The Youth Action & Policy Association NSW (YAPA) is the peak community group working in the interests of young people and youth services in NSW.
YAPA strives to achieve social justice for young people, including the appropriate provision of services for young people. The role of YAPA is to:
- Monitor and respond to government policies and proposals affecting young people
- Promote and advocate on issues affecting young people and youth services
- Bring young people and youth workers together to act on issues affecting them
- Work to raise a positive profile of young people in the media and in the community
- Provide training, forums and conferences to young people and youth workers
- Provide information and referral
- Produce a range of resources, publications and newsletters.
What has YAPA achieved? See YAPA Annual Reports.
Events & training
YAPA runs several events each year including:
- YAPA conference for young people: next due in 2008
- YAPA conference for youth workers: September 2007
- Survival training for new youth workers: several times each year.
Policy & campaigns
YAPA develops policy positions and submissions to government on key youth and youthwork issues. YAPA representatives sit on a range of key government and non-government committees, ensuring that young people's and youth workers' perspectives are heard.
Newsletters, publications & members
YAPRap monthly newsletter is mailed/ emailed to 500 members and subscribers, with campaigns, innovative youth work, YAPA news and events. Other YAPA publications include fact sheets on a wide range of youth issues and youth work issues.
YAPA Members are young people (aged 12-25) and youth services and groups. Members receive YAPRap newsletter, get some discounts for training and conferences and elect our Board of Governance.
YAPA Western Sydney
YAPA is funded to run a separate Western Sydney Project. Kylie Gordon-Wilkins, the Regional Youth Development Officer, provides training, forums, conferences, campaigns, advocacy, publications, information and resources to young people and youth services in Western Sydney.
Youth Participation Grants Project
YAPA's Youth Participation Grants Project gives young people the power and resources to develop and implement community activities in their local area. A selection panel will award grants to young people who can demonstrate that:
- their project benefits the community in some way
- the idea for the project has come from young people
- the application has been created by young people
- their project will increase community interaction.
Young people aged between 12-25 and living in NSW can apply for a Youth Participation Grant.
More about YAPA
See other website sections:
- media releases
- youth policies
- YAPA jobs & opportunities
- internal policies
- other peak bodies like YAPA in other parts of Australia
