attends meetings and workshops organised by these bodies and contributes to submissions.
Higher education linksYAC has established links with a number of academics with students who are able to assist with various research issues. It also provides placement opportunities for social welfare students (QUT) and also law students (QUT; and Bond University in particular, which also provides a donation to acknowledge the work in supervising the students - thanks to Lindsey Stevenson-Graf for her support).
The Director is undertaking a second term as a member of the School of Justice Advisory Committee at QUT and acknowledges the support of Professor Kerry Carrington, Head of the School.
Networks and collaborations
33
VolunteersAshleigh LarkinAshleigh has committed one day a week to YAC for nearly four years. Ashleigh undertook a comprehensive literature review around youth justice which has proved most useful when drafting submissions and other significant pieces of work. She has now joined the Queensland Child and Family Commission and is finalising her Ph.D. We greatly appreciate Ashleigh’s commitment to YAC.
Alex Fields and Tobias CantoniAlex and Tobias are law students who committed a day a week to YAC and provided research and drafting support to the lawyers on particular client matters and related legal points.
Sally MathewsSally is a qualified lawyer who has continued to volunteer her time to YAC one day a week this year. We have been fortunate to have her as an extra pair of capable hands on busy court days at the Brisbane Children’s Court.
Tarryn McMullenTarryn volunteered a day a week at YAC for over two and a half years as our fundraising and marketing expert. We are most appreciative of all the work Tarryn has done, and continues to do on our behalf to attract non-government funding and support for YAC services.
Kassandra GilmourKassandra worked with the Youth Worker in providing court support to young people at the Brisbane Children’s Court on Fridays (Duty Lawyer day at the court) again this year.
Jack BendallJack commenced assisting with admin activities towards the end of the year and has continued to do so.
Tim has once again produced this annual report for YAC pro bono. We really appreciate Tim’s support for YAC and assisting us to tell our our story.
Parent volunteerA parent who has attended the ParenTEEN program provided peer support including supporting the ParenTEAM group, providing an empathetic ear and general encouragement to other parents.
MANAGEMENT COMMITTEEThe members of the Management Committee, who are listed on the following page, volunteer their time and expertise in the governance of YAC and have overall responsibility for the organisation. This is not a small responsibility and some members have undertaken this role for a significant period of time. YAC is fortunate to have the support of this group of dedicated and skilled people.
StudentsYAC has hosted a number of students on placement over the year: whilst learning new skills, all of them have contributed to the work of YAC and supported our clients through the various tasks or research projects they have been involved in:
Bond University (Law) Jasmin Read,
Laura Dilling, Lauren Bucksath, Claire Glynn-Roe
ACU (Bachelor of Counselling, School of Psychology) Jaimi Hollingsworth
QUT (Faculty of Law, School of Justice)Sophie Gill, Rebecca Dilworth
(Faculty of Law, PLT) George Morrison
(Faculty of Health, School of Public
Health and Social Work) Daniel Mabil
VOLUNTEERS AND STUDENTS
34
MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
Members Position Background Years on MC
Damien Atkinson Chairperson Barrister 21 yrs
Kerrie Mattiske Treasurer Accountant & lawyer 2 yrs (also 2000-2006)
Janet Wight Secretary Director (lawyer) 4 yrs
Jan Duffy Committee member Social Worker 7 yrs
Steve Hutchinson Committee member State Manager (NGO - sport and art)
11 yrs
Beth Toon Committee member General Manager (planning and design company)
2 yrs
Fiona Meagher Committee member Lawyer 2 yrs
Mick Nash Committee member Business man 2 yrs
The Management Committee met 8 times between 1 July 2015 and 30 June 2016; it is required to meet at least 4 times a year under the Constitution.
STAFF
Members Position Status Time at YAC
Lee-Anne Hoyer Youth Support Advocate Permanent full time 24 yrs
Verena Wright Family Support Advocate Permanent full time 3 yrs 8m
Damian Bartholomew Solicitor Permanent full time 22 yrs
Kirra Faulkner Solicitor Permanent full time 4 yrs 6m
Ned Perricelli YBASS Co-ordinator Permanent full time 8 yrs 7m
Erin Mackie
Ika Draskic
Christina Harding
YBASS Co-ordinator Permanent full time (job share on return
from maternity leave)
Locum for maternity leave
Job share on Erin’s return from maternity leave
5 yrs 6m
Vickie Newland Youth Support Worker, YBASS Contract to 30 June 2016 2 yrs
Katrina Jefferson Community Legal Education Officer
Permanent part time (min 15 hrs per wk)
3 yrs 2m
Shannon Danby Administration Officer Permanent part time (29hrs/wk) 8 yrs 1m
Coralie Gardner Administration Officer Permanent part time (29hrs/wk) 8 yrs 9m
Isabella Derrington Administration Support Officer Casual 3 hrs/wk and as required
Sue Agnew Finance Officer Permanent 15 hrs/wk 3 yrs 8m
Janet Wight Director Permanent full time 4 yrs 2m (also 1985-2000)
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