Youth Action

Youth Action

About

Youth Action (formerly YAPA) is the peak organisation representing young people and youth services in NSW. Our work helps build the capacity of young people, youth workers and youth services, and we advocate to see positive change on issues affecting these groups.

What kind of work?

We work towards a society where all young people are valued, engaged and supported.

To achieve this, it is the role of Youth Action to: 1. Respond to social and political agendas relating to young people and the youth services sector 2. Provide proactive leadership and advocacy and shape the agenda on issues affecting young people and youth services 3. Collaborate on issues that affect young people and youth workers 4. Promote a positive profile in the media and the community of young people and youth services 5. Build capacity for young people to speak out and take action on issues that affect them 6. Enhance the capacity of the youth services sector to provide high quality services 7. Ensure Youth Action’s organisational development, efficiency, effectiveness and good governance

Location

Sydney

Student Opportunities

Youth Action offers internship opportunities and student placements.

They will be made available as the situation relating to the COVID-19 pandemic improves.

Details about their internship and student placement programs can be found here: http://www.youthaction.org.au/internships_student_ placements

Graduate Opportunities

Full-time paid positions are advertised on the Youth Action website. You can find the link here: http://www.youthaction.org.au/work_with_us

Fun Fact / Recent Project

Youth and Mental Heath At Youth Action’s What’s Up West? 2013 youth conference, Western Sydney’s young people identified youth mental health as an issue of particular concern for them. Members of Outburst! Western Sydney Youth Action Group also identified that one of their biggest problems was that many of their friends were experiencing poor mental health but they felt they lacked the skills to help them. While they acknowledged the importance of seeking professional help, they felt there was a role they could play in supporting their friend as well.

Youth Action's Friend2Friend initiative addresses this problem by providing workshops for young people to develop an understanding of youth mental health issues; learn different strategies to help a friend experiencing poor mental health; and gain an awareness of the importance of self-care when supporting others with mental health concerns. The project also provides opportunities for young people who would like to raise awareness of the issue by running a Friend2Friend workshop of their own.

Youth Action is now supporting Mental Health Carers NSW to deliver Friend2Friend with young people across NSW. For more information, contact Mental Health Carers at: http://www.arafmi.org/