from yaprap August-September 2011
by Isabel Seidel
yaprap Feature Writer
Erick Elefante has worked with African and Muslim young people for 8 years in his various roles at the Granville Multicultural Community Centre (GMCC). This year the centre won a ZEST award for the project Risky Business that Erick managed. I was curious to find out not only about Risky Business but also about Erick and his commitment to youth work.
What drew you to youth work? I’m an accidental youth worker. I started off in banking. However, I was involved in the Young Christian Workers movement since university. My Catholic views are founded on “liberation theology” philosophies which have helped to shape the person I have become and led me onto a youth work path.
Projects that you have been involved in as a youth worker? I’ve been lucky enough to work in an agency that has basically allowed me to ‘run riot’. They trust my judgements. For example, I’ve been able to do the grassroots community development work that has enabled me to build relationships between African and Muslim young people and the police. GMCC developed Risky Business that targeted young African males using basketball and CD production as engagement tools. We employed a casual youth worker to help with the engagement process. He didn’t have experience as a youth worker. However, he was an African who knew all the young people and was connected to the community. He was the key to the success of the project and I mentored him in his role. I was aware of the risks to workers during this program so worker safety was a big issue.
Once we engaged with the young people we knew we could then address some of the issues they were facing. We were able to deliver lifeskills workshops on law and order with an emphasis on relationships between police and young people, negotiating sexual consent and sexual health. The young people felt listened to in these workshops and good discussions took place between the police and young people. From this experience, I wrote a resource for other youth workers wanting a successful model on how to work with African young people.
Constable Karen Myors, Youth Liaison Officer at Granville Police, is involved with the Risky Business 'offspring' MaAP program. "Erick has an amazing ability to connect with young people. He knew many of the backgrounds of young people in the program and this helped to bring out the best in them during the workshops."
Do you follow a particular youth work approach? I believe young people can develop to their full potential with the right support such as community, family and school around them. My approach to youth work is developmental. I work with young people to help them move through their developmental stages positively with the aim to ultimately help them become successful adults. Which means they are connected, responsible and healthy. An example of a youth development strategy is mentoring. Mentoring provides a structured and trusting relationship that brings young people together with caring individuals who offer guidance, support and encouragement.
One young person who was mentored by Erick, and now studying at university, said that Erick’s biggest strength is that he understands where each individual is coming from. "Erick always went out of his way to pursue something we wanted. He has his own way of getting to know the young people and making them feel comfortable."
When I asked Erick if I could write about his approach to youth work, he immediately mentioned other youth workers he thought I should write about. He is right that there are so many youth workers out there doing great work. However, in conversation with Erick I realised why he won a ZEST award. He has worked with the Granville Multicultural Community Centre long enough to see the outcomes of the programs he has worked on. These programs have demonstrated what he has done to help some of the most marginalised young people in our community feel connected, valued and listened to. The young person I spoke to pretty much summed Erick up by saying that if people were voting for the most outstanding youth worker Erick would get their vote any day!
More information
Risky Business: A resource for youth workers to work with African young people using basketball and hip hop
ZEST Western Sydney Community Sector Awards
- yaprap April-May 2011
- www.gwsawards.org.au