RDA Wheatbelt working to improve youth outcomes

17 January 2012

RDA Wheatbelt (Western Australia) has a tradition of working with the young people of their region to provide greater access to educational, recreational and developmental opportunities. RDA Wheatbelt does this through the Youth Connections program, a national Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations initiative, and the Wheatbelt Youth Leadership Development (WYLD) Network, created by RDA Wheatbelt to provide young people with opportunities to get involved in activities in their communities. Throughout the second half of 2011 RDA Wheatbelt conducted a number of youth focused projects:

Wheatbelt Youth Summit

RDA Wheatbelt with support from a range of stakeholders hosted the inaugural Wheatbelt Youth Summit in September 2011. More than 500 people attended the event including the Minister for Youth, Director General for Department for Communities, State and Federal Members of Parliament, and approximately 350 youth from across the region. The event included inspirational speeches, personal development opportunities through a variety of breakout sessions and access to a wide range of youth organisations that provided valuable advice and information on support available for young people.

Sharing Stories through Comics

A set of comic books were designed and illustrated by young people from across the Wheatbelt region. The focus of these comic books was on a range of youth issues such as bullying, depression and fitting in. The primary objective of this project was to provide information for young people about where to seek support, understanding that they are not alone with their issues and the ability to see through the stories of others that seeking support can be beneficial. This project was funded by the Community Arts Network of WA on behalf of Healthway to promote Relationship Australias Make time to talk message, the Department for Communities, and the RDA Wheatbelt Youth Connections program.

WYLD Magazine

The first edition of the WYLD Magazine was released on 1 December 2011. The magazine has been designed to directly appeal to young people aged 13 to 25 and includes stories about local young achievers as well as articles and information on topics relevant to youth. The magazine will be produced on a bi-monthly basis and young people from across the region will be involved in writing articles, contributing ideas and designing the layout and presentation of the magazine.

To find out more about RDA Wheatbelt visit their website.