YAPA media release: 7 September 2011
MEDIA RELEASE
The peak body for young people and youth services in NSW, the Youth Action and Policy Association (YAPA), has welcomed the announcement by the Federal Minister for Youth that the National School Chaplaincy Program will be expanded to allow qualified youth workers to work with school students.
“We have always supported the provision of support for students in our schools,” said Reynato Reodica, Chief Executive of YAPA.
“We have never felt that restricting schools to employing religious workers who are often unqualified is an effective or evidence-based method of supporting young people.
“It is fantastic to know that the expertise of qualified youth workers is now being recognised, and feel that this is an important step towards early intervention and an appropriate level of support for young people in NSW and across Australia.”
“We also support the establishment of a minimum standard for these workers in schools, and believe that the Certificate IV in Youth Work will clarify many of the concerns of the Ombudsman around what kinds of support chaplains were expected to or able to provide.”
“YAPA has actively promoted partnerships between schools and the youth sector for a long time, and will be providing tangible support to both schools and youth services around how to successfully form partnerships under the new guidelines, and how to find and employ the right youth worker for their school and community.”
Media contact
Reynato Reodica
0416 929 252
