Solid Voices Of Tomorrow – Guide
As the new year commences and many Sector workers return to the important work of supporting our children, young people, families around the state, you might be looking for renewed inspiration and new ideas.
We’re here to help! A key focus for QATSICPP’s 2022-2032 Strategic Plan is the development of new practice and new knowledge that combines the best of Indigenous and mainstream ways to heal and replenish our communities. One area our Our Members have been telling us is of crucial importance is how we as services, peak bodies and service systems, meaningfully listen to the children, young people, families and communities we serve.
At our conference in December 2022, we were proud to launch our Solid Voices of Tomorrow – guide. This resource is focused on how QATSICPP and our Members can engage and support the voices of young people in service design, evaluation and research. To develop the guide, we brought together a diverse group of 14 Aboriginal and Torres Strait young people between the ages of 16 and 22 from around Queensland to yarn with us and co-create this resource.
The Solid Voices of Tomorrow guide is based on the knowledge shared by these young people, as well as knowledge shared by our staff and our members, and collecting information about what others are doing to engage young people here in Queensland, elsewhere in Australia and, where relevant, overseas. We are super proud it also won a Child Protection Week 2022 award.
The Solid Voices of Tomorrow guide explores how young people’s stories can be best heard and acted upon in identifying their needs, designing services to meet their needs, developing policies, evaluating services and initiatives, and conducting research.
The resource is laid out into five main sections: Voice, Preparation, Finding and Engaging Young People, Supporting and Resourcing Involvement and Taking Action and features artwork by Queensland artists Dylan Mooney and Annemarie Keating.
Snapshot from Solid Voices guide…
Read more of Maurice’s story and check out the guide here!
At the 2022 QATSICPP Member’s conference our staff and the young people co-facilitated a yarning circle exploring the guide. This included a yarn facilitated by one of our young leaders Jaylen, where young and other conference delegates reflected on the power youth voice had (or could have) in creating positive change within communities The session was an incredibly powerful one for conference delegates with many sharing their thoughts post these sessions.
“I am inspired by the courage and strength you shared during your time with us. You are continue to grow in your confidence and ability to speak and share. I am so proud of you all.”
“From my heart to yours. Thank you for your courage, resilience and speaking your truth! It gives me hope for the future and you are all inspiring deadly young people.”
“Thank you for being so inspiring and we know our communities (land, country, sea, skies and oceans) will be so looked after. Esso ya pla.”
This resource will guide QATSICPP’s ongoing work to work to elevate the voices of youth, which is about honouring our young people, and the knowledge they have and can share with us about their past present and future. As part of our recently launched Centre of Excellence, we want to share and explore how best to hear the voices of children, young people, families, service providers in growing our evidence base and ensuring that their voices contribute strongly to guiding our research and evaluation agenda.
QATSICPP would like to acknowledge and give our heartfelt thanks to all of the young people and QATSICPP member staff who shared with us their voice and knowledge to help make this guide.
Do you have questions or want more information about the guide ? Please email administration@qatsicpp.com.au or call 07 3102 4119. Hard copies of the guide are available to QATSICPP member organisations upon request.
