Hello, thanks for reading our Advocacy Wrap Up for April 2022. The policy and advocacy team have been hard at work with young people to improve the issues that are impacting their lives and workshopping ideas to try and change them for the better . This month we have got updates on:
- the latest on our submissions to government inquiries
- an update on the CREATE International Virtual Voices in Action Conference that happened on the 26th-29th of April
- an update on the consultations we are working on with young people in different states and territories Nationally
- how we are working to progress CREATE Foundations National Advocacy Agenda with CREATE’s Youth Action Groups and the National Influencing Committee
Please feel free to reach out to the team at CREATE via create@create.org.au if you’ve got any questions about our current work with young people with a care experience in Australia. You might also want to add or contribute to some of this work. We would love to hear from you.
Advocacy Project Updates
The CREATE Foundation worked on a project with Monash University on the Charter of Lifelong Rights in Childhood Recordkeeping in Out-of-Home Care. We worked with the team on expanding the toolkit resources to specifically address the needs of First Nation’s young people in care. We[KM2] collaborated with First Nations service provider organisations to ensure that this charter meets the specific needs of First Nations young people.
ViA and other Conferences
We are really excited about our Voices in Action conference that happened in April. The theme of our conference this year was Resilient, Resourceful, and Remarkable. Head here for more info.
We engaged with you as well as our speakers, decision makers and sector leaders. There were a number of informative and inspiring presentations as well as activities and competitions. Our speakers led discussions on what needs to change in the out of home care system and what’s working really well. We had lots of great questions, and sessions where many delegates contributed their voices and artistic expression. We are all really keen to see you at our next conference in 2024. Adelaide here we come.
At the conference you would have been able to view presentations from members of the CREATE National Influencing Team. Presentations were led by Dr Elise Hilder, Ben McMullin, Dr Katie Creed and Dr Joseph McDowall, Executive Director of Research.
One of the really exciting events that occurred during the conference were the Inaugural CREATE Foundation Case Worker Awards. The awards were a way of highlighting the appreciation of service and dedication by outstanding professionals in the child protection sector. CREATE Foundation was delighted that the National Award recipient announcement was delivered by His Excellency General, the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd), Governor-General of Australia. The recipient Taylor Alapaki was a case worker from Queensland. Congratulations Taylor and a special thank you to all the Case Worker Award Recipients.
You will be able to access recordings from the conference through the website and portal for the next 3 months, so if you missed anything you will be able to jump back on and catch-up. More information will be coming out on our website to help you to understand how to do this so keep an eye out.
DSS Feedback Survey on Transition to Living Allowance (TILA)
We conducted a consultation for the Department of Social Services in the lead up to the release of a survey about TILA (Transition to Independent Living Allowance). If you have any experience with TILA (either applying for or not applying for it) complete the survey on the DSS website here.
Initially young consultants were asked to contribute their thoughts on the first draft of the survey. CREATE supported the young people and facilitated the feedback process. The survey has now been released and so we encourage all young people to fill out the survey through the link above. The next step in the process will be reviewing the report that DSS will make after the results of the survey are collated.
CREATE will be in touch when we get to that process which will be later this year so that young people have another opportunity to give feedback on TILA before they finalise the review.
In the media
We are continuing to share our Post-Care report that was completed last year, so make sure you take the chance to share the report with your people in your community:
The report provides a comprehensive account of the issues that impact on the lived reality of children and young people with a care experience in Australia.
And keep your eyes peeled on our socials to stay up to date with stories of young people with a care experience:
