19 Oct 2020
A huge congratulations to the team at the STARTTS Multicultural Youth Group (including our wonderful Community Liaison Officer, Dale and many students across our College) who received the NSW Youth Work Award in recognition of their outstanding work supporting young people from refugee and multicultural backgrounds in Newcastle.
The STARTTS Multicultural Youth Group was established in August 2016 and has been facilitated weekly over the last 4 years. It was set up as a response to a community need to support young people outside of the school setting. STARTTS hires a space after school once a week (with thanks to Wallsend Callaghan College) and invites Young People from Refugee and Multicultural Backgrounds 12yrs-18yrs from any school in Newcastle to join.
Over the last 4 years a safe, neutral and inviting space was developed to engage Young People in formal, and more often, informal activities so they can have fun, make friends and build those important connections upon settlement in Australia. One of the key outcomes has been those longer lasting support networks developed between the Young People that continued way beyond their time at the youth group. The Communities that Young People come from include Syria, Afghanistan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Birundi, Hazara, Mauritania, Sudanese, South Sudanese, Iraq, Kurdistan including others.
"Everyday we learn from the young people we work with and so I want to thank them for everything they have taught us." - Jo McGregor, Group Coordinator.
The Multicultural youth group is led by STARTTS which is the NSW Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors. The key to its success and sustainability over the last 4 years have been the long term and consistent partnerships that have worked together through the challenges and rewards that come with this special and important work. It is shown through the close relationships that the partners have with each other and also with the young people. Those partners include Northern Settlement Services, The Multicultural Neighbourhood Centre Lambton, Northlakes Youth Service, Catholic Care, Newcastle Multicultural Police Liaison (Newcastle MCLO), Headspace and The University of Newcastle.
Extract copied, with permission, from Jo McGregor's acceptance speech.