27.11.2012 Views

Panyappi Indigenous Youth Mentoring Program Evaluation

Panyappi Indigenous Youth Mentoring Program Evaluation

Panyappi Indigenous Youth Mentoring Program Evaluation

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

Executive Summary<br />

What is <strong>Panyappi</strong>?<br />

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

<strong>Panyappi</strong> 1 is an <strong>Indigenous</strong> youth mentoring service for young people who experience<br />

multiple problems that lead them to frequent inner city or other suburban hangouts,<br />

placing them at risk of being a victim of crime or engaging in offending behaviour.<br />

<strong>Panyappi</strong> aims to:<br />

1. To intervene in pathways of offending behaviour and bring about a positive shift in<br />

each young person’s attitude toward offending and in their behaviour.<br />

2. To decrease each young participant’s contact with the juvenile justice system and/or<br />

agencies associated with this system.<br />

3. To promote self-discovery and self-determination by young people participating in<br />

the program their family and wider community.<br />

4. To work collaboratively with all agencies that have mutual responsibility for resolving<br />

the young person’s difficulties.<br />

Most of the young people with whom <strong>Panyappi</strong> works are disengaging or already<br />

disengaged from education, have a high rate of social-emotional issues, and often engage<br />

in substance misuse. At least half of these young people are involved with FAYS and/or<br />

the juvenile justice system. They are unlikely to engage with mainstream youth<br />

mentoring programs, particularly on a voluntary basis, or with other youth groups or<br />

youth support services. They require longer-term, consistent, regular and more intense<br />

support in order to build trust, foster their personal resilience, and assist them to gain<br />

stability, a positive personal identity and constructive direction for their lives.<br />

Although it began in July 2001, like many pilot initiatives tackling a difficult issue<br />

<strong>Panyappi</strong> experienced disruptions during its establishment. Initially this was due to<br />

disagreement about the program focus, location, auspicing arrangements, and an<br />

insufficient funding base. The funding issue led to staffing the program with trainees<br />

only as mentors, rather than more experienced workers, which proved inappropriate and<br />

drew the Coordinator’s time away from service development. After making progress by<br />

March 2002, there were two quick changes of Coordinator resulting in an extended<br />

break in service in 2002. The program was stabilised in February 2003 and since then<br />

has functioned more smoothly, strengthened collaborative work with other agencies/<br />

services, and provided consistent mentoring services for young people and families.<br />

Evaluating <strong>Panyappi</strong><br />

<strong>Panyappi</strong> was evaluated through a series of personal interviews and focus groups with all<br />

key stakeholders, including young people, family members, program staff, program<br />

collaborators, program funders and Advisory Group Members. <strong>Program</strong> statistics, client<br />

demographics and program documentation were also reviewed and analysed. This<br />

1 This is a Kaurna word meaning younger brother or sister. It is pronounced “bunyip + ee.”<br />

- 3 -

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!