See also YAPA media
YAPA Policy Paper: School Suspension
School Suspension PDF 304KB 5/2/13
YAPA Policy Agenda 2012-2015
The YAPA Board and staff have developed the YAPA Proactive Policy Agenda 2012-2015 for the next 3 years, with input from members via our recent policy survey. 1/3/12
Youth issues
YAPA Western Sydney Youth Conference 2011 Report
In October 2011, seventy young people from across Western Sydney gathered together for What’s Up West? – a youth conference that gave participants the opportunity to discuss issues of importance to them, and to offer ideas and solutions for these issues. This report details the outcomes and recommendations from each of the creative data collection methods used at What’s Up West?, as well as an overview and an evaluation of the conference itself.
What's Up West report 5.3 MB
Western Sydney: Love it? Leave it? Learnings from the Western Sydney Research Project (Dec 11)
YAPA research on young people’s experiences of living in Western Sydney and what influences their choices about whether to study or work in Western Sydney or beyond. It also presents a set of recommendations for policy makers. Report 1.3 MB PDF
Inquiry into domestic violence trends and issues in NSW 16/9/11
submission 188KB PDF
SHIFT THIS 2010 SNAPSHOT (YAPA Youth Conference Report) 3/11
Every two years YAPA holds SHIFT THIS, a youth conference/festival for young agents of change. Young people aged 12-18 from all over NSW get together and have a say. This snapshot is an overview of what some of the young people had to say at SHIFT THIS 2010. Many of the issues up for debate and discussion are policy areas YAPA works on, so included in this snapshot is a brief overview of YAPA’s position and work in each area. SHIFT THIS 2010 SNAPSHOT 1 MB PDF
What's Up West? Every issue is a youth issue 7/10
YAPA Western Sydney Youth Conference 2009 Report: On December 8, 2009, fifty young people from across Western Sydney gathered together for What’s Up West? – a youth conference that gave participants the opportunity to discuss issues of importance to them, and to offer ideas and solutions for these issues. This report details the outcomes and recommendations from each of the creative data collection methods used at What’s Up West?, as well as an overview and an evaluation of the conference itself. What's Up West Report 2.9 MB PDF
Graffiti policies 2010
- In 2010 YAPA made a submission (PDF 670KB) to the Graffiti and Public Infrastructure Inquiry May 2010: 7/10
- In 2007 YAPA made a submission (PDF 1.2MB) to the Review of all legislation to stop graffiti vandalism: 11/07
Poverty & disadvantage among young Australians 5/08
- media release
- report 290KB PDF
Review of all legislation to stop graffiti vandalism 11/07
YAPA made a submission (PDF 1.2MB) to this NSW Government review of graffiti laws
Skilling young Australians: Young people's views on improving skills, training and welfare (340 KB PDF) (2007)
Brawls, batons and beer goggles: Young people talk about negative impacts of alcohol (280kb PDF) (2006)
NSW State Plan: a new direction for NSW. A new direction for NSW young people? (2006)
The NSW Government has developed a single document which outlines its goals, plans and benchmarks. The State Plan will identify around 30 key priorities for the next ten years and will be used to help set goals for the state budget. A draft plan has been released for consultation and the NSW Government has been holding community consultations across NSW to gain feedback and ideas. On August 25 YAPA attended the Stakeholder Forum with other peak organizations and Directors-General of departments such as Community Services, Education and Training, and Transport. Our main recommendations are summarised in this report.
Young people negotiating at work (2006)
In 2006 YAPA surveyed 400 young people about negotiating at work. In response to the findings we called for a ban on individual contracts for young workers, and supported the call for a NSW watchdog dedicated to helping young people with employment problems.
See also Impact of WorkChoices on youth services (2006)
YAPA supports school-based apprenticeships (2006)
YAPA supports the NSW Government initiative that will allow HSC students to complete school-based apprenticeships one day a week.
Fair go RailCorp: Young people and transit security (2005) (PDF)
YAPA research into young people's experiences of NSW railway transit officers shows that young people are not getting a fair deal. They are penalised in situations where older travellers are not, and they don't always get the protection which the Transit Officers are meant to provide.
School's cool (2005)
The NSW Department of Education held a consultation about the future of schools and TAFEs in NSW. YAPA contributed a submission which focused on issues of school retention, truancy, suspensions, and support for disadvantaged students such as refugee young people.
An education in poverty: More help needed for income-supported students (2004)
In response to an inquiry by the Senate Employment, Workplace Relations and Education Committee into the adequacy of student income support, YAPA used a web form to enable people to submit their thoughts directly to the Senate committee or anonymously to YAPA. Respondents ranged from school, TAFE, undergraduate and postgraduate uni Students, their parents, youth workers, TAFE teachers and ex-students. Via the form we received nearly 70 submissions, including 11 submissions by members of the public to the Senate Inquiry itself, with the rest going towards informing our own submission.
NSW Shopping Centre Protocol: Creating the Space for Dialogue: The Report (PDF) (2003)
This report serves to support Creating the Space for Dialogue: A guide to developing a local youth shopping centre protocol and to provide more detailed discussion of issues associated with young people and shopping centres. (Creating the Space for Dialogue: A guide to developing a local youth shopping centre protocol PDF
ACTivate (PDF) (2002)
In 2002 YAPA consulted over 500 young people in NSW about transport, safety and health in their local areas, as well as any other issues they thought were important. This project, called ACTivate, was part of our 2003 NSW election strategy. This report summarises the issues raised by young people during consultations.
Youth work issues
Submission to the comprehensive review: The future direction of the Better Futures Program PDF (2011)
Informed by YAPAʼs ongoing discussions with the youth sector and young people on issues of importance to them, feedback specifically on Better Futures at two key forums co-hosted by YAPA during this consultation process, and findings from the soon to be launched “Youth Work Snapshot 2011: YAPA Survey of Youth Services & Workers in NSW”
Impact of WorkChoices on youth services (2006)
Late in 2005 the NSW Government established a taskforce to investigate the impacts of WorkChoices on the delivery and quality of community services in NSW. In August 2006 YAPA met with Justice Marcus Einfeld, the Chair of the Taskforce, to discuss potential impacts of WorkChoices in the youth services sector.
Gundagai, Tumut & Tumbarumba: An all too familiar situation! (March 2006)
... there is a lack of resources in rural NSW, but for young people around the Gundagai area, there are no resources whatsoever. The situation is just as dire in the shires of Tumbarumba and Tumut. A group of people have joined together to obtain funding for a Youth Development Officer (YDO) for the three shires...
Alcohol & Other Drugs Census for Rural Youth Sector Workers 180KB PDF) (March 2006)
Report on the findings of the Alcohol & Other Drugs Census of 98 rural youth services in NSW, conducted by YAPA in December 2005 & January 2006, with funding from the NSW Drug and Alcohol Workforce Development Council.
Youth sector funding crisis (June 2005)
With yet another state budget that offers no increase in the amount of funding available to generalist youth services, it has never been clearer that funding for our sector is in crisis.
Shopping for a Solution: An Evaluation of Western Sydney Shopping Centre Youth Projects (2002)
- Summary Report (PDF)
- Full Report (PDF)
Policy positions
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update: Transport concession victory for apprentices & trainees 4/07
- NSW Government agencies must embrace youth participation 6/08