• A number of young mums, especially single young mums would benefit from a support services that could support them not only as a parent but also a young person who still had study, employment and other goals that needed to pursuit. Stakeholders Response There was significant need for more counselling services aimed at young people, with current services lacking. Mental health and support services needed to be readily available, easy to access and located at alternative place to current medical services. Alcohol and drug issues support was an area recognised as needing support. Art-based programs were seen as a way for young people to share their story and experiences. 2.3 Bulling Youth Response • Bullying continues to be an ongoing problem in school as well as out of school, including cyber bulling and bullying at the skate park. • Young people wanted to see more strategies put into place to tackle and manage bullying. They also wanted more support to deal with bullying including lessons at school, workshops for kids to stay safe, more time to talk about it school and available support outside of school. Stakeholders Response Managing bullying was deemed critical and more was needed to be done to protect young people from bulling in schools and to make social media and phone texting a safe place from bullying. 2.4 Other Youth Comments • The hospital facilities upgrade was most welcomed however the time taken had also been noted. Specialised services were encouraged including supporting the engagement of troubled kids and a drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre • Young people wanted to see more health and youth workers available to youth, including younger staff and mental health doctors on call for young people. They also wanted more support from the police. • The cost of home visits was acknowledged as particularly costly to a younger person as they imagined it would be for a senior-aged person.
3. Leisure, Recreation & Social Life 3.1 Youth-Specific Space/Youth Activities Young people are at an age where they are exploring, experiencing and developing skills. Hence it is important to have varied engaging activities/options for them to explore their potential, their interests and not to make the assumption one size will fit all, as the feedback suggests. Youth Response: • Young people believed there was great value in having a youth-specific space to socialise and participate in youth-targeted activities, ‘somewhere to hang out’. (Concept examples provided by the youth included the PCYC and ‘The Cell’, previously run in conjunction with Esperance Police). The space could include a pool table, table tennis, couches, arcade and music studio. • The youth also provided an alternative to a permanent space being pop-up ‘youth spaces’ which could be relocated and based at sites that suited the organised activities and target group. • Young people also wanted to see more youth activities available including a non-religious/nondenominational youth group, afterschool activities and activity-based clubs/groups for young people.
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