A new group involving high-profile young leaders, not-for-profit organisations and local, state and federal government agencies is aiming to improve the lives of youth and their families in the Shire of Broome.
The Broome Regional Youth and Families Council - formerly the Broome Youth Action Group - is now run by West Kimberley Futures Empowered Communities and involves Jawun.
The Council will select, plan and progress projects to address current service provision challenges in areas such as education, health and wellbeing in a bid to reduce offending behaviour.
There are about 20 Council members including:
Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service
Empowered Young Leaders
Nirrumbuk
Garnduwa
Shire of Broome
Youth Justice
Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries
Police Community Youth Centre
Broome Youth and Family Hub
Kimberley District Police
Department of Education
Department of Communities
National Indigenous Affairs Australia
North Regional TAFE
Aboriginal Legal Service
"The Broome Regional Youth and Families Council is a coordinated approach to actioning improvement of local youth support services, which we hope will result in a safer community," Council chair and Jawun regional director Pepita Wilson said.
"Nighttime activities for youth is one option on the table.
"The plan is to co-design programs with and for our mob to increase social connectedness and have collective impact."
West Kimberley Futures - Empowered Communities chief implementation officer Mala Fairborn said the initiative connected key stakeholders to ensure communication and collaboration.
"I was really proud to hear a chief superintendent describe our model as the best plan for positive change that he's seen since he arrived here in Broome," she said.
The BRYFC has already gathered a lot of feedback from in and around Broome to identify common challenges or themes faced by community-based service providers to ensure evidence-based approaches to issues.
The Council is mapping youth services already being provided in Broome and identifying current and future funded programs to look to fill service gaps while reducing duplication and increasing collaboration.
An example is cross skilling in relation to staff training, and using consistent, comparable success measurement methods.
"Importantly the BRYFC involves local youth, for example through workshops, and has linked in with the Empowered Young Leaders Network to draw on our lived experience and previous engagement in this space," Empowered Young Leader Tonii (Wajayi) Skeen said.
"It's super important to focus on relationships and capacity building, family empowerment, and Aboriginal leadership and the Council's pledged to do that."
If you'd like to find out more information or get involved email [email protected].
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