4. Transport and Housing

• 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.

• Many of the young people involved in the engagement were not involved in sports clubs or other community groups as this was not their area of interest or did not have the time to do so. Others noted that club fees were costly and others did not have the support (e.g. transport) to make a regular commitment. • The young people acknowledged that while they were aware of numerous groups that already existed, there was a preference for non-judgemental, inclusive, supportive and safe environment that was aimed at young people and that fostered their interests and growth.

Stakeholder Response

Stakeholders also felt there was a need for a youth ‘space’ and/or more youth activities. Suggestions for a youth space were a physical location, mobile/pop-up set-up, youth café and a virtual youth centre. The stakeholders also advised that young people needed programs that were exclusive for youth being a combination of structured and unstructured with some outside the norm such as midnight basketball. Supervision was noted as a requirement as was the opportunity for specialised youth services and supports to access and work directly with the young people in an environment they would feel welcomed, safe and comfortable in.

3.2 Leisure and Recreational Activities

Young people provided an extensive array of leisure and recreational activities that they felt would support a ‘youth-friendly’ community of which some examples are listed below.

Youth Response:

• Feedback included paintball, ice skating, ten-pin bowling and ‘Bounce’ (www.bounceinc.com.au) however when discussing the entry fee associated with visiting these places (in Perth) the young people felt attendance would not be an affordable option on a regular basis. • There were many other ideas that were potentially more achievable including surf competitions, moonlight hiking, mountain bike track, archery and improved facilities and equipment. • Water-based activities were particular popular, for example rowing club, surfing clinic and hireable water equipment. • When asked what was it about these places that made them enjoyable, it was the doing something different, provided varied options, fun and something social to do (especially with other young people). It was also important that they were affordable too.

Stakeholder Response

A variety of leisure and recreational activities were suggested of which most were outdoor and/or different to the usual activities in the community for example, outdoor climbing wall, BMX bike track, tree planting programs, regular youth-hosted radio sessions and reusable graffiti wall. There was also suggestions for a writing club and try an activity day plus a focus towards community groups such as navy and army cadets.

3.3 Events

Events, along with the previous two themes, was another area that received a particularly high level of comments.

Youth Response

• Events were identified as providing an opportunity for young people to do something different, fun, catch up with other young people and socialise in a safe environment. • Events were often provided at low cost or free to the attendee which made these particular appealing and inclusive to all young people. • There were three types of events that received significant interest being general events (e.g. youth or community based, activity based such as ‘Colour Runs’; festivals and markets); music and/or dance events (e.g. discos, underage night club, concerts, music festival); and an outdoor cinema (including drive-in option).