You need to read this section on Risk & Protection in the correct order:
- Introduction
- Individual
- Community < You are here
- Family
- Peer and school factors
- Responding from a risk and protection framework
Community risk factors
The second group of factors that researchers have identified as potentially influencing a young person's development is community factors. Community factors not only include the community environment in which the young people live, but also the legal and cultural environment.
• = this risk factor makes it more likely for this adverse outcome to occur
Adverse outcomes |
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Risk Factors |
Substance Abuse |
Mental Health Problems |
Crime / Delin- |
Socio-economic disadvantage |
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Population density and housing conditions |
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Urban area |
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Neighbourhood violence and crime |
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Cultural norms concerning violence as acceptable response to frustration |
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Media portrayal of violence |
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Lack of support services |
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Social or cultural discrimination |
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Low neighbourhood attachment |
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Community disorganisation |
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Personal transitions and mobility |
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Community transitions and mobility |
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Laws and norms favourable to drug use |
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Perceived availability of drugs |
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Civil / political / military unrest |
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Community protective factors
• = this protective factor makes it less likely for this adverse outcome to occur
Adverse outcomes |
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Protective Factors |
Sub- |
Mental health problems |
Crime / delin- |
Sense of connectedness |
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Attachment to and networks within the community |
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Participation in church or other community groups |
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Strong cultural identity and ethnic pride |
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Access to support services and resources |
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Community cultural norms against violence |
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Opportunities for pro-social involvement |
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Rewards for pro-social involvement |
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Positive community norms and a sense of caring, commitment and mutual protection |
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Activity
Remember Tung, Sally and Mike from the previous section. Now let us introduce the three environments in which Tung, Sally and Mike live. They are quite distinct communities that share some similarities.
Suburbville - Tung
Tung lives in Suburbville which is a predominantly white middle-class suburb in a large city. There are not many services for young people in this area. Suburbville has a number of sporting teams that young people can join if they choose to, other than this there is little on offer for the young people. Hanging out at the shopping mall is frowned upon by the local residents and security staff have been employed to move the young people on.
Most youth initiatives are connected to schools and are not easily accessible to those outside of the educational system. The next suburb has some good bands that play at the youth centre and there is a cool skating place just near the centre, but getting there is very difficult. There is no train system and buses run irregularly. Thus Tung and his friends only get to go if they can talk their parents into giving them a lift.
There is quite a strong Buddhist community in Suburbville, and camps and activity days (eg bowling) are run for young Buddhist people. Recently there has been a number of Asian young people attacked in the local area, the most recent episode being a girl who was raped at the back of the local shops. There is some feeling in this community that the police have been 'lax' in following this up, which has lead to some rising frustrations. This frustration has been fuelled somewhat by the local news coverage of the "increasing level of racial violence". The community leaders are calling for patience. Tung is torn between his Asian friends and his skating friends.
Tung has not found drugs to be freely available in his area. However, he doesn't have any problem getting alcohol from the local bottle shop, where they openly sell to under-age people.
Outbackaroo - Sally 
Sally lives in Outbackaroo, a small town with a population of 12,000 people. There is a very strong Neighbourhood Watch Committee that has active involvement in the town. Outbackaroo has an engaging Police Citizens Youth Club. They offer many activities ranging from abseiling to computers. Recently, they have set up a graffiti wall in the main street and they are working with a local artist. This artist encourages Sally to continue with art as she says Sally's got a real flair for it.
Besides the PCYC there is little else going on in Outbackaroo that interests young people. Summer-time is alright because of the swimming hole, but during winter there isn't a lot to do.
Sally lives in the only accommodation service in the town. Therefore, if you get time out then you have nowhere to go, short of living down at the creek. Unemployment is quite high in Outbackaroo.
Cannabis is very easy to get, most of the older people seem to smoke it as well. Petrol and other inhalants are popular amongst the young people.
Smokeshurst - Mike
Mike lives in Smokeshurst, which is an inner city suburb. This suburb is made up of a mixture of state housing and industrial buildings. Smokeshurst also has a number of pubs and nightclubs in the area.
Since the increase of policing in surrounding suburbs there has been an influx of drug dealing in Smokeshurst. As a result of the increase in dealing in Smokeshurst, there has been an increase in media attention with a number of current affairs specials highlighting the issues in the area. This has had two effects: one, an increase in people coming to the area looking to buy drugs, and two, an influx of workers and services in the area targeting injecting users.
On Friday and Saturday nights there are lots of fights; Mike has been woken up many nights by sounds of people shouting and fighting. Most of these people are from elsewhere, having come to Smokeshurst looking to score or just looking for trouble.
Mike hates Smokeshurst, he describes it to others as "a complete dump where losers hang out".
Just prior to his most recent incarceration Mike had booked in to an outward bound camp that was organised by a local service. Mike was really looking forward to this and thinks he will call them when he gets released.
Tung/Sally/Mike
We would like you to continue the development of tables for the young person you chose to focus on, by now adding the risk and protective factors you can identify in their community.
Community Risk Factors:
Community Protective Factors:
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Working with Young People with Alcohol or Other Drug Issues: A self-paced learning package Published: 2006 Funded by NSW Drug & Alcohol Workforce Development Council. Written & compiled by Kristy Delaney, YAPA, and Matt Stubbs & John Howard, Ted Noffs Institute. Additional material by Nick Manning, YAPA, & by Shopfront Youth Legal Centre. Opinions are the author's.
Be careful! YAPA and the authors took reasonable care to ensure that this information was correct at the time of publishing. However health information, and government regulations, laws and standards are complex and changing. The authors may not have health, safety, or legal qualifications, and information provided is general - it is not specific health, legal or professional advice. Do not rely on it - check with other publications and authorities and if necessary get qualified, medical, legal or professional advice for your situation.
