Risk, Resilience, Rights

1
Risk, Resilience, Rights Responsibilities
Young People and Harm Reduction

• Sam Stott
• HIV/Hepatitis C Health Promotion Officer
• Youthblock Health Resource Service

2
Overview

• Aims of presentation
• Risk resilience
• Rights responsibilities
• Youthblock Health and Resource Service
• Current youth harm reduction initiatives
• Emerging issues in youth health

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Aims of Presentation

• To explore the notion of youth at risk
• To outline harm reduction services and programs
  offered by Youthblock Health
• To highlight innovative youth health initiatives
  relating to harm reduction
• To contribute to the development of a research
  agenda for youth at risk

4
Young People and Risk

• Risk-taking is a normal and important part of
  adolescence
• Risk-taking is problematic when it interferes
  with development, poses a serious risk to safety,
  impairs health functioning or becomes an
  established part of lifestyle

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No - Low Risk

• Interventions
• Health education which builds on existing
  knowledge of risk behaviour
• Develop and maintain a trusting relationship

• Characteristics
• No or occasional risk behaviour
• Risk is sporadic and recreational
• Supportive relationships, social connectedness
  and personal traits are protective

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Moderate - High Risk

• Characteristics
• One or more harmful behaviours
• Escalating or persistent behaviour
• More environmental risk factors and fewer
  protective factors

• Interventions
• Harm minimisation
• Health education
• Basic counselling and referral to support
  services
• Identify and reinforce protective factors and
  strengths

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Resilience

• Mastery control over self and own health
  outcomes
• Agency control over environment and capacity to
  advocate for self and peers
• Participation - sense of connectedness, belonging
  and ability to effect change
• Operating at the level of the individual, peer
  group and community

8
Young Peoples Rights

• Control over own health and wellbeing
• Access to health and other services
• Participate in health care decisions
• Treated as a whole person rather than as a risky
  behaviour, STI or BBV

9
Young Peoples Responsibilities

• Informed decision-making
• Participate in health care and case management
• Develop skills in consequential thinking
• Develop skills in negotiation
• Develop skills in problem-solving

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Service Responsibilities

• Have a non-judgemental attitude
• Build trust and rapport
• Enable continuity of care
• Refer when appropriate
• Unconditional positive regard
• Respect for diversity

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Youthblock Health and Resource Service

• A community health service for young people aged
  12-24 in the inner west and Canterbury areas of
  Sydney
• We prioritise young people who are homeless,
  marginalised or having a hard time
• Free, safe and confidential

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How Youthblock HealthWorks with Young People
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A Holistic Approach to Health

• There is a relationship between the physical,
  mental, emotional, cultural, spiritual, social
  and environmental aspects of health
• Multidisciplinary services and programs promote
  young peoples holistic health and wellbeing and
  aim to address the social determinants of health

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Tailored Harm Reduction Programs and Services

• Secondary needle syringe program
• Statewide peer-influence hepatitis C fit pack
  stickers
• 0427WHATIS SMS harm reduction information service
  (in development)
• Settings-based sexual health promotion
• SPACE program for GLBTQ youth

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Current Research at Youthblock Health

• Young mens health needs assessment
• African refugee youth health needs assessment
• GLBTQ youth health needs assessment
• Smoking prevention and cessation
• SMS appointment reminders RCT
• Mapping father-inclusive practice

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Emerging Issues in Harm Reduction with Young
People

• Primary health referral pathways and harm
  minimisation for amphetamine users
• Reducing health-related harms to young people
  from DIY body piercing
• Hep C prevention among CALD young women who
  inject stimulants
• Hep C resilience and protective factors for young
  people who inject

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Research, Policy and Advocacy

• Centre for Advancement of Adolescent Health
  www.caah.chw.edu.au
• NSW Association for Adolescent Health
  www.naah.org.au
• Youth Action and Policy Association of NSW
  www.yapa.org.au
• Australian Clearinghouse for Youth Studies
  www.acys.info

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Innovation in Youth Sexual Health and Harm
Reduction

• Health education resources Youth Accommodation
  Association www.yaa.com.au/hot
• Action research Twenty10 GLBTQ Youth Support
  www.twenty10.org.au
• New media www.whytest.org, www.somazone.com.au
  and www.sextxt.org.au
• Peer support www.redcross.org.au/SAM

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Questions? Ideas?

• Youthblock Health Resource Service 142 Carillon
  AveCamperdown NSW 2050
• Ph 61 2 9516 2233
• Fax [phone]
• Email sam.stott_at_email.cs.nsw.gov.au