Youth Involvement and NHW

The NHW State Rally in Townsville last year gave NHWatchers a chance to get together with collective minds, attend some interesting sessions, and participate in sharing ideas. The Youth & NHW workshop was particularly successful in gathering ideas on how to involve young people in NHW.

The Townsville PCYC, Youth Leaders and T.A.G (Youth Activity Group) assisted in running the workshop and participated in the sharing of ideas. The following are some outcomes from this workshop.

NHW could benefit from youth involvement in many different ways.
It would give older people a better understanding of young people and of today’s issues, encourage young and old to meet and learn from each other, forge closer communities, provide fresh ideas and different information, allow NHW information to reach different markets and groups, and allow young people to take part in making their community a safer place.

Youth could benefit from NHW involvement in many different ways.
Information from NHW meetings could help educate young people about personal safety, health and information on crime prevention issues. By including youth more in the community as a part of NHW it could make young people more aware of the consequences of their actions on the community, educate them on youth issues, foster good relations in the community, and make both youths and adults feel safer in the community.

Ideas on how to involve youth in NHW.

• Run competitions in the local NHW newsletter on safety or crime prevention themes
• Include articles with information relevant to youth in the local NHW newsletter
• Include a 'Youth Column' in the newsletter for young people to have their say - with a young person as editor of the column
• Find new ways of marketing and advertising NHW - at schools, PCYC's and youth organisations
• Invite young people as guest speakers at meetings to speak on issues of concern to them
• Use NHW to educate young people on protective behaviours, safety, CPR, who to contact when in trouble, and on observing crime in the community
• Survey youth concerns and act on results
• Have more colourful and funky newsletters.