NCJ Number
135898
Date Published
1991
Length
9 pages
Annotation
The principles of Youth Advocacy are explained with particular focus on the Flemington Youth Empowerment Project (YEP) and the Victorian Youth Advocacy Network.
Abstract
The concept of youth advocacy is not only to prevent juvenile crime, but to provide opportunities for young people to take responsibility for issues that affect their everyday life. The Victorian Youth Advocacy Network focuses on legal issues and aims to provide young people with an understanding of their human and legal rights, the legal and social consequences of drug and alcohol use, and the legal issues affecting their everyday lives. It also aims to teach the young people how to use administrative, industrial, and legal methods, and how to participate in decision making processes that affect their everyday lives, especially those that who are disadvantaged or most at risk with the criminal justice system. The network also establishes programs and structures to protect and develop young peoples' human rights at local, regional, and State levels. The Flemington YEP was established in an inner urban area to help a large migrant population of Turks, Spaniards, and Indo-Chinese youth with legal issues, recreational activities, and health education. The Against Lawless Police Harassment Action Task Force (Alphaline) was established in Brunswick to deal with the treatment received from the police.