Review of Certain FaHCSIA Funded Youth Services FINAL REPORT Office of Indigenous Policy Coordination Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs Canberra August 2010 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Urbis acknowledges the traditional owners, custodians and Elders past and present across Australia. Our thanks also go to the many people who gave their time to speak with us as part of this review, especially those who helped us organise the site visits and welcomed us onto their land and into their services and Natasha Anderson from the Northern Territory Aboriginal Interpreter Service. Ohlin J, Ross S, Wilczynski A, Pigott R, Connell J, Reed-Gilbert K (2010), Review of Certain FaHCSIA- funded youth services , Urbis for the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, Canberra. Final Report TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements..................................................................................................................................1 1 Introduction.......................................................................................................................................1 1.1 Overview of the purpose of the review....................................................................................1 1.2 The Integrated Youth Services Project (IYSP)........................................................................1 1.2.1 The activity goals/objectives of the Integrated Youth Services Project...................................2 1.2.2 Integrated Youth Services Program community profiles.........................................................3 1.3 Youth Alcohol Diversion Measure (YADM) .............................................................................7 1.4 Terms of Reference for this review .........................................................................................8 1.5 Reference Group .....................................................................................................................9 1.6 Structure of this report.............................................................................................................9 2 Methodology ...................................................................................................................................10 2.1 Literature review ....................................................................................................................10 2.2 Consultations with stakeholders............................................................................................10 2.2.1 Fieldwork to Alice Springs and three remote communities ...................................................10 2.2.2 Focus group with pre-IYSP/NTER YADM providers .............................................................11 2.2.3 Stakeholder telephone interviews .........................................................................................11 2.2.4 Online survey.........................................................................................................................11 2.2.5 Funded service provider pro forma .......................................................................................11 2.3 Review of program documentation........................................................................................11 2.3.1 Limitations of the review........................................................................................................12 3 Key lessons from the literature.....................................................................................................14 3.1 Definitions..............................................................................................................................14 3.2 Manifestations and patterns of use .......................................................................................14 3.2.1 Worldwide patterns of use.....................................................................................................14 3.2.2 Australian patterns of use......................................................................................................14 3.2.3 Links between VSU and other substance abuse ..................................................................15 3.3 Alignment of the PSS with other Indigenous policy initiatives...............................................15 3.4 Effectiveness of petrol sniffing interventions .........................................................................16 3.4.1 Range of interventions...........................................................................................................16 3.4.2 Success factors for interventions ..........................................................................................18 3.5 Models and approaches to Indigenous youth work...............................................................19 3.5.1 Models of youth work.............................................................................................................19 3.5.2 Good practice principles for youth work in an Aboriginal community....................................20 3.5.3 Indigenous youth drug diversion ...........................................................................................20 3.6 Conclusion.............................................................................................................................21 4 Reported activities and outputs of the IYSP ...............................................................................24 4.1 Overview of data sources......................................................................................................24 4.2 Program funding ....................................................................................................................24 4.3 Program expenditure .............................................................................................................26 4.4 Target group ..........................................................................................................................26 4.5 Range and type of activities ..................................................................................................27 4.6 Profile of community participation in activities.......................................................................29 4.6.1 Profile of activities..................................................................................................................29 4.6.2 Profile of participants.............................................................................................................33 4.7 Reported incidents of petrol sniffing ......................................................................................35 Final Report TABLE OF CONTENTS 4.8 Conclusion and key findings..................................................................................................36 5 Key findings on the IYSP...............................................................................................................38 5.1 Introduction............................................................................................................................38 5.2 Overview of data sources......................................................................................................38 5.3 Program planning and preparation........................................................................................38 5.3.1 Tendering process.................................................................................................................38 5.3.2 Insufficient program planning ................................................................................................39 5.3.3 Governance ...........................................................................................................................41 5.3.4 Appropriateness of the target group......................................................................................43 5.3.5 Case management ................................................................................................................45 5.4 Key outcomes of the IYSP for the four communities.............................................................45 5.4.1 Incidence of petrol sniffing.....................................................................................................45 5.4.2 Provision of pathways (employment and education) and skills development .......................46 5.4.3 Community involvement/intergenerational activity ................................................................48 5.4.4 Workforce (including Anangu staff employment and development)......................................49 5.4.5 Planning for program handover.............................................................................................50 5.4.6 Overall findings......................................................................................................................50 6 Summary of activities funded under NTER Youth Alcohol Diversion Measure ......................52 6.1 Aims of the NTER Youth Alcohol Diversion Measure ...........................................................52 6.2 Data sources .........................................................................................................................52 6.3 Key features of the sample projects......................................................................................52 7 Key findings on the NTER Youth Alcohol Diversion Measure ..................................................54