Thursday 13 April

Issue 4

Dear Colleagues,

Welcome to my first newsletter for 2023. This year is already promising to be significant in terms of opportunities for advocacy around children's rights. Our contributions to numerous Federal and State enquiries, Commissions and policy development processes has resulted in 14 submissions over the past twelve weeks, on topics ranging from child safety to child poverty, and  3-year-old preschool to youth mental health. These opportunities help to ensure children and young people's voices are represented in policy, planning and decision making in relation to issues they have told me matter to them most.

In January my High Stakes High School report was released and has been well received with Norwood International High School moving quickly to implement a recommendation for a Year 12 Charter (article below). I look forward to  hearing from schools who want to co-create models of student voice and agency in 2023. We have also recently inducted the 2023 SA SRC student members at a Summit held at Adelaide Town Hall on 24 March with 130 of the 166 representatives from around the state attending (full story and video summary below).

Featured News

Norwood International College Year 12 Student Charter

Over 250 ‘new’ Year 12 students came together at Norwood International High School to create the school’s first Year 12 Student Charter – a manifesto of how the school’s senior students wanted their final year of school to be. Read more

SA SRC Summit 2023

130 members of this year’s SA SRC gathered at the Town Hall for the first time, attending the annual SA SRC Summit where they spent the day determining which issues they would like to focus on over the coming year. Read more

Whyalla Makes Space to Dream

The travelling exhibition of the Commissioner’s Digital Challenge Space to Dream winners has inspired a local library to create their own children’s activity that utilises design thinking principles. Read more

Community Outreach |  Connections | Events

Everyday Jobs Series on YouTube

The transition from school into a career can be very challenging, which is why the Commissioner has partnered with the Committee for Adelaide to produce a series of videos that provide an insider's view of ‘jobs of the future’ available in SA today. Read more

Create4Adelaide - Climate Challenge! 

The Commissioner is supporting the Adelaide Festival Team on their new initiative for SA young people Create4Adelaide - a large-scale, year-long project that encourages young people to develop their creative skills and engage with local climate change priorities. Read more

Future Women Summit

The Commissioner delivered a presentation at the Future Women Summit where she shared the thoughts and feelings of South Australian children and young people about sexism, gender roles and stereotypes. You can watch the presentation on YouTube. Read more

Commissioner's Runabout

A snapshot summary of what the Commissioner has been busy with over the last three months, connecting and engaging with SA children, young people, and adult stakeholders alike. Read more

Submissions | Briefs | Reports

Building a Child-Friendly Sports Club

Sport and sports clubs have the potential to provide young people with a range of skills that encompass physical fitness, team building, connection and a sense of belonging but they can't do this unless they are child friendly and inclusive. This guide provides Sports Clubs with content provided by young people themselves in relation to what would make being part of a sports club more attractive.

Download the guide here

High Stakes High School Project Report 
Year 12 has become increasingly difficult for young people to navigate with levels of stress and anxiety being reported at all time highs. This report details the experiences of more than 300 South Australian Year 12 students and includes what they recommend would make things better.

Download the report here

Issues Brief: Barriers to Participation

Whilst many young South Australians have sought to engage policy makers and influence change through participation
in processes organised by government and non government organisations and authorities (eg Youth Parliament) and through participation in social movements (eg Schools Strike 4 Climate) many feel they cannot meaningfully influence government policy and decision making in any way.

Read the brief here

Submission to the Inquiry into the Extent and Nature of Poverty in Australia

Addressing poverty requires recognition of the multidimensional impacts of poverty on children and young people’s everyday lives from the perspective of children and young people themselves.

Read the submission here

Submission on the Draft Youth Mental Health Services Model of Care (SA)

A contemporary Model of Care should embed human rights principles, consider the unique pressures shaping young people’s mental health in the twenty-first century, and support collaboration between services beyond mental health services.

Read the submission here

Submission to South Australia’s Royal Commission into Early Childhood Education and Care (3-Year-Old Preschool)

The Royal Commission into Early Childhood Education and Care is an opportunity to rethink how the early years are approached in South Australia, with a focus on addressing inequity and improving outcomes for all children.

Read the submission here

2023 SA SRC Summit

Catch up on the highs of the 2023 SA SRC Summit, where over 130 young people met for the first time to discuss the issues facing them and their peers.

Grants | Projects | Initiatives | Surveys

The Civics in the City program provides disadvantaged schools with funding to visit the Adelaide CBD and engage with the learning experiences they would otherwise miss out on. Students from the recipient school will receive a guided tour and activity session in the Parliament of South Australia. Read more

The Commissioner for Children and Young People is pleased to be giving nearly $100,000 to organisations across South Australia from her 2023 Small Grants Program. The grants of up to $5000 each will encourage child and youth engagement in decision making, engage children and young people in community action, and will support those who menstruate. Read more

What's On

The Commissioner for Children and Young People is presenting a series of free online personal development seminars for Teachers of Civics and Citizenship curriculum content with SA Parliament and the Department for Education. The seminars will be presented via Zoom during Weeks 2 – 10 of Term 2 between 4pm and 5pm. Read more

Each year the Commissioner runs her digital challenge inviting educators to support students to develop digital skills across computer language, design and system thinking.  Find out how you can register your school or class today. Read more

Giving a voice to pre-schoolers
Launches first week of Term 2

A Youth-Led Period Summit

Save the date: July 11

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