What's the Answer? - Create

No preference• I don’t care if it’s specialised or not, all I care about is that its accessible, well promoted to youngpeople, and that it has the adequate funds and resources to do its job and provide the assistanceto young people.• Because of the diverse benefits and drawbacks to both options and the unique needs of youngpeople, the most effective system is to offer young people the option of attending both kinds ofservices.• Both are important.• Young people should be able to choose as long as they have all the information about what isavailable.Transitioning to Independence and/or Interdependence• The Government should be focussing equally on both ‘independence’ and ‘connecting tocommunity’ but that currently they are highly focused on the ‘independence’ strand at theexpense of connecting to community. Furthermore that there should be less focus on forcing youto ‘grow up’ and more of meeting the young person where they are at with the appropriatesupports and services.• Being independent is about having support from people that aren’t the Department. Gainingindependence is great but I know that I have been better off since I have had good friends andhave been involved in the community. As they say 'you alone can do it but you can do it alone'.• Both are important. Young people need to be connected with their family but it is even moreimportant to become independent to transition into adulthood, eg. work, rent, etc.• You cannot be a productive part of the community without being connected to it but a part ofbeing independent is knowing how to be part of a community.• The focus of independence and community establishment needs to be individualised, with bothbeing addressed throughout the young person’s development.• The word ‘independence’ can be interpreted as “not relying on anybody else” – this is in factdiscriminatory against children and young people in care. To describe any individual as‘independent’ is denying their right to access supports.• Community contact and support is very important to Indigenous young people.• The interaction between one’s self and their community is how a young person grows into acontributing adult. You need to be independent to have confidence to engage with yourcommunity.• Independence is a vital part of living in today’s society, it is crucial that young people in care aregiven the support to become adults in a world where your feet are the only ones that supportyou. I believe independence is an empowering and valuable part of the transition out of care. Itgives young people the power to live their lives in their own direction which has been deprived ofthem by departments who have made all the decisions for them for years. Independence is areality for everyone at some stage; you can’t live with friends or family forever.30