QLD
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Contact Information
Street Address : Suite 3, 56 Peel Street, South Brisbane QLD 4101
Mail Address: Reply Paid, PO Box 77, ANNERLEY QLD 4103
Contact Number : (07) 3255 3145 or 1800 655 105
Email : queensland@create.org.au
Office Hours: 9.00am – 5.00pm
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About the CREATE QLD Team
Latest News
Adventure at Rockhampton Zoo 
On Saturday August 21st Kelly, Poppy and Amanda took an adventure to Rockhampton Zoo to hang out with some AWESOME children and young people, as well as some amazing carers that came along. We had spider man and fairy face painting, lots of glitter used in arts and crafts, a few games of UNO, a soccer competition, a BBQ which Poppy started from scratch with paper and matches , and we saw some Chimpanzees and happy emu at the zoo.
The Commissioner for Children and Young People and Child Guardian recently met with Jacqui Reed, CEO of the CREATE Foundation and Lucas Moore, State Co-ordinator to discuss a range of issues relating to children in care. At the top of the meeting agenda was the important issue of support for young people as they transition from care (TFC). Both CREATE and the Commission continue to compile a growing evidence base of young people’s views in this regard. It was noted that the Office for Youth is soon to establish an initiative to provide after care services for young people aged 18 years who are homeless or at risk of homelessness in the Rockhampton, Townsville Toowoomba and Inala areas. Other matters discussed at this meeting included information collected by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) regarding young people in care, assistance by the Commission in promoting Club CREATE and confirming through the Community Visitor Program that transition from care information materials developed by CREATE have reached young people across the state.
The Commission appreciates the support and guidance that CREATE provides to Queensland’s most vulnerable children and young people.
Get Set for Work at Career Keys
Career Keys’ next intake for their Get Set for Work Program – Taste ‘n’ Style begins on the 23rd August and they will be starting interviews for this intake shortly. The program caters for 15-19 year olds and is split into two areas of focus – Hair & Beauty and Hospitality. Click this link for more details: http://bit.ly/bBmZZU
South West Regional Fellowship Program
Left Right Think-Tank is running a Fellowship Program to give young people a real voice in public policy. Young people in Year 11, Year 12 or first year out of school in the South West Region are eligible. The program will run from 21st August based in Toowoomba. Successful participants will be involved in writing a policy paper on an issue that the group chooses. You will be able to present this to the relevant Qld Minister and the “Best Fellow” will win a trip to Canberra to present to the Federal Government. You will also participate in a series of skill building workshops with Members of Parliament, Journalists, Public Servants and Lobby Groups. For application details see www.leftright.org.au/fellowships.php or email Kate McKenzie at k.mckenzie@leftright.org.au
Important Learner Permit Exemptions
If due to special circumstances a Learner Driver is unable to complete and record 100 hours of supervised on-road driving experience in a learner logbook, an exemption is available. Applications for exemptions are assessed on a case-by-case basis and strict guidelines apply. You will be required to pay a non-refundable application fee for this exemption. If successful, you will need to hold your learner’s licence for a mandatory period of two years. Find all the relevant information and forms here.
Seeking Nominations – Child Protection Week Awards
Nominations are being sought for the 2010 Child Protection Week (CPW) Awards (the closing date for nominations is 12 July 2010). This is an opportunity to nominate an individual from your community, office or social circle who has gone far beyond the call of duty to protect children and young people in Queensland. The Awards are conducted annually to acknowledge the dedication, hard work and commitment of the many individuals and organisations who work towards improving child protection practices in Queensland. Find the categories, and details for nominations here.Scholarships from Foundation for Young Australians
Students at government schools will be able to apply for Opportunity Scholarships from the Foundation for Young Australians between 12 July and 23 August 2010. The scholarships are intended to help individual students who ‘lack financial and practical resources’ to attend curriculum-related programs. See the website below for more details.
http://www.fya.org.au/what-we-do/initiatives/scholarships/
Queensland well represented at the NYAC Summit
Awww we are so proud of you gals …
Queensland was done proud at the CREATE National Youth Advisory Council (NYAC) Summit in February by Lee, Ellie and Amie. These three legends represented children and young people in care through our state and did a fantastic job in talking about some of the big issues that need to be focused on what can be done to improve the situation. Lee’s focus was on Birth Family Contact and Sibling Placement, Ellie’s was on the need for more children and young people to have quality contact with caseworkers and Amie put her head together with delegates from other states to talk about how transition from care could be improved.
Since the summit the delegates have been working in hard with both the YAG group and decision makers in our Department of Communities to make their recommendations are reality.
CREATE rocks out at ACDC
qld_ACDC
qld_ACDC
They might be getting a bit old but ACDC sure know how to rock – eight CREATE Young Consultants were lucky enough to catch the band’s Brisbane show as part of their tour in February. It’s hard to know what was more impressive, the music or the sea of ACDC fans wearing flashing horns. We’d like to thank Minister for Child Safety and Sport Phil Reeves for the opportunity to come along, and for Department of Communities Director General Linda Apelt for rocking out with us on the night!
‘This is Us’: CREATE joins the National Youth Week festivities in Queensland
National Youth Week is all about celebrating and recognising the value of all young Australians to their communities by giving them an opportunity to express their ideas and opinions. With help from the Department of Communities and Beyondblue CREATE had a very busy National Youth Week (10-18 April) this year: our Youth Advisory Group (YAG) got together and with help from CREATE staff and the production company Pixelframe we produced a short film entitled “This is Us”, featuring young people with a care experience sharing their advice on how they deal with mental health issues. We held a launch during a Youth Week which was loads of fun, and the short film is soon to go up on the web – stay tuned for details !
qld_Youth Week
Also as part of Youth Week we put on a special Show Me the Canoes event: Kelly and Poppy were joined by 9 young people (14-18yrs) and a significant adult in their life from the Noosa and Gympie area. We spent the day discussing their suggestions on ways that young people in care can deal with mental health issues, as well as an awesome BBQ cooked by Wayne one of our lovely carers that came along. We then cruised in our canoes the Noosa river for the afternoon!!! Finishing the day extremely wet from capsizing LOTS of times!
G-Force is back !
CREATE is re-awakening this group after its hibernation of the past couple of years (since then a movie with the same name about commando guinea pigs was produced – weird ! ). Originally G-Force came up with the Children and Young People’s Participation Strategy – a plan for how children and young people in care could have more involvement in decisions that affect their lives (http://www.childsafety.qld.gov.au/fostercare/youth/participation-strategy.html). Now G-Force is back and it’s all about turning this plan into reality and having decision makers in child protection listening to and working with children and young people who are or have been in care. If you are a young person in care G-Force wants to hear from you ! Email queensland@create.org.au
And our new Addition….
CREATE QLD is growing with the new addition of Denzil. He’s going to be working on Young Consultants training and YAG!!
clubCREATE magazine June edition is out now! To download the QLD state round-up click here!
Events + Activities
ALL CREATE QLD EVENTS ARE FREE (YAY!)
Unless otherwise stated.
Transport costs are not included. Permission forms may be required for anyone under 18 years of age. All people wishing to attend events must contact QLD staff by phone or email and receive confirmation as spaces are always limited.
Youth Advisory Group (YAG)
Date: Sunday 8 May 2010
Where: CREATE Office Brisbane
Every month young people meet up and share their views about what it’s like in care. Afterwards they do something fun for FREE – this time grab your jumper because we are going ice skating!
Young Consultants Training – May
Date: Sunday 29 and Sunday 30 May 2010
Where: Caboolture area (TBC)
Knowledge is Power! Learn about how to speak up to your workers! Learn awesome skills and make new friends! Yeah!
Youth Advisory Group (YAG) – June
Date: exact date TBC
Where: Toowoomba
Every month young people meet up and share their views about what it’s like in care. This time we are taking YAG on the road and coming to Toowoomba, we’d love to hear from young people in Queensland’s second biggest city and we’re keen to hear your ideas about what we could do for a social activity – email us.
Be.Heard Survey
Date: June/July School Holidays
Where: Exact locations TBC, central Queensland (anywhere from Kingaroy to Rockhampton!)
This is anonymous survey is your chance to tell us what you think about being in care. CREATE workers come to your place (or a public place nearby) and have a chat with you about how you are finding the care system, we then pass this information back to workers and managers at your local Child Safety Service Centre.
clubCREATE Party – Gympie
Date: Saturday 24 July 2010
Where: Exact locations TBC, Gympie
Whether you’re six or 16 you’ll get something out of our clubCREATE parties; freebies, sport, games, yummy food and other activities, held at a local park in the area. Stay tuned for more details or email us.
About Our Programs
clubCREATE
clubCREATE is a club for children and young people in care, or with a care experience. Members get a welcome pack, quarterly newsletters, invitations to events, and a birthday card each year. You can join clubCREATE on-line at http://www.create.org.au/ypz/clubCREATE/, call your QLD office on 07 3255 3145 or email clubCREATE@create.org.au and ask for a membership form.
Entering Care Kits
If you are entering care for the first time, CREATE will deck you out with a backpack of essential stuff to help you on your way. The kit includes CREATE program information, t-shirt, cap, wristband, newsletter and some other fun stuff. You need to join clubCREATE to be able to receive a kit just contact your QLD office on 07 3255 3145 or email clubCREATE@create.org.au.
Be.Heard
Be.Heard is an awesome project where you get to share what you think about the care system, what you think is good and what you think needs to be changed. CREATE conducts face to face interviews or provides online surveys so you can voice your opinion. All the information is gathered from the surveys and put into a report which is given to the Department. All comments and information are submitted but you will remain anonymous to the department. This allows your voice to Be. heard! Be. Heard is available to children and young people in care aged between 5 and 18 years.
Show me the …
show me the...
Want to swing from tree to tree? Show me the… ropes or circus or mountain is an adventure day which can include activities like ropes courses, circus training, horse riding or climbing mountains. It is for young people aged 14-18 years and an accompanying adult which could your foster carer, case worker, sibling or significant person.
State and Territory Youth Advisory Group’s
The Youth Advisory Group is a program that brings young people together to discuss care issues and explore solutions. Youth Advisory groups are in each state and territory and provide feedback which activates change for the better. The Youth Advisory Group also tells CREATE how best to represent the opinions of children and young people in care. To find out more contact your CREATE office on 1800 655 105.
Young Consultants
Young Consultants are young people aged 14 and over who have had a care experience. They work alongside CREATE to share with others in the community what it is like to be in care. Young Consultants go to conferences, consultations, forums and events to represent CREATE and young people in care. To become a young consultant you need to complete Young Consultants Training.
Young Consultants also get a few perks. They can participate in connection activities like trips to the movies and professional development courses including things like Senior First Aid, interview skills, budgeting and building a resume all of which Young Consultants can access for free.
Young Consultants Training
To become a Young Consultant you need to undertake the Young Consultant’s Training Course which is a fun training workshop. You can hang out with other young people, develop skills in presentation and public speaking and learn all about the Care system. Young Consultants training may lead to opportunities to do some occasional paid work with CREATE in through representation at conferences, consultations, forums and events and providing training support.
Case/ Child Protection Worker and CSO Training
This is an opportunity for Young Consultants to affect positive change within the care sector. A CREATE staff member and up to three Young Consultants deliver a training session to case or child protection workers who work directly with children and young people in out-of-home care.
CREATE Your Future website | www.createyourfuture.org.au
This website is designed to assist young people who are leaving care. It has heaps of information on topics like health, housing, education, employment and more. You can also read stories about other peoples’ experiences of leaving care.
Kelly Bucknall
Position: Youth Facilitator
About Kelly:
Hi I’m Kelly and I’ve been with CREATE for 6 years as a Young Consultant and now as the Youth facilitator in QLD!
I have a huge passion for children and young people’s rights whilst in care and believe that everyone at no matter what age should have a voice.
Kelly Bucknall
Position: Youth Facilitator
About Kelly:
Hi I’m Kelly and I’ve been with CREATE for 6 years as a Young Consultant and now as the Youth facilitator in QLD!
I have a huge passion for children and young people’s rights whilst in care and believe that everyone at no matter what age should have a voice.
