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Panyappi Indigenous Youth Mentoring Program Evaluation

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Beginning the Story…<br />

<strong>Panyappi</strong> <strong>Indigenous</strong> <strong>Youth</strong> <strong>Mentoring</strong> <strong>Program</strong> <strong>Evaluation</strong><br />

<strong>Panyappi</strong> provides intensive support services to a small number of <strong>Indigenous</strong> young<br />

people and families. It is possible that those participating in the evaluation could be<br />

recognised if their actual stories were used, so only short non-identifying quotes are<br />

used in “The stories” section of the report.<br />

To protect their privacy, and given their willingness and generosity of time in<br />

participating, the following ‘story’ has been constructed out of the many different<br />

stories. It provides a description of the journey of many young people involved with<br />

<strong>Panyappi</strong>, although not all elements of the story are the same for all the young people.<br />

Susie is 13 years old and lives at home with both parents and two younger<br />

siblings. She plays a significant role in her family by caring for her younger<br />

siblings, including when her mother is less able to do this because of family<br />

violence. She also cares for her mother at these times. Susie’s father has<br />

regular work, but is a frequent user of yarndi, which is having negative effects<br />

on the whole family.<br />

In recent months Susie has started to spend more time away from home, often<br />

at night. She has been hanging out with a couple of new friends who are visiting<br />

the inner city and experimenting with yarndi. Susie is starting to get drawn into<br />

this other lifestyle. It is both exciting, but also an escape from the troubles at<br />

home and the heavy sense of responsibility she feels.<br />

Although it is common for young women to want to spend more time with their<br />

friends at this age, being with this group of friends means Susie is being<br />

exposed to and encouraged to use yarndi and alcohol. Doing this also exposes<br />

Susie to other risks on the streets, such as approaches by older men and<br />

invitations to go riding in cars. She still goes to school but is becoming more<br />

irregular. This is partly because of the times she cares for her mother and<br />

siblings as the family violence has been worse lately, but also the pull of the new<br />

friendships, which is timeout for her.<br />

Most of Susie’s other family members now live 2-3 hours away in the country, so<br />

connections with people who would offer her support have been interrupted.<br />

Susie was particularly close to her Auntie Lily on her mother’s side, but she has<br />

had to move to be near her grandchildren. Susie has found herself caught<br />

between two worlds, with limited support to help her look after herself. She<br />

often feels lonely, sad and is not sure what to do.<br />

Susie comes to <strong>Panyappi</strong>’s attention in two ways. The school has involved the<br />

regional Attendance Officer, but she is having difficulty getting past the door<br />

at home. By getting these phone calls and home visits her mother now knows<br />

Susie is not going to school consistently and this has created more arguments<br />

between them. Her mother is also unhappy that Susie is not caring for her<br />

younger siblings (aged 5 and 3) when asked. Susie’s mother approached the<br />

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