The limitations of the Youth Forum included:

• investigation of other users of public space, and how they view young people and youth activities in inner city area

• need to develop Action Plan as follow-up to consultation process.

1.6 Queensland:
Logan City Public Space Initiative
[Open Family Australia]

The objectives of the project were:

• to define the various target groups within the context of the entire city and define their needs in relation to the project

• to identify workable methods of liaison and practice to reduce conflict between young people and other users of public space

• to determine community understanding of and attitudes toward the issue, with the view to establishing sustainable methods of practice that could be owned and operated by the local community in the long-term.

A broad range of questions was asked as part of the consultations. Responses were provided by the adults and young people on such issues as what a future Logan City would look like; main community concerns; where young people hang out and conflict is most likely; responses to public space initiative; police-youth relations; security guard-youth relations; youth services; art and recreation in public space; young people and cultural issues; what people want to see in their city.

The strengths of the project included:

• detailed presentation of findings, accompanied by informed discussion of the issues raised by the findings

• development of practical recommendations pertaining to each issue area covered in the consultations

• carefully constructed model of possible service delivery.

The limitations of the project included:

• how to build community and youth support for the initiative in the face of cynicism and resistance from certain sectional interests

• limited range of consultation measures

• addressing more fully issues of inter-agency cooperation and youth advocacy.

The key aim of the model is the reduction of instances and intensity of conflict involving young people and other users of public space. To achieve this, the model proposes three main component strategies:

1. The provision of activity-based responses in identified public spaces in key times.

   • an environment where young people have access to art/recreation activities in youth appropriate space

   • an environment where young people can access existing support services through the consistent presence of a detached youth worker

   • an environment that is youth appropriate yet inclusive of the needs of all stakeholders

   • an environment that is inclusive of the needs of different cultural and subcultural groups

   • an environment that provides young people with the opportunity to develop a sense of ownership of the particular space

   • an environment that is welcoming of local community input and participation

   • an environment where police and security are an active and integral part of a positive experience for young people.

2. Working with identified public space stakeholders toward mutually beneficial goals.

   • monitoring of, and liaison with, local media regarding presentation of young people

   • liaison with, and support of, site-specific public space stakeholders where the activity component is located

   • liaison with planning, city council, regarding the planning of public space to ensure it is inclusive of the needs of young people.

3. The provision of individual support to young people and referral into existing support services.

   • accessing young people into existing support services to address their individual needs

   • individual support of young people accessing the target sites.

Each specific area of concern listed in the model was accompanied by a detailed account of implementation processes and desired outcomes. The model is grounded in thorough discussion of practical issues, and realistic assessment of what might be achieved through any particular measure. A budget outline accompanied the model proposal.

At the time of writing, the present Queensland government had made policy decisions which have effectively seen the demise of this initiative.

1.7 New South Wales:
No Standing Project
[Bankstown, Penrith, Greater Taree]

These included:

• what constitutes community space and how do young people use it?

• are time of day, age of young people and other factors (such as cultural background, gender, employment status, socio-economic status) significant; do patterns emerge and how does this compare with other age groups?

• are there regional differences and are these themes transferable to other areas, and are the same factors likely to exist in five years time?

• what aspects of young people?s use of community space cause problems, why and with whom, and are these problems likely to lead to conflict?

• how can town planning design best accommodate young people?s needs and usage patterns as well as those of other groups?

The research involved a review of the literature in the area and a variety of case studies dealing with specific public space projects. A significant part of the research was based on direct consultations with young people in three separate localities.

A description of geographical location, size, social composition and relevant social indicators (such as unemployment rates) was provided for each area, drawing upon 1991 census data.

The targets for consultation included young people, youth services, shopping centre owners or managers, police and local councils. Individuals were contacted through existing networks and contacts. Few interviews were carried out with young people directly, although existing local research on public space issues was drawn upon. Much of the understanding gained of the views of young people was obtained indirectly, through youth advocates.

Questions to be asked were sent to the interviewees a week prior to the time arranged for the interview in order that answers could be prepared in advance. Interviews were conducted face-to-face, with answers being recorded by hand. The typed responses were then sent back to the interviewee to check on accuracy and to add any further information.

The combination of direct interviews and drawing upon existing local surveys (e.g., Centre management exit surveys of shopping centre users) enabled the project to provide reasonably accurate profiles of how young people use public space in each area. Different kinds of questions were asked of the police; shopping centre staff; young people; youth service providers; and local council staff. Issues which were broadly seen as affecting the use of community space by young people included unemployment and low incomes, lack of alternative venues, and availability of transportation.

Other issues discussed included the nature and sources of conflict over the use of public space by young people in each area, fear of crime, the current means of addressing conflict (particularly with respect to policing and use of security guards), the extent to which young people were consulted in relation to planning, and examples of youth-inclusive approaches to community space.

The strengths of the project include:

• consideration of a range of ?stakeholder? views and perceptions of the nature of the issues

• good review of relevant academic literature and community-based research, and incorporation of information from commercial institutions and local surveys

• development of basic principles, and indication of how these should be linked to practical action and special projects.

The limitations of the project include:

• relatively small number of participants in the consultation process, due partly to time and resource limitations

• low numbers of young people consulted about the issues.

The report highlighted the need for further action in a number of areas, and as such is useful as a lobbying and advocacy tool. Recommendations for further action include:

• review of the planning process, involving a public education campaign about basic planning principles and processes

• development of published guidelines on the planning process for youth workers

• publication of best practice guidelines for planning for young people, for local government planners

• further research into best practice in shopping centre management

• a public education campaign to inform the public that young people have a right to use public spaces, and to explain why they congregate in such spaces

• a coordinated state government strategy to bring together various agencies to address the perceived problems of young people?s use of community space.

1.8 Other Relevant Projects
New South Wales:
CBD Public Space Research Project
[City of Parramatta]

The Streetz Working Party, comprised of local professionals working with young people, has been involved in researching a range of public space issues including, for example, identifying harmonious alternative methods of utilising public space that are of little or no cost to consumers, and predisposing factors to crime in public spaces.

New South Wales:
Gosford Shopfront Youth Information Service
[Gosford]

This service provides an outreach service in the sense that youth workers attempt to attract young people to use a programme or service and to provide a youth-friendly setting for these. The role of the Shopfront is to provide information and a range of opportunities to access recreational, arts, educational and social services, and to provide a drug and alcohol free, safe and supportive environment for young people. It also contains a youth café which provides affordable food and drink.

Northern Territory:
YMCA Palmerston Youth Outreach Project
[Palmerston]

This project involves streetwork, a form of outreach which means that youth workers usually spend a lot of time in places where young people hang out. The aims of the project are to facilitate an environment which promotes positive and respectful communication and interaction with young people. The role of the workers is to make contact with young people, and to assist them by providing information, support, employment and vocational opportunities, and other resources.

Northern Territory:
Making Space
[Centre for Social Research]

This project examined the extent and incidence of anti-social behaviour by young people in Darwin, and the experiences of young people in public spaces in that city. The project involved extensive interviews with young people and older stakeholders, as well as compilation of relevant criminal justice statistics. The report argues strongly in favour of a youth outreach service for the Darwin community, based on strategies which seek to involve young people in the uses of the spaces they frequent, to promote positive images of young people and youth culture, and to sponsor or initiate socially developmental programmes for young people.

A graphic depiction of the recommended model put forward by the study team is shown in the accompanying table.

The report was released in February 1998, which precluded more detailed summary of its main findings, methods and strategies, and outcomes.

• Advocacy programmes

• Promotion of restorative justice and reintegrative shaming in area of juvenile justice

• Development of programmes, activities, projects, inclusive practices, street level help

• Provision of information, referral and support

Programme Objectives

• Fostering public acceptance of young people?s needs and promoting positive images of young people

• Networking with other community organisations and state agencies in order to foster positive change, such as adoption of community policing styles of policing and encouragement of commercial sponsorship of community projects for young people

• Designing young people into the community through provision of youth-friendly spaces, and through providing health and training information and referrals

Source: drawn from model of figure and discussions in Tyler,
Jablonka & Flick, 1998, pp. 16-17.

With forty-seven per cent of residents under the age of 25, Melton is a young person?s place. Concerns are regularly expressed by some residents about noise levels, young people who hang around, and perceived offending behaviour. The Shire Council, however, has been negotiating with young people over things such as skateboard ramps, and has been interested in developing positive relationships with young people in an effort to influence community opinion.

The goals of this project are:

• to document differences between youth friendly and youth unfriendly spaces

• to conduct youth friendliness ratings (access audits) of targeted local businesses, community agencies and public spaces

• to provide feedback to ?space managers?, and where possible, actively assist the ?space managers? to develop youth friendly areas

• to promote the project as a model of national significance.

The project involved a survey of 167 young people to gauge their idea of youth friendliness and suggestions for places to audit. A survey was also undertaken with 70 local businesses and services (those mentioned by young people as being places which they would like to be audited), to provide them with an opportunity to state what they think is friendly about their business or service.

After compiling the results of the surveys, a model youth access audit was devised. The processes of the youth access audit involve the following:

• speaking with the manager/owner to ask permission to carry out the audit

• talking with the staff of the business/service

• entering the space anonymously alone

• entering the space with a group of friends

• entering the space anonymously and just browsing

• entering the space anonymously and buying

• writing up their findings individually

• writing up the findings in conjunction with the rest of the team?s findings

• writing a report for the business/service involved about their level of youth friendliness with suggestions for improvement if needed

• presenting the report to the business/service.

The same list was to be used for each audit. The list included:

• Attitude of people

  • when you first walked in

  • when you asked for help

  • when you were alone

  • when you were with a group of friends

• Cost

  • in relation to other similar businesses

  • in relation to the average money young people have to spend

  • in relation to the cost of other items in their business

  • in relation to value for money

• Hours of operation

  • in relation to school hours

  • in relation to other similar businesses

• Discrimination

  • in relation to age

  • in relation to size of your group

  • in relation to clothes

  • in relation to hair style

  • in relation to image

  • in relation to gender

• Environment (both physical and social)

  • cleanliness

  • layout

  • aesthetics

  • surroundings

  • Lighting

  • inside business

  • outside business

  • along the street

  • signage

• Location

  • in relation to public transport

  • in relation to other businesses

  • in relation to its hours of operation

• Safety

  • number of people inside the business

  • number of people outside the business

  • lighting inside and outside the business

  • feeling when inside

The project involves auditing or giving a youth friendly rating on 25 places in Melton, including both private and public space, and both shops and parks. The kinds of places chosen for the audit include youth outreach services, health services, bowling alley, cinemas, entertainment arcade, parks, retail outlets, library, music shop, fastfood shop, skate park and leisure centre.

The strengths of the project include:

• innovative project design which educates each participant at the same time as providing important information about local businesses and services

• investigates a range of dimensions of young people?s experiences in public places

• young people in control of project and solutions are therefore relevant to them

• strong support from local shire council, local businesses and community agencies, and many young people.

The limitations of the project include:

• problems with the completion date for the surveys, the length of the youth survey, interpretation of some of the words used in the survey and given in response to the questions

• planning stage did not involve high levels of consultation or participation from young people

• different timelines for businesses and young people could affect the implementation process arising from project results

• private sector may not understand all of the project?s aims, or agree with them.

2.2 South Australia:
CHAMPS by the River Project
[Murray Bridge]

After extensive consultation in the region with service providers a number of youth needs were identified. These included relief from boredom; the costs of travel to and from amenities and activities in Adelaide; the need to be involved in an activity that is highly valued by the wider community; and for young people to be recognised as contributing members of society. The circumstances of young people in Murray Bridge include high youth unemployment rates, high levels of early school leaving, poverty, and lack of transport.

The overall goal of CHAMPS is to enable 13 to 18 year old young people in the Murray-Mallee region to have a voice in shaping the way in which mental health services are provided to them and to participate in mental health promotion activities. The key strategic objectives of CHAMPS are:

• to develop a CHAMPS youth forum consisting of young people in the region, to assess the mental health needs of young people, assess how agencies can work more effectively with young people, to advise agencies on how mental health can be promoted amongst their peers, and to provide relevant agencies with access to a youth perspective on mental health issues

• to develop a youth access and resource network (YARN), which enables young people to talk with other young people in a peer support framework by telephone while waiting to receive help from local agencies, if needed, or as an adjunct to this help

• to create a model of best practice for working in partnership with young people.

Within this broad framework of aims and strategies, the CHAMPS by the River project was developed. The specific aim of this project is to provide young people in Murray Bridge and surrounding areas with safe, free, accessible, alcohol-free recreation, and to give young people a sense of pride, ownership and belonging to accompany the skills obtained by being involved in the project.

The project initially involved a small working group which consisted of a core of 4 young men aged 15 to 17 years. As the project progressed young women in the larger CHAMPS youth forum become interested and more directly involved. The young people met regularly with council staff and elected members. More generally, they were involved with council planning and engineering officers, CAMHS mental health workers, Aboriginal workers and community service groups to research, plan, develop and revegetate the recreational reserve selected as the site for the project.

The project constructed a skate ramp and bike track, with an art area and gazebo completed in the latter stages. The young people worked on the project to choose the site from those offered by the council, surveyed the site, worked with a sign writer in designing and painting the sign, planned the track lay-out with the council planner, assisted with the delivery and installation of the skate ramp, met with the country art officer and builder of the art area, worked on site to shape mounds and clear away rock and debris, and worked with council employees to finalise jump angles and safety aspects of the bike track.

The strengths of the project include:

• provision of tangible outcome which benefits young people generally in the region

• active support of the local council and others in the local community

• participation in design and planning by young people who had had difficulty getting by in the school system and are not academic achievers, and who are proud of their achievement, improved in self-confidence and negotiating skills.

The limitations of the project include:

• relatively small number of young people directly involved in specific project

• need to evaluate critically issues such as gendered nature of recreational spaces and types of facilities appropriate to different sections of youth population.

2.3 Victoria:
Skatesafe Programme
[City of Melbourne]

Accordingly, consultations were undertaken, which established that issues of safety, access and enjoyment of the City were of prime concern, as were issues of public rights to use the city streets and workable enforcement.

The objectives of the Skatesafe work group are:

• to increase the level of responsible use of skates

• to decrease the number of skating/pedestrian ?near misses? reported

• to increase the community?s awareness of where skating is allowed and where it is not allowed.

In responding to these objectives the project was based upon community consultation and inclusion of key stakeholders, and encouragement of community management and responsibility for skating in the city.

A community liaison committee was formed, comprising representatives from the skate industry, traders, police, skaters and Melbourne City Council to monitor and evaluate the management option employed, the education and awareness campaign and any other relevant issues.

The detailed proposal for the management of skating in the city included:

• the provision of a skating venue

• nominated preferred access routes through the central business district and designated No-Skate zones

• the development and promulgation of a Code of Conduct

• an education and awareness programme involving the skate industry, police and the general community

• the development and implementation of physical measures to inhibit skating in public places

• the development of a Local Law which includes provision for issuing infringement notices for reckless and unsafe behaviour and damage to property.

The strengths of the Skatesafe project include:

• wide ranging consultations and research

• clear goals and objectives

• combination of physical infrastructure and social management

• establishment of clear guidelines and opportunities

• relevant awareness and education campaigns for target groups.

The limitations of the Skatesafe project include:

• possible resistance from ill-informed traders and members of public

• enforcement of protocol for regulation of skate zones

• ensuring that Code of Conduct seen as facilitating skating, rather than as imposed on young people as social control measure.

Overall, the Skatesafe project represents a concerted and comprehensive attempt to manage skating in the central business district. The major issues are those dealing with safety, access, enjoyment, rights, opportunity and workable enforcement. It is recognised that the use of certain public spaces for these purposes requires an integrated and sensitive plan of action.

2.4 Northern Territory:
Cyber Kafé
[Tennant Creek]

Tennant Creek is one of the most isolated towns in Australia and has limited social and recreational activities for young people. The intention of the project is to establish an Internet Web at the high school which could act as a ?drop-in? centre, either in a physical, visiting way or via modems.

The objectives of the project include:

• providing young people in isolated localities with access to current information

• provision of networking between students, teachers and schools

• provision of an alternative meaningful social activity

• gaining a better understanding of technology and its applications

• overcoming the barriers of culture/ethnicity and distance

• improving the skills, experience and knowledge of young people in order that they might then empower others

• giving young people the opportunity to grow in their own view.

For the young people, the project offered the chance to learn and also be entertained, as well as to ?level? themselves with their peers in more settled, less isolated regions. The project is designed to accommodate all young people in the region including non-students.

1. Setting up the network hardware, configuring the equipment and initial training of those who form the management committee of the cyber café, and school staff

2. Opening the network to school classes and opening the cyber café to young people after school hours, with management committee members to act as basic trainers for those wishing to participate in on-line café activities

3. Bringing on-line the Aboriginal Community Schools and Station Schools in the Barkly Region via modem dial-up into the high school?s network.

Young people participating in the management of the café are trained on internet access, as is high school staff. Students from a number of schools and youth services are involved in ongoing project development and management. This has been accompanied by development of a project booklet, regular communication on associated developments via a school newsletter, and training of students and others in all facets of the Internet.

The strengths of the project include:

• creative use of up-to-date communications technology in providing alternative ?spaces? for young people to hang out, and for which they have responsibility to manage

• use of local school for out-of-school and non-school purposes, and extensive use of school resources and expertise for wider community benefit

• active cooperation with other schools and agencies, and in particular indigenous organisations, and ability to provide cultural and social integrity for the Aboriginal culture of the region

• development of protocols with respect to use of system, covering issues such as content standards for contributions, code of ethics and grievance processes.

The limitations of the project include:

• maintaining a commitment from the supervising volunteers, which requires collecting monies, showing newcomers the operation of the equipment and being in charge of refreshments

• potential costs for disadvantaged young people, given that fees are required to meet operating costs of system

• need for evaluation of patterns of use among young people and what kind of information and activities they are engaging in with the technology.

2.5 New South Wales:
Not Just Buses and Trains
[Blacktown Local Government Area]

The objectives of the project were:

• to research public space issues involving young people in public transport stops

• to devise strategies to address any issues arising from young people?s use of public space in these areas.

After identifying the issues, an action plan was developed. This is based upon a series of prescriptions regarding what to do and how:

• be clear about what you are trying to achieve

• know what the issues are for the public space that you are dealing with

• decide what organisations you need to make contact with and at what level of the hierarchy this needs to occur

• find some common ground with people within these organisations and use this as a starting point from which to build a working relationship

• sell your idea to other local youth workers and services and get them involved

• start off on a small scale, and remember that the rules are different working with young people in public spaces and it might take a while to establish what these are

• the spaces are public so don?t just work with young people

• make the most of any opportunities that arise.

A crucial aspect of the project was the recognition that public space youth work is different to centre-based youth work.

The strengths of the project include:

• integration of research and action strategies

• emphasis on local factors and conditions in devising strategies of intervention

• effective use of educational pamphlets to publicise the project.

The limitations of the project include:

• greater analysis needed of some types of youth activities (e.g., fights) and what to do about these

• linking the youth survey with survey of other patrons of public transport.

For example, at Mt Druitt station the run-down appearance of the interchange area had contributed to an overall negative impression among people that the area was unsafe. Youth workers began to organise weekly activities at the interchange. Shortly afterwards, the local Police Citizens Youth Club officer became involved in the activities, with the added attraction of a mobile PCYC entertainment van equipped with computers, games and sporting equipment. With the support of transport providers, the local council, a local community arts organisation and town centre committee, chalk arts workshops were held on the footpaths at the interchange. This initiative has raised the profile of local youth services, and enhanced the general appearance and friendliness of the interchange.

2.6 Victoria:
Your Space Our Place Project
[Shire of Moira]

The project is based on the development of a comprehensive model of service delivery that will link a range of programmes and options for young people who live in the disparate communities that make up the Moira Shire. The aim is to increase access to information, services and suitable open space facilities, involve young people in their communities and meaningful decision-making processes that impact on their lives.

While intended to address the needs of all young people between 12 and 17 years of age (with flexibility to include those up to the age of 25), the programmes and options especially target those young people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness; from a non-English speaking background; experiencing or at risk of family violence; those who are not in stable education, or at risk of leaving education early; those who have been unemployed for more than six months; who are financially disadvantaged; and who are sole parents.

The overall programme incorporates 10 key activities and projects:

• establishment and support of a young people?s management committee, known as the Moira Youth Reference Group

• assist in the establishment of a new youth agency, known as the CEYS

• developing open space around the CEYS building that is relevant to young people?s needs

• improving transport access for young people - purchase and fitout a double decker information and access bus

• creating a positive image of young people through the media

• enhance communication between young people and the police in the community

• holding at least one activity in each community to inform young people about the Youth Reference Group and the projects and activities people are participating in

• encouraging improved communication between young people and older adults in the community by sharing skills, ideas and working together on the building and to organise events

• celebration with an alcohol and drug-free dance party

• develop a resource kit of how to do all of the above.

Given the holistic approach adopted by the programme team, it is not possible to describe and evaluate each aspect of the programme in this review. However, the integrated approach which has been implemented provides a useful model of positive intervention on public space issues in rural (as well as urban) locations.

To illustrate the innovative and specific character of public space projects in rural areas it is instructive to examine the programme?s attempt to improve transport and access for young people by providing an events and information access bus.

The plan was to locate, purchase and outfit a suitable double decker bus in order to provide a flexible service for young people. The intention of the bus project is to provide transport to events, access to information, training programmes, confidential advice and simply, friendly space. There is provision of access for people with a disability.

Young people are to be involved (with other volunteers) to assist in outfitting the bus, undertaking necessary mechanical repairs, and painting the bus mural.

The strengths of the bus project include:

• immediate benefits once bus outfitted and painted

• provides transportation for young people to concerts, sports carnivals, pools, dance parties, camps and other developmental activities

• involves young people, particularly those who may present social difficulties (e.g., difficult family relationships, poor social skills) directly in mechanical and artistic maintenance and outfitting of bus.

The limitations of the bus project include:

• the only double decker buses in Australia within the project price range had a maximum speed of between 65-75 kilometres per hour

• one bus doing pickup across the Shire is inadequate given the distances to travel and the demands on the bus, and on the bus drivers

• ensuring that there are sufficient volunteer drivers with appropriate licences and safe driving records.

In the end, a 29 seat Hino bus was purchased, and on-going work is being undertaken on developing a community transport policy and procedure document for the Shire.

The programme relies upon a wide number of young and older volunteers in the Moira Shire area, and has organised working bees to assist in specific tasks (e.g., building design and renovation).

An important part of the programme is media liaison, which includes on-going protocols with the local media outlets regarding how young people are presented in that media. The programme also views as important, on-going communication with police, parents and other members of the community about youth and family issues, and direct participation in project events and activities as appropriate.

A significant aspect of the programme is the ability of the coordinators to assess goals and objectives on a continuous basis, and to modify plans as appropriate or as required by circumstance. Flexibility, as well as communication across a wide number of sectors, are crucial components of the model.

The programme incorporates a number of elements. These include weekly practice sessions, a road safety project, visits to local schools to talk about graffiti, clean up of graffiti by resourcing young people referred from Juvenile Justice for community work, and ongoing cleaning and maintenance of legal urban sites such as bus shelters.

The aims of the overall project are:

• to offer young spraywriters an opportunity to express themselves in their own unique way on designated legal areas

• to involve the young people in actual decision-making process of the project

• to reduce the city?s graffiti maintenance costs.

In 1995, the City of Gosnells and the Traffic Road Board of Western Australia jointly funded the urban art programme to undertake work on road safety. The objective of the project was to use road safety murals on local bus shelters as a means to promote road safety among the target group of young drivers and pedestrians, particularly males between the ages of 16 and 25 years.

The young people involved in the project come from a variety of sources, such as local high schools, residents of the community, youth groups and referrals from Juvenile Justice. Regular weekly practice sessions are held which focus on the development of skills. Violent or aggressive art work is not encouraged or accepted. Acknowledgement is made of individual artists for the work they do at any particular site.

The strengths of the project include:

• organised and youth-friendly approach to graffiti activity

• benefits to local council, road safety campaign and young people

• brightens up city locations and makes cityscape much more interesting.

The limitations of the project include:

• tends to be used mostly by mainstream young people rather than those deemed to be ?at risk?

• makes a clear distinction between ?vandals who tag? and spray writers who put up ?pieces?, but does not explore the link between the two or the attractions of illegal graffiti work.

In an evaluation based upon a survey of people attending a series of twilight concerts in a local park, the following kind of information was provided: 90 per cent of the participants had seen the City?s bus shelters decorated with road safety murals, of which 69 per cent thought they were excellent. Of the respondents, 93 per cent thought there should be more of them painted. When asked what sort of messages the shelters promote, the four top responses were don?t drink and drive, road safety, buckle up and don?t speed. Sixty-one per cent said that the murals do help to educate people about road safety, generally by making people aware of the issue.

3.2 Western Australia:
Fair Ground Project
[Broome]

The Broome Youth Theatre Project devised a project to workshop the musical play ?Fair Ground?, written by local playwright Russell Massey, bringing this work into production for performance to the wider community. The play is the story of children living on the street, who are the victims of many of the abuses identified as community problems.

The project seeks to address a number of youth needs in the Broome area. These include training for employment; programmes that target school leavers, unemployed, homeless and disadvantaged young people, victims of abuse and young people with disabilities; dealing with issues such as drug abuse, psychological and physical abuse, broken families, domestic violence, homelessness, suicide, disabilities, disadvantage, unemployment, low self-esteem, crime, prostitution and imprisonment; and organisations run by young people for young people in a location where such a service is lacking.

The aim of the project is to provide workshop training in a wide range of theatre skills for young people in Broome and surrounding regions. A musical play written by young people, targeting the unemployed, homeless and disadvantaged, and exploring the issues and needs of young people, and which is produced for public and educational workshop performances, provides a voice for young people

The objectives of the project include:

• training young people in specific skills for application to theatre

• adding project workshops to school programmes

• training young people in performance skills oriented toward public and educational audiences

• focus on the needs of young people as a workshop and performance theme

• the consolidation of Broome Youth Theatre as a viable, self-sustaining organisation for young people, continuing a programme of works pertinent to young people

• communication of the needs to young people to the general community

• to enhance sense of self-esteem and capabilities of participants

• to target the unemployed, the homeless, the disadvantaged and the disabled for workshops.

Surveys of workshop participants, students involved in school programmes and general public audiences are taken. These are meant to target indicators such as lifestyle changes, awareness of issues and needs, personal responses to workshops, training progress through skill development, employment and team working abilities. Surveys of participant type are meant to provide a breakdown of the social composition of the sessions, and the impact of the workshops on particular groups.

The project is meant to be a model for teenagers to participate in every aspect of the production, staging and performance of the play, as well as the organising committee. The programme covers a diverse range of skill development workshops, including acting, singing, musicianship, puppetry, dance, stage production, stage management, theatre administration, stage direction, musical direction, set design, lighting design, costume and makeup, and sound engineering.

The strengths of the project include:

• use of popular method of communication which draws from all elements of the community and appeals to a broad cross-section of the community

• theatre breaks down many social barriers and communicates on issues pertinent to society and especially to young people, in a safe environment and an acceptable form

• benefit is found in development of general social skills for participants, and transfer of ideas and information to wider community.

The limitations of the project include:

• lack of consistent funding and secure organisational base

• ambitious estimation of employment opportunities arising from participation in project and in the effect of the project on confronting concrete problems of youth.

3.3 South Australia:
Project X
[City of Unley]

It is to involve over one hundred young local residents in the development, planning and performance stages of the project.

This project is oriented toward involving young people aged 13 to 25 in participating in outdoor promenade performances which explore the contemporary urban youth experience. The project focuses on the needs of young people who are experiencing significant disadvantage, such as those from non-English speaking backgrounds, the young homeless, the young unemployed and young people with disabilities.

The aim of the project is to produce an energetic contemporary performance experience that recognises a wide range of youth cultural activity - such as rollerblading, raving, hanging out. It is based on the idea of flexible performance activities and sites, with performances ranging from loud and visual to small and secretive. The project is to take place in streets, buildings, parks and car parks in Unley. Audience size will thus be fluid, with performances ranging from the intimate to the spectacular.

The objectives of the project are:

• to create a dynamic and exciting youth arts performance that explores a diverse range of contemporary youth arts activity

• to explore the potential of promenade and site specific performance

• to recognise contemporary youth arts culture as valid art activity

• to provide opportunities for young people from diverse cultural and social backgrounds to work together on the creation of a performance that celebrates youth culture

• to allow young people to set their own agenda in creating performance about issues that face them at a community level

• to encourage the participation of young people in all stages of planning and development

• to develop greater community awareness of the needs and issues relevant to young people in the Unley area

• to develop a list of recommendations, established by young people, which Unley Council can action

• to create a best practice model that young people and other councils around Australia may adapt to suit their needs

• to facilitate the creation of a local youth network that is active, committed and respectful of ongoing youth needs, and encourages youth participation at all levels.

Young people could be involved in the project in a wide range of ways. These included: administration; design and script writing; stage and sound techniques; in-line skating and skateboarding; multi-media; dance; film and video making; visual art; drama; and music. Open workshops were held to provide all interested young people with an opportunity to contribute their ideas to the project. To publicise the project, an innovative publicity stunt, the ?Chalk Blitz? was organised, which provided young people an opportunity to ?claim their place? by ?marking their space? with a chalked X.

The performance organised by the project has a number of components:

• the project X story concentrates on a group of young people and their journey to discovering the local council, to be performed by an ensemble of young people who have studied performance with Urban Myth

• it will be a multi-artform production using a creative team and cast of young people, and involving skating, music, acting, sports-skill, design and poetry

• it will use film (within the production) as a medium to profile young people in and around the areas of Unley using public space

• it will contain elements of loud music (hip-hop, techno, jungle and house rhythm) alongside moments of stillness and silence

• it will have several choreographed sequences involving skate boarders, in-liners and possibly young people on bikes

• it will ?sample? the voices of young people from the Unley area in a ?vox-pop? style, and these voices and comments will be sound recorded into the score of the project.

The emphasis is on variety, flexibility and relevance. One goal of the project is to give young people themselves a voice, both in terms of direct performance and in terms of the issues which form an integral part of the performance (e.g., unemployment, street level conflict).

The strengths of the project include:

• taps into the dynamic nature of youth culture, and young people?s uses of public space

• inclusive approach which targets disadvantaged young people as well as more mainstream young people

• extensive contact with young people in local area, and encouragement to participate in the project as significant players

• deals with issues relevant to young people?s own experiences in the urban setting.

The limitations of the project include:

• difficulties and differences experienced in the administration of the project in terms of processes, outcome expectations, and accountability, including budgetary concerns

• the level of participation of young people in the project, particularly on the Steering Committee and in the planning process

• lack of clarity in early stages about specific details of the project and performance, and differing expectations of the project benefits for particular agencies.

3.4 Other Relevant Projects
Queensland: Feral Arts Project
[Brisbane]

This project has conducted extensive research on public space issues, including identifying a range of cultural heritage features of the South Bank area in Brisbane and traditional associations for Aboriginal people. It has actively tried to mould appropriate artistic programmes for young people in the light of this research.

Queensland:
sNot Arts Project
[Brisbane]

This project has developed a range of activities which aim to involve young people and appropriate community groups in strategies by which diverse groups of young people may interact and contribute positively to the cultural life of the Inala to Ipswich corridor. A key focus for the activities has been issues relating to young people?s use of public space.

One of the first attempts to deal directly with public space and youth issues was at the Midland Gate Shopping Centre in Perth. The management of the Centre was experiencing complaints and problems associated with the large numbers of young people at the shopping centre. There were reports of young people hanging around in groups, vandalism, graffiti, fighting, abuse of shoppers, damage to staff cars and evidence of drug use such as empty syringes and liquid paper bottles in the car park.

More security guards employed by the Centre only increased the conflict experienced with the young people. Young people stated that they were picked on by security guards and said that standing around with their friends was enough to make the guards approach them, ask for their names and often tell them to leave. The Centre manager stated that it became a game of ?cat and mouse? in an ?us and them? situation. Meanwhile, shopping trade increasingly suffered, particularly on Thursday evening and Saturdays.

Management finally approached a local youth organisation, the North East Regional Youth Council, and a committee was established to look into the issue. The committee included representatives from the Centre management, local council, local youth service, state and Commonwealth departments, local businesses, police and community groups. A survey was conducted so as to understand the situation better and to develop a programme that would attempt to address the needs of the young people and the community.

The solution was to hire a part-time youth worker to be employed to work in the Centre, whose position was meant to be funded conjointly by the Centre and the state Family and Community Services. An office was allocated for the worker and a meeting room and resources for making referrals were made available.

The role of the youth worker has been to work with the young people, link them into existing support services where applicable and to make available information on leisure, employment, accommodation, education, health and legal services. The young people help to identify current gaps in services in the community and made recommendations to the Centre about their needs. Some of the young people are employed part-time collecting trolleys, gardening and doing general maintenance.

Since the decision to consult widely on the issues, and to adopt a more developmental and accommodating approach in relating to young people, life at the Centre has improved. Incidences of inappropriate behaviour have been markedly reduced, as have vandalism and violence.

The Centre has saved money by contributing to the wages of the part-time youth worker, in comparison with the costs associated with security guards. Importantly, the Centre management and its youth reference group does not see the role of the youth worker as to ?police? young people or to act as a quasi-security guard. Alternatively, policies have also been developed and training has been conducted for security officers so that they know when to approach young people, when to call the youth worker and when to walk away.

4.2 New South Wales:
Rights of Passage Project
[Shire of Sutherland]

This project was located at the Westfield Miranda shopping centre. It has been supported by the Sutherland Shire Council, the Australian Youth Foundation, Westfield Miranda and the Eastern Area Service for Youth. The project employed two part-time youth workers.

The concept of ?rights of passage? was used to try to emphasise a cooperative use of public space by Westfield management, shop owners and young people. Young people are seen as legitimate users of public space, rather than as problems which need to be dealt with. The project involves sporting activities such as basketball and skateboarding, hands-on multi-media programmes, a range of arts and drama courses, and adventure sports such as indoor rock climbing. The aim was to explore how privately owned space such as a large regional shopping centre complex could accommodate the needs of young people. Concern was directed at efforts to accentuate the positive contribution and positive place of young people in the shopping centre precincts.

The major achievements of the project include a continuation of existing cash and in-kind support by Westfield for youth programmes; the setting up of a youth consultation committee; recognition of the need for security guards to be trained in how to handle young people using non-confrontational methods; establishment of a consultation committee to authorise and oversee programmes; and access by youth advocates to monthly meetings with retailers.

A number of issues were identified which affected the project?s development. For example, the time frame for the project (effectively 10 months) and the fact that the workers were only employed on a part-time basis, only permitted minimal exploration of the ?active? and ?passive? uses of privately-owned space by young people. There were also significant changes in project staff, as well as in the personnel of the three major stakeholders. A combination of staffing changes and time limitations meant that less attention was paid to the needs and attitudes of retailers, with implications for the development of collaborative approaches and a common understanding or language regarding the issues. Concern was also expressed over the clarity of purpose and overall direction of the project. Overall, there is a continuing need for the creation of activities and opportunities for all stakeholders to interact on issues of relevance to them and the project.

4.3 Queensland:
Hyperdome Street Work Service
[Logan City]

Research conducted by Feral Arts in 1993 demonstrated a number of limitations with existing services and venues relating to the Hyperdome in Logan City. One outcome of this research was the identification of the need for a flexible, autonomous street work service in the local area. The management of the Hyperdome agreed to provide a base for the service, which is currently operated by the Open Family agency.

4.4 Western Australia:
Armadale Shopping Centre Youth Service
[Armadale]

Another instance of Centre management support of youth services is the Armadale Shopping Centre in the suburbs of Perth. In this case, the Centre management has provided a free lease for a youth service, Armadale-Gosnells and District Youth Resources Incorporated, to operate from the Centre. The service includes a drop-in centre that offers pool, computer games, and arts and crafts. It also undertakes community service and recreational programmes with young offenders, and works in a number of local schools.

4.5 Victoria:
Northland Shopping Centre Behaviour Code
[Northcote]

Considerable conflict was occurring between young people and security guards at the Northland Shopping Centre in Melbourne. A meeting was held at the request of an Aboriginal parent, involving people from the local high school (Northland Secondary College), the Centre security supervisor and other interested parties to discuss the issues.

The outcome of the meeting was further discussions taking place between students and security guards, who together devised a code of behaviour for all parties. This represented a shift away from a police guard approach to that of customer service on the part of the security staff, and an acknowledgement that loud, noisy groups can be intimidating to shoppers, on the part of the students.

In addition to a behaviour code, the Centre management offered performance space for the school Aboriginal dancers, display space for school art work, and retail traineeships for Year 10 students as well as numerous short-term work experience placements. The general atmosphere has improved in the Centre, and the emphasis is on creating opportunities rather than simply reacting to problems.

4.6 Queensland:
Canelands Shopping Centre Art Project
[Mackay]

This was a project held at the Canelands Shopping Centre in 1996 aimed at improving relations between young people and retailers, security guards, management and older patrons. It involved an artist running workshops out of a vacant store, and youth workers being available to address youth personal issues or conflicts. The ten-week project culminated in a week of performance involving street theatre, a fashion parade and story-telling for children. One outcome of the project was that working in the Centre allowed youth workers to be more accessible to young people, but to do this adequately required an expansion of youth-specific activities and open communication between diverse stakeholders.

In 1995 a company, Broadway Australia, submitted an application to develop the former Grace Brothers store site in Glebe, a suburb of Sydney. The intention was to build a complex comprising a supermarket, discount department store, cinema complex, food court, leisure and entertainment centre, and speciality shops.

A local youth worker from Leichhardt Council organised consultations with local youth organisations, and consultations were also held with other sections of the community by the Council?s Community Development team and Town Planners. A number of concerns were raised about the development, in terms of planning and service issues, and the social impact of a large facility which would be open until midnight, seven days a week.

Accordingly, the Community Services Department of Council drafted a detailed report recommending a number of community facilities, structures and policies. The ?youth? section was very detailed and the developers responded in the form of a letter of offer to the Council. The developers proved to be very approachable and amenable to all the suggested youth provisions, which were put to them both in terms of the social impact, and also in terms of being able to provide the first truly youth-friendly shopping centre in Sydney.

The Council?s final recommendations to the developers concerning young people included:

• that a youth advisory committee be formed comprising a Council youth worker, a representative of Leichhardt Youth Network, the Coordinator of Glebe Youth Centre and a Youth Liaison officer of Glebe police and the Developer/Centre?s Management representatives

• that consultation with the youth advisory committee regarding the development be ongoing throughout the design, building and eventual operation of the complex

• that a full-time youth services coordinator be employed and fully funded by the Centre?s management at the rate set by the Australian Services Union of New South Wales category 3, year 3-4 plus on-costs, and provided with an office. The youth advisory committee and a representative from Centre?s management to interview and select

• that an annual youth activities budget of $10,000 (indexed to cost-of-living adjustments) be provided by the Centre?s management to fund youth activities developed by the youth services coordinator

• that a full-time youth worker be employed and fully funded by the Centre?s management at a rate set by the Australian Services Union of NSW category 2, year 2-4 plus on-costs. The youth advisory committee and a representative from the Centre?s management to interview and select

• that a visible youth space (office/meeting room of 50 square metres) be provided on Level 2 near the family entertainment area

• that a youth policy be developed by the youth advisory committee in consultation with the Centre?s management prior to the Centre?s opening, so that its recommendations could be implemented from the start. The youth policy would advise on how to positively manage the attendance of young people within the complex

• that alcohol be sold within the family games facility only in enclosed, strictly defined areas which have a café atmosphere and not that of a bar/hotel

• that the family entertainment/interactive games centre provide at least 25 per cent of the Centre?s area with low cost or no cost activities such as coin machines, also ping pong, pin ball, videos and exhibition spaces and comfortable informal seating for conversations

• that a single donation of $100,000 to support youth facilities in the immediate area be provided

• that an annual donation of $10,000 (linked to the consumer price index) be provided to support youth facilities and services

• that complementary and concessional passes be available for low income young people from the local area, to access businesses in the complex, comprised of the gym, sports, cinema and entertainment facilities

• that the Centre management explore and develop employment training opportunities and traineeships for young people in the complex.

The Council proposal was significant for two particular reasons. First, the issues covered in the proposal tried to respond to the impact of the new development at both the internal level (what happens within the facility) and external level (what happens to the surrounding community). Private commercial interests were thus intertwined with wider public interests well beyond the specific site.

Secondly, the Council?s ability to negotiate with the company was enhanced by the fact that, in order for the project to go ahead, the developers had to submit a Development Application to the Council. This allowed the Council to negotiate certain conditions being met. At this stage, as well, the developers were keen for their proposed development plans to be approved and as such, any concerns about the project which are voiced were more likely to be listened to carefully. It is unlikely that the provisions asked for by Council in this instance would be granted by a shopping centre that was already in existence. However, other councils have been successful in obtaining contributions for youth facilities when shopping centres were seeking to expand their existing facilities - a process which also requires a Development Application.

While the developers amended the original Council proposal in various ways, the overall provisions have been accepted. Leichhardt Council staff have followed up these negotiations with an examination of ways to incorporate similar processes, and Social Impact Assessment processes, into key Council documents such as the Town Plan and the Social Plan.

Brisbane City Council received a grant from the Department of Families, Youth and Community Care Public Space Initiative Fund to develop guidelines for the design and management of major centres in consideration of the needs of young people using these centres. These include city malls, regional and sub-regional shopping centres. The project aimed to assess the current use of the major centres; identify stakeholder needs and examples of best practice in centre management design which responds to the needs of young people; produce draft principles and guidelines for the planning, development and management of major centres; incorporate amendments to the Town Plan where appropriate in response to the outcomes of the project; and document and publicise the outcomes.

The purposes of the project included the provision of a safer, more welcoming environment for centre users, including young people and their families; enhanced economic and social relevance of major centres for young people; systematic change of planning approvals and public space design to address the needs of young people in major centres; and awareness of young people?s needs and behaviour patterns in the management of centres.

This project involved considerable research, documentation and strategic thinking. In February 1997 a preliminary discussion paper was released for comment. The paper included extensive discussion of the relationship between young people and community spaces; detailed description of the Brisbane City Council Planning System, including strategic and corporate plans through to local area outline plans; consideration of urban design principles for inclusive community space, drawing upon relevant academic literature for models and principles of good practice; review of literature on public space issues, and documentation of various public space project initiatives around the country; and provision of draft principles for planning, and for management.

The draft Planning & Management Guidelines document provided a systematic overview of investigation materials and key recommendations across three areas of policy focus. The recommendations encompass discussion of (a) principles, (b) policies, (c) actions, (d) agencies, (e) implementation tools, and (f) proposed innovations. For present purposes a brief indication of principles and policies will be provided.

• inclusive public and community spaces

• recognising the tension between commercial and community objectives

• understanding shopping centres in their local and regional contexts

• the active inclusion of young people

• responsive and coordinated policy development within council

• promoting realistic and accurate information on young people to the broader community

• responding to diversity amongst young people

• safety.

Policies:

• ensure that spaces meant to fulfil public and community functions are accessible to all members of the community, with specific attention paid to accessibility for the diversity of young people

• improve social, recreational, cultural, vocational and commercial opportunities for young people in Brisbane City

• foster increased understanding and engagement between young people and other members of the community

• diminish health and safety problems experienced by, or related to, young people?s use of community spaces

• improve the representation and voice of a diversity of young people in Council youth policy and major centres development

• input into the provision of social services across centre catchment area

• provision of and support for affordable recreation and social options for young people, particularly those in the 12 to 17 years age range.

• inclusive community space

• affordable opportunities for young people

• social impacts on young people

• creation of a sense of place that includes symbolism and design elements appropriate to young people

• respect for the rights, culture and symbols of indigenous young people

• recognition of homeless and displaced people

• satisfaction of the diverse needs and wants of young people from different backgrounds

• responsive and integrated planning

• integration of major shopping centres into the built form, topography and social life of their surrounding communities

• open, safe and accessible planning and design

• consultation, dialogue and community resourcing.

Policies:

i) planning issues

• ensure that public space in central city, regional business, and major district centres is planned to provide ample and accessible meeting places for all age and social groups, including young people

• promote affordable, interesting and diverse recreational, entertainment and commercial activities in central city, regional business, and major district centres

• identify and allocate sites for new youth centres close to public transport nodes in local area plans for central city, regional business, and major district centres, to promote young people?s access to social and recreational facilities

• integrate transport and physical planning in local area outline plans for the central city, regional business, and major district centres, paying particular attention to the needs of young people for cheap and reliable public transport and bicycle access

• enhance the range of goods and services offered to young people in major shopping centres

• promote youth friendly and youth specific spaces in major shopping developments in central city, regional business, and major district centres

• promote appropriate entertainment facilities for young people in major shopping developments in central city, regional business, and major district centres

• promote recreational, social and health opportunities and information for young women in accessible and safe central places

• plan and design major shopping centres to recognise and reflect the culture and values of the various social and age groups of their users

• adopt targeted consultation and participation methods to ensure that young people?s needs are included in plans for new developments in central city, regional business, and major district centres

• conduct effective social impact assessment of all significant shopping, commercial and entertainment proposals (in excess of 500 square metres gross floor area) in central city, regional business, and major district centre precincts

• include young people?s needs and priorities in the planning objectives, policies and standards for the central city, regional business, and major district centres

• optimise the use of vacant sites in central city, regional business and major district centres for short-term recreational, educational and cultural use by young people

• integrate principles of safe design into the physical planning of both the public domain and new and re-developed shopping centres in central city, regional business and major district centre precincts

• promote the development of small shopping centres to meet local needs

• make effective use of all available planning instruments to achieve a ?whole of government? approach to optimal access and provisions for young people in major centres.

ii) design issues

• promote physical and visual integration of major shopping centres within their surrounding environments, design arcades as efficient and attractive axes of movement and places to pause, and avoid ?walled city? designs

• provide meeting places and informal socialising space for young people and the broader community in major shopping centres

• improve design quality of major centres by providing clear required standards of circulation, floor space arrangement, and adequate areas of informal and community space including open air seating and shade

• design for public safety

• improve amenity and links of rail stations, bus interchanges and bicycle routes

• reflect local ethnic, and indigenous, history and culture.

• right of access for young people

• positive and inclusive management approach

• safety, security and service for all centre users

• minimally intrusive security provision

• commercial considerations

• centre liaison

• involvement of young people.

Policies:

• ensure that public space in central city, regional business, and major district centres, and community space in major shopping developments is managed so as to be accessible for all age and social groups, including young people

• ensure the provision of safety and security measures occurs in a way that maximises the access of all people to community spaces, with particular regard for young people

• provide ongoing mechanisms for dialogue, collaboration and negotiation between centre owners and managers, police and security staff, council, other community interests, other levels of government, and young people regarding the management of public and community spaces in major centres and large shopping centres

• involve young people in identifying, and developing responses to, their own wants and preferences

• ensure that there is adequate consideration in management processes of developing and maintaining a range of youth specific and youth friendly spaces and activities which meet the diversity of needs of young people

• reduce conflict by ensuring the responsiveness of major centres to all young people including those who are marginalised through limited economic means, homelessness, gender, disability, race, ethnicity, or other life circumstances

• promote cultural events and activities which reflect the nature of the surrounding community ensuring young people?s cultural interests are included

• that each major centre and large shopping centre in its day-to-day management consider how to further develop and sustain as appropriate a range of active and passive recreation options responsive to the expressed needs of young people

• develop and maintain a centre environment that is consistent with commercial viability

• provide and monitor regular training for security personnel in utilisation of a customer/community service orientation to all social and age groups, and specifically relating to young people in public and community space contexts

• respond to difficulties in young people?s use of centres in ways which improve relations between young people and centre management and other centre users

• adopt in major shopping centres a policy of energetic recruitment and training of local young people from diverse backgrounds

• to improve the perceptions about young people and reduce the fears about young people by other users of major centres

• create and maintain a regular dialogue with the liquor licensing division and its district authorities.

For each of the three broad areas described above, there are detailed strategy outlines which provide indications of how each policy objective might be attained. The report as a whole provides the most comprehensive analysis and series of prescriptions on young people and public space issues in Australia.

6.2 New South Wales:
Hurstville Town Centre Project
[City of Hurstville]

Hurstville is a major regional business and retail centre in Sydney. It is characterised by the development of a large shopping complex in the town centre and by its role as a transport hub. In 1993, the Council engaged planners to consult with young people and other sectors of the community over concerns about young people?s use of the town centre. A number of issues were raised, including the lack of youth venues for those with limited financial resources, the lack of social space outside the shopping centre (itself a major focus point for young people), and the way that external open space did not allow for the ?spill-over? from retail facilities. The lack of opportunity for a more coordinated approach by all stake-holders was also noted.

A number of recommendations were made. Some of these included that the Council undertake the development of an integrated Town Centre Strategy that links the social and cultural amenity of the town centre to its economic development; that a Town Centre Committee be established, including representation from young people to identify and act upon issues relating to the social and cultural amenity of the town centre, particularly in relation to young people; that the Council support the employment of a youth and town centre coordinator based in the town centre precinct; that the Council support the development of a coordinated youth programme; and that the Council allocate funds towards the provision of a multi-purpose youth facility in the town centre precinct.

The major objective of the recommendations was to establish a regional approach to meeting the needs of young people in St George and the integration of these needs with those of the general community. The key response to the recommendations was the establishment of a community-based committee which involves police, service clubs, the three St George councils, business community, youth services and young people. The Committee, first called the Hurstville Town Centre Committee, then the Focus on St George Committee, provides a forum for discussion and development of strategies to address community issues, improve local amenities, better integrate young people into the Town Centre, seek funding for a multi-purpose youth facility, and develop revitalisation strategies which incorporate young people and the general community into urban design and programming initiatives. Fundamentally, the role of the Committee is that of developing strategies based upon principles of integrated local area planning.

6.3 New South Wales:
Draft Youth Social Plan
[Leichhardt Municipal Council]

In 1995 Leichhardt Council adopted a recommendation that a youth policy be developed to promote the interests of young people and to incorporate youth facilities in major developments. The draft youth policy which was prepared for discussion and comment begins by asserting the basic rights of young people to enjoy the same fundamental freedoms as adults and to be accepted as part of the wider community. It then provides a series of prescriptions for possible inclusion in the youth policy, followed by detailed discussion of recommendations for strategic action by Council over the period 1997 to 1999. The document builds upon work already undertaken by the Council in relation to the Glebe re-development project (see 5.1 above).

For present purposes it is sufficient to note the main policy statements. These include:

• a stronger focus on area planning and local service coordination (e.g., to include support of existing and new projects; partnerships with other agencies as part of a holistic approach to meeting youth needs; promotion of information and training sessions for practitioners working with young people)

• providing a more equitable distribution of youth services and facilities throughout the municipality (e.g., re-allocation of existing resources according to need; provide services which outreach to local young people, particularly disadvantaged young people)

• youth consultation, participation and advocacy (e.g., on youth-specific and community issues; involvement in design, planning, management of all policies, services, public spaces and facilities)

• recreation and public space provisions for young people (e.g., to access space, to develop social skills, to engage in non-commercial activities)

• providing youth facilities in commercial developments (e.g., incorporate youth needs into development and planning processes)

• active recreational spaces (e.g., increase level of recreation areas and entertainment venues; develop policies for public entertainment including legal dance parties)

• public space design and inclusion of artwork (e.g., strong visible design aesthetic appropriate to user group; participatory planning in partnership with communities; employ young artists as part of artistic teams)

• health and well being (e.g., supporting and improving community-based youth health services and initiatives; implementation of harm minimisation strategies)

• youth and family support services (e.g., assist local services to cater to the diverse needs of all young people and their families; specialised needs of particularly disadvantaged young people; specific cultural and language needs of young people and their families)

• education, training and employment (e.g., try to provide a wide range of work experience opportunities to local students; support to local services which give priority to early school leavers and those young people most disadvantaged in the job market; support and where possible develop job creation opportunities)

• housing and homelessness (e.g., support local youth accommodation and housing services; provision of free health and support services for young homeless people)

• crime prevention (e.g., to work with young people not against them; where no crime is being committed, to protect the right of young people to freely associate in public space).

The draft policy document provides a useful illustration of an attempt to develop a comprehensive, holistic approach to youth and community issues. It also demonstrates in concrete fashion how a local council might respond to both immediate local issues (e.g., conflicts over public space) and issues of national significance (e.g, unemployment, poverty, inequality).

In 1997 the publication Bikes, Bands and Strategic Plans was released. The resource manual covers a wide range of topics, ideas and strategies relating to young people and the business of local government. It suggests that young people should be directly part of the core business of local government, with involvement in planning, policy and participation.

The planning arenas in local government in which young people could be affected or involved include:

• urban design (e.g., community safety issues)

• development assessment (e.g., consultation of different users)

• local area planning (e.g., bikeways)

• issue-based planning (e.g., youth council in-put into Council)

• community facilities planning (e.g., meeting places such as community centres)

• human services planning (e.g., integrated planning including youth services)

• corporate planning (e.g., vision for young people as well)

• strategic land use planning (e.g., demographics relating to number & proportions of young people)

• council policy development (e.g., youth services relative to youth needs)

• regional planning (e.g., catchment areas and relationships with neighbouring councils)

• input into State and Commonwealth policies and programmes (e.g., employment advocacy).

The kinds of policies which can address the needs of young people include:

• corporate plan (i.e., sets out general vision and policy directions of council)

• social policy, social plan, community services plan (i.e., specific social & community focus of local council activity)

• council youth policy (i.e., specific policies developed in relation to young people)

• addressing youth issues as part of another policy (i.e., policies in corporate plan relating to indigenous people).

A suggested policy development cycle is put forward. The steps of the cycle include:

1. consider the context

2. preparation

3. develop a plan

4. identify stakeholders

5. identify issues

6. develop options

7. write up the policy

8. implement

9. review

These steps are intended to cover areas such as rationale for policy, projected impacts, key issues, strategies and evaluation. A policy document could be structured around the following types of headings:

• aims and objectives

• definitions

• principles or values

• key issues

• roles and responsibilities

• plan for implementation

In designing a consultation process, a number of steps are suggested. These include:

1. clarify the purpose

2. identify who will be involved

3. determine resource requirements

4. plan the process

5. establish the time frame

6. implement and monitor

7. feedback and evaluate

A checklist of things to think about when designing a consultation or participation process with young people is provided. It includes the following:

• real influence (i.e., clarity about real level of power and influence that young people can have)

• information (i.e., properly brief young people about issues and options)

• practical support (e.g., provide access to transport, secretarial support, accommodation and catering, venues with access for people with disabilities)

• personal support (e.g., making young people comfortable through clear expectations, public recognition, planning achievable goals)

• skills training (e.g., understanding local government, meeting procedures, communication, decision-making)

• recognition (e.g., acknowledgement of involvement and in-put of young people)

• real outcomes (e.g., tangible results such as a budget, project control)

• interesting processes (e.g., use of arts, small group discussion, interesting venues)

• real representation (e.g., broad range of young people from diverse social backgrounds).

On the specific issue of public space, the resource manual outlines how to plan a strategy. The steps in the planning cycle include:

1. identification of needs and resources

2. development of aims and objectives

3. formulation of strategies

4. implementation

5. evaluation

In developing strategies, it is suggested that councils need to identify the role they wish to play. The types of roles include:

• coordination (e.g., efficient allocation of resources, bringing groups together)

• facilitation (e.g., information, advocacy, ?in kind? support)

• service delivery (e.g., cultural and arts workshops for young people)

• planning (e.g., development assessments)

• policy development (e.g., policy responses to specific issues)

• participation (e.g., inclusion of young people in all processes)

• facility provision (e.g., community infrastructure such as skateboard ramps)

• information provision (e.g., youth newsletter).

It is also suggested that a planning matrix could be devised to facilitate the involvement of a range of council departments or work areas in the planning process. For example, in addressing vandalism and graffiti it would be important to include staff who cover works, lighting, parks, community services, recreation and arts, and planning. A planning matrix might take the form of a table, as illustrated in the accompanying figure.

The development of this kind of practical, informative resource manual provides clear guidelines and directions for local councils in incorporating youth needs, youth concerns and young people directly into the business of local government.

Source: Upham, 1997.

7.2 New South Wales:
Consultation Processes
[Department of Local Government]

A survey was distributed to all local councils in New South Wales by the Department of Local Government concerning the mechanisms they use to consult with young people and the effectiveness of these mechanisms. On the basis of consultation findings and a review of relevant literature, the report on youth consultations provides a checklist for effective youth consultation-participation. The checklist was devised according to different stages of the consultation-participation process.

• commitment from council to genuine youth consultation-participation in the sense of seeking the views of young people in relation to matters which affect them and incorporating these views into council decisions (e.g., adoption of youth-specific policy and plan; establishment of youth councils with control of particular projects, allocation of budget and access to council staff for advice)

• consultation-participation starts early in the decision-making process (e.g., before decisions have already in effect been made)

• young people are provided with genuine opportunities to participate (e.g., not tokenistic, commitment to taking views of young people into account in decision-making process)

• young people are involved in planning consultation-participation (e.g., encourage disadvantaged groups of young people, especially indigenous, non-English speaking and young people with disabilities, to participate, set agendas, get feedback and evaluate)

• parents/families are informed about the consultation (e.g., general information through local newspapers and council newsletters, letter to parents of participants providing information about consultation)

• a range of young people are involved in consultation-participation (e.g., in terms of social backgrounds, institutional ties such as schools and youth services, and youth councils; different groups may need to be consulted separately, as with young people from non-English speaking backgrounds, young people in rural and remote areas)

• the consultation is promoted using a range of strategies appropriate for young people (e.g., notices at youth centres and schools, word of mouth, community leaders and workers, ethnic press and radio)

• young people are provided with training (e.g., on role and responsibilities of local government, council decision-making processes, social or cultural action training, research skills, group processes)

• young people are provided with opportunities to develop skills (e.g., facilitating meetings, writing submissions and letters, dealing with the media, project development and implementation, public speaking, negotiation and teamwork)

• young people are provided with opportunities to be consulted on a range of issues (e.g., development of council?s Management Plan)

• a combination of consultation mechanisms is used (e.g., forums, questionnaires, workshops)

• young people are provided with all relevant information in a way which is balanced and easy to understand (e.g., through guest speakers, site inspections, discussion papers, audio-visual presentation, photographs, translations into appropriate community languages, large print and braille, access to hearing loops)

• councillors are encouraged to attend the consultation

• the consultation is held at a time appropriate for young people (e.g., different times for different groups of young people, such as students, unemployed young people and young workers)

• sufficient time is allowed for the consultation (e.g., time to absorb information, opportunities for further consultation, relatively short for some participants who may have difficulty in maintaining concentration)

• the consultation is held at a venue which is easily accessible and where young people feel comfortable (e.g., youth centre, close to public transport, accessible to young people with disabilities)

• there is provision for participants to receive emotional and practical support (e.g., especially when sensitive issues are likely to be discussed, in case of young refugees, child care for young parents)

• adequate funding and staff resources are allocated to support consultation-participation (e.g., for advertising, printing written information, translation, hire of venue, refreshments, transport, child care, interpreters, provision of feedback, evaluation).

The Department of Local Government is currently undertaking a project which aims to develop and implement integrated whole-of-council models for three rural councils for involving young people in council decision-making, meeting young people?s needs for the use of public space and addressing local youth crime and anti-social issues. It is also developing a crime prevention resource manual for local councils which, while not youth-specific, does have relevance to issues of young people and public space.

In 1993 the Australian Youth Foundation (AYF) undertook consultations with over 700 young people to identify the issues young people viewed as important. The results of those extensive consultations intensified the Foundation?s concerns about the isolation of young people from their local communities. During the consultations hundreds of participants recounted their experiences of being ignored. They complained of being denied access to community facilities or being moved on from public spaces. The Foundation discovered that many young people felt ?invisible?. In short, they did not belong.

Responding to these findings, the AYF launched a national initiative designed to stimulate pro-active projects at a local level. During January 1996 the AYF?s Social Belonging Grants Programme attracted nearly 140 expressions of interest from around the country. The selection process was rigorous and was carried out by a selection panel comprising experts from diverse backgrounds. Selection panel members included John Pritchard (Australian Local Government Association), Nicole Robins (Leichhardt Council), AYF Board Members Deidre Tedmanson, Julian Punch, Jennifer Nicholls and David Eldridge and Dr Robert White (University of Melbourne).

The AYF committed funding to twelve Social Belonging projects which represented a diversity of approaches to the same issue (most of these projects feature in this publication). Eight of these specifically addressed the programme?s priorities; three had a strong cultural focus and one addressed discrimination against sexual minority youth.

In particular, the projects addressed a range of issues identified during the programme?s selection process:

• Youth consultation and participation in town planning processes

• Services for young people within shopping centres and malls

• Audits to assess and improve the accessibility of spaces and facilities for young people

• Particular concerns affecting young women in using public space

• Use of public spaces by young people from non-English speaking backgrounds

• Multi-purpose public facilities

• High quality and commercially viable alternatives to licensed premises

• Direct youth input into the development of new public spaces

• Transport and improved access in rural and remote locations

• Outreach services enhancing young people?s access to and use of public space.

All projects were assessed to form a picture of current national trends regarding services and facilities for young people and each funded project committed to undertake evaluation and provide project documentation to contribute to the national resource of ?good practice? which would be of direct benefit to community projects around the country.

The programme marked a significant collaboration between diverse community sectors. It received co-funding from sources including the federal government, the business sector, local government, community organisations and other funding bodies. These funds, combined with those provided by the Foundation, have meant that more than $880,000 has been allocated to projects of national significance.

The increased profile and ongoing debate over issues related to social belonging put into stark relief the need for a community guide to help address the identified problems. This groundswell resulted in the production of the community guide Negotiating Youth Specific Public Space: A Guide for Youth and Community Workers, Town Planners and Local Councils by Rob White, Gwenn Murray, and Nicole Robins. Published by the NSW Department of Training and Education Coordination and distributed by the AYF, the Guide proved to be very popular and resulted in new projects focussed on public-space appearing around the country. The support of the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) in promoting the publication, meant that the message of the Guide was far-reaching and effective in being a catalyst for positive change.

The AYF?s social interaction strategy has served to highlight and fund innovative solutions to national issues. Evidence of the increasing profile and significance of the issue of public space can be seen in the choice of theme for the Youth ?98 Symposium - a regular conference hosted by the Australian Clearinghouse for Youth Studies, and in this instance co-hosted with the Youth Research Centre of the University of Melbourne, focussing on major issues which impact on the lives of young people. The theme of the symposium was Public Spaces, Public Voices and the conference saw project managers and young people from around the country gather together to share and learn.

As part of the four-day symposium, the AYF conducted working meetings and seminars to showcase models developed by ten projects funded under the Social Belonging Programme. The sessions devoted specifically to the AYF?s Social Belonging Programme incorporated overviews of the programme, reports from specific AYF projects, and forum/small group discussions around the themes ? ?lessons learned? and ?where to from here?. The support of the Australian Youth Foundation for the present Guide is part of this ongoing process of identifying issues, evaluating programmes and developing strategies to ensure that young people continue to feel that they too ?belong?.

8.2 National Campaign Against Violence and Crime
(NCAVAC)
Young People and Crime Prevention

The National Campaign Against Violence and Crime (NCAVAC) is a Commonwealth government initiative which aimed at finding and promoting ways of preventing crime and fear of crime in Australian communities.

It does this by:

• supporting and funding research

• mapping existing strategies and programmes

• promoting and communicating examples of ?good practice? to a diverse audiences

• enabling the training of people in sectors involved in crime prevention

• coordinating initiatives and information as appropriate.

The broad approach of the NCAVAC is to encourage the use of a wide range of methods in crime prevention, to keep members of the public well informed of the main issues surrounding crime and the fear of crime, to encourage partnerships and extensive participation at the local level in making communities safer, and to monitor and evaluate existing crime prevention practices with a view to establishing and highlighting ?good practice? methods, skills and strategies.

The NCAVAC has been involved in a number of projects that relate specifically to young people. In its overall approach to young people and crime prevention, the NCAVAC has recognised that young people are victims as well as offenders. Most notably, disadvantaged young people are more likely to offend and be more at risk of victimisation. Accordingly, NCAVAC sees crime prevention primarily in terms of social development and positive intervention programmes.

Publications and projects relating specifically to young people include:

• negotiating young people?s use of public space

• preventing crime and violence at public events

• preventing domestic violence by working with adolescents

• working with homeless youth to prevent offending and victimisation

• early intervention and developmental approaches to crime prevention

• attitudes of young people towards domestic violence.

Most of these projects have been carried out in partnership with the National Anti-Crime Strategy (NACS), an initiative of the state and territory governments. All national project reports and research are produced and distributed free upon request.

8.3 National Children?s and Youth Law Centre (NCYLC)
Legal Resources and Case Work

The National Children?s and Youth Law Centre (NCYLC) is the only community legal centre in Australia that specialises in the advocacy of children and young people?s rights and interests.

Established in 1993 with funding from the Australian Youth Foundation, the NCYLC is supported by the Public Interest Advocacy Centre, the University of Sydney and University of New South Wales Law Schools and funded by the Federal Attorney-General?s Department and a variety of other sources. The Centre has produced a wide range of discussion papers and research reports, made numerous submissions to governments around the country in relation to law reform proposals, and established a quarterly newsletter, Rights Now!, which currently has around 850 subscribers both within Australia and overseas.

The Centre has been active in the area of public space issues through their two rounds of nation-wide consultations which were undertaken during 1994 and 1995. These consultations revealed concerns of young people in relation to public space issues. The NYCLC?s Rights into Reality tour (1994) identified a common concern among young people in all states and territories, that they were ?getting a raw deal in the community?:

Shopping centre managers, town councils and planners were criticised for not paying enough attention to the needs of young people and not wanting them to congregate in public spaces?Deep concern was expressed at the growing use of electronic surveillance of public spaces and constant hassling of young people who congregated in town centres and other central locations.

The Centre has developed a strong casework profile, not only in New South Wales, but also in other states and territories. It continues to undertake selected test cases with the aim of improving the law in areas of wider significance to children and young people?s rights.

It is the firm belief of the NCYLC that, in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, children and young people have the right to participate actively in decision-making processes which affect them, and therefore particular emphasis should be placed on ?negotiating? the use of public space between young people and other members of the community.

Publications of the NCYLC include:

• Rights Now! Newsletter

Discussion Papers

• Police Questioning of Young People

• Why Australia Needs a Commissioner for Children

• A Justice Strategy for Children and Young People

• Rights Into Reality: Report on National Consultations

• Youthism: Age Discrimination and Young People

• Promoting Youth Participation

Research Reports

• Convenant on Civil and Political Rights: Submission on Australia?s Compliance

• Youth Advocacy and Court Support

• School Exclusions: Student Perspectives on the Process

• Know Your Rights at School - NSW, ACT, VIC, QLD, SA, WA

In April 1997, the NCYLC launched Australia?s first and only legal information web site for children and young people, lawstuff:

http://www.lawstuff.org.au

The site has already proven to be extremely popular, and with plans for further expansion, lawstuff looks likely to remain at the forefront of developments in the electronic delivery of legal information to young Australians.

In total, however, they illustrate the creativity and commitment of many thousands of people in trying to deal with complex social and environmental issues. Together they provide a myriad of examples of how public space issues can be approached in different community settings.

Broad principles and guidelines relating to these projects have also been discussed. The developments described in this Guide provide concrete illustrations of specific strategies and measures which might be adopted in dealing with youth-public space issues. The importance of consultation, of respecting young people, and of incorporating youth concerns into management, planning and design of public spaces is paramount. So too are research, collaboration and evaluation in devising and developing alternative ways of negotiating young people?s use of public space.

Finally, it needs to be reinforced that creating positive public spaces for young people is a process. As such, it must be recognised that there is no single, or simple, solution to the issues covered in this publication. The process is ongoing, and requires long-term commitment of resources, staff and facilities. In many cases, successful projects and initiatives present a challenge to prevailing practices and ideas about the nature of public space, and the nature of social regulation. For young people and their communities, however, they can open new doors to positive life experiences and the building of better social relationships.

Australian Youth Foundation & Sharp, C. (1996) S.T.A.R.T. Do-It-Yourself Evaluation: An integrated approach to project management and evaluation. Sydney: Australian Youth Foundation.

Bassendean Youth Service/Town of Bassendean (1996-97) Streetwize Networks (various documents). Perth: BYS.

Blacktown Youth Services Association (1997) Not Just Buses and Trains: Young people and public transport interchanges in the Blacktown Local Government Area (information pamphlet). Sydney: BYSA.

Brockdorff, A. & Walker, T. with R. Pawson (1997) Youth Spaces Consultation Project: An analysis of the relationship between young people and public spaces in Launceston. Launceston City Council.

Broome Youth Theatre (1996-97) Fair Ground Project (various documents). Broome: BYT.

Child Adolescent Mental Health Service (1996-97) CHAMPS by the River (various documents and conference report). Murray Bridge: Southern, CAMHS.

Crane, P. & Heywood, P. with G. Earl, A. Egginton & J. Gleeson (1997) Young People and Major Centres: The development of principles for design, planning and management guidelines in Brisbane City. Brisbane City Council.

Girls in Space Consortia (1997) Phase 1 Report for the Girls in Space Consortia Research: A project investigating young women?s relationships to public space in Brisbane. Brisbane: Backbone Youth Arts Inc (auspicing body).

Gosnells, City (1995-97) Update Report: City of Gosnells Road Safety Urban Art Project (plus pamphlets). Perth: City of Gosnells Urban Art Programme.

Heywood, P. & Crane, P. with A. Egginton & J. Gleeson (1997) Young People in Major Centres: A policy investigation and development project for Brisbane City Council - Draft 1: Planning & Management Guidelines. Brisbane City Council.

Heywood, P. & Crane, P. with A. Egginton & J. Gleeson (1998) Out and About: In or Out? Better Outcomes from Young People?s Use of Public and Community Space in the City of Brisbane. 3 Volumes: Introduction, Overview and Key Recommendations; Policies, Implementation Strategies and Tools; Appendices. Brisbane City Council.

Leichhardt Municipal Council (1997) The Youth Section of Leichhardt Municipal Council?s Draft Social Plan 1997-1999: defining how Council works with, and on behalf of young people aged 12 to 24. Sydney: LMC Community Services.

McInnis, R. & Robinson, N. (1998) Rights of Passage: A collaborative project between owners of public space, local government and the community sector. Sydney: Eastern Area Service for Youth.

Melbourne, City (1997) Skatesafe Programme (various documents and pamphlet). Melbourne: City Services Division.

Midland Gate Streetwork Project (1993) (various documents). Perth: Midland Gate Shopping Centre.

Moira Shire Council/Cutting Edge Youth Services (1997) "Your Space Our Place": Enhancing Young People's Sense of Belonging (AYF Evaluation Report October 1996-September 1997). Numurkah: Moira Shire Council.

New South Wales Department of Local Government (1997) How Local Councils Consult with Young People: A report on findings from a survey of local councils in NSW. Sydney: DLG.

Open Family Australia (1996-97) Logan City Public Space Initiative. Brisbane/Melbourne: Open Family Australia.

Perth, City (1997) Report of Findings: Youth Forum. City of Perth.

Stacey, K. & Turner, C. (ed) (1997) Talking Together: Young People Educating Adults. Proceedings of the Inaugural CHAMPS Project Conference, 11 November 1997. Adelaide: Southern CAMHS.

Stacey, K. & Turner, C. (1998) The CHAMPS Project: Final Evaluation Report. Adelaide: Southern CAMHS.

Tennant Creek High School (1996-97) Youth Community Cyber Kafé (various documents). Tennant Creek High School.

Tyler, B., Jablonka, J. & Flick, M. (1998) Making Space: A report to the Darwin City Council on Young People, Anti-Social Behaviour and Community Response. Darwin: Centre for Social Research, Northern Territory University.

Unley City Council/Unley Youth Theatre (1996-97) Project X (various documents). Adelaide: City of Unley, Community Development Division.

Upham, Liz (1997) Resource Manual: bikes, bands & strategic plans, including young people in the business of local government. Brisbane: Local Government Association of Queensland.

White, R., Murray, G. & Robins, N. (1996) Negotiating Youth-Specific Public Space: A guide for youth & community workers, town planners and local councils. Sydney: Department of Training and Education Co-ordination (in association with the Australian Youth Foundation).

Wooden, F. (1997) Youth Access Audit: Six Month Progress Report (plus various documents). Melton: Shire of Melton.

Youth Action and Policy Association NSW (1997) No Standing: Young People and Community Space Project Research Report. Sydney: YAPA.

Foundation for Young Australians

Phone 1800 252 316
Email fya@youngaustralians.org
Web www.youngaustralians.org

Phone (02) 6250 6711
Fax (02) 6273 0913
Web www.crimeprevention.gov.au

Phone (02) 6122 9400
Fax (02) 6122 9401
Email alga@alga.com.au
Web www.alga.com.au