The YEP Crew took a trip down to Mandurah where we did our Creating Safe Spaces workshop for the youth sector. Jordina, Shaina, Matt and I framed the workshop around the YEP Youth Sector Guidelines poster. This is the second workshop we have had based off these guidelines. We changed it up a bit and had activities surrounding each point.
It was the first Creating Safe Spaces workshop I helped facilitate, aside from our filmed format. I had a great time on our mini road trip to and from Mandurah, but even more enjoyable was the four-hour workshop itself.
The crew did an amazing job talking with the youth workers and responding to queries anyone had. It’s also my first time doing a YEP workshop for youth sector workers. Admittedly, I was a bit nervous but everyone was friendly and made some crucial points in activities like our priority diamonds.
One of our aims was to highlight that what a youth worker thinks is most important about working in the space of SHBBVs, doesn’t necessarily reflect what a young person’s needs are. To tackle that, we established that the best way to know what a young person needs, is to ask them! Another message was that every young person has a different level of understanding in SHBBVs and that it’s important to discuss with empathy.
We acted out some scenarios on why young people might come to a youth worker for help and established that while we don’t always have the answers, it’s best to support them on their journey to getting the assistance they need. Within the session, we highlighted what youth workers can do to create a safe space, but also ensuring that young people know their rights as well. For that, we encouraged using the YEP youth poster in their environment, to serve as a reminder of what a young person can expect and request in that space.
Finally, thank you to the City of Mandurah for giving us the opportunity to come down and work with the youth services.
To check out the YEP Resources and other Training, including the YEP Youth Sector Guidelines, you can click here 🙂