The Victorian Code of Ethical Practice for youth workers: lessons in the development and implementat

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The Victorian Code of Ethical Practice for youth
workers lessons in the development and
implementation of a CodeInvolve 08 Conference
NZ.
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About YACVic

• YACVic is the peak body and leading policy
  advocate on young peoples issues in Victoria
• Funded by the Office for Youth, Department for
  Victorian Communities
• Membership based
• Policy and advocacy, sector development, project
  work
• EFT of core staff of 4.6

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About the Victorian youth services sector

• Diverse service sector, funded by different
  levels of Government, and other sources, offering
  a wide range of programs
• No youth services policy framework or service
  system as such need for investment in
  generalist support
• No Professional Association for Youth Workers

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Developing a code of ethics a first step.

• YACVic took a lead, with a working group
• Used existing codes as the basis
• Content from Koori policy workers network
• Focus groups, submission process, targeted
  consultations with service networks and young
  people, legal advice
• A voluntary Code
• A first step towards a professional association?

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Whats in the Victorian Code?

• A Code based on Human Rights
• A Code that respects diversity
• Youth Work Principles
• Youth workers will work towards enabling and
  ensuring
• the empowerment of all young people
• young peoples participation
• Social justice for young people
• The safety of young people
• Respect for young peoples human dignity and
  worth
• Young peoples connectedness to important people
  in their lives, such as family and community
• Positive health and wellbeing outcomes for young
  people
• The positive transitions and healthy development
  of young people

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Whats in the Victorian Code?

• Youth Work Practice Responsibilities
• To work ethically with young people, youth
  workers will adopt the following practice
  responsibilities
• Recognition of Indigenous Peoples
• Young People as the Primary Consideration
• Duty of Care
• Privacy and Confidentiality
• Boundaries
• Transparency, Honesty and Integrity
• Social Context
• Anti-Oppressive Practice Non-Discrimination,
  Equity and Self-Awareness
• Cooperation and Collaboration
• Knowledge, Skills and Self-Care

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What do youth workers tell us the benefits are
for them and for their services?

• Reflection tool
• Recruitment and induction tool
• Supervision tool
• Framework to guide everyday work
• Assist with advocating for, and explaining, the
  unique role of youth workers to other service
  providers, within their own agency/organisation,
  to government, to parents and young people
• Improve accountability in the sector to sign up
  to
• Ensure greater consistency in practice
• Improve worker safety
• Improve young peoples safety and experience of
  interaction with a service
• Consolidate and strengthen the sector

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What are we learning about implementation?

• Foreseeable Challenges
• Potential resistance to a new set of rules
• Ensuring management take it seriously whilst its
  voluntary
• Assisting Organisations/Service to understand how
  it may complement and fit with already existing
  policies and procedures
• Ensuring effective ongoing evaluation of the
  Codes implementation and relevance
• Confusion related to the diversity of skills and
  qualifications of youth workers

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Where to from here?

• Developing an implementation strategy in
  partnership through sector consultation
• Focus groups with young people
• Posters
• Additional resource how to implement this is
  your organisation
• Register
• Inclusion in tertiary studies and training
• Ongoing promotions and workshops
• Evaluation processes
• Review
• Towards a professional association?

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Acknowledgements

• The Youth Affairs Council of Victoria (YACVIC)
  gratefully acknowledge the Youth Affairs Council
  of Western Australia (YACWA) and the United
  Kingdom National Youth Agency (UKNYA) for their
  willingness to allow the use and reproduction of
  their respective codes of ethics/practice within
  this document.
• We also thank Tim Corney and Lauren Hoiles for
  their preparation of the first draft of the code.

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For more information

• Youth Affairs Council of Victoria Inc.
• T. 03 9267 3799
• E. info_at_yacvic.org.au
• W. www.yacvic.org.au