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WALGET OU TR E ACH
WALGE T T OUTREACH
ISSUE 4 • MARCH • 2008 YOUR FREE COPY
ur kids need good role replied, “Adults in this town have raised
O
the Virginia Tech in the USA - we later
models. The adult kids badly and therefore the kids don’t learnt that the shooter demonstrated
have a chance.” Another youth stated, that years of alienation and pain finally
community needs to step up “It’s the adults who are out of control erupted with a horrendous act of
to the plate for the sake of in this town, it is the adults who are murder.
our young. brawling in the pubs.” Another young There were years of signs that this
Youth Off The Streets receives over 300 man said, “In my community, physical young man was in trouble. One of his
calls per month about kids in trouble. I assault of young people is accepted as classmates wrote, “He didn’t reach out
consult and advise many communities the norm. Kids are belted black and blue to anyone. He never talked.
across Australia who are in serious for coming home half an hour late.”
We really just knew him as the question
trouble with their young people. To thrive, children need social mark kid”. His next door neighbour
It will be difficult for the readers of this communities that nurture their said, “He appeared like he had a broken
newsletter to understand that some physical, emotional, intellectual and heart”.
families are too dangerous to live in, spiritual needs.
We need to read the signs of our
because I know our supporters (like the According to psychologist, Urie troubled kids and give them support.
majority of people in this country) have Bronfenbrenner, the absolute minimum Pain based behaviour - before it
raised their children and grandchildren dosage of connection for each child becomes pain unleashed on others
with love and devotion. is at least one adult who is irrationally - should trigger a response that opens
However, over the past months we have crazy about him or her. Many children the floodgates of human kindness and
taken kids into care who are literally are deprived of even this slim diet of financial resources in order to restore.
being starved by their families and the human nurturance. Psychiatrist, Edward
Hallowell contends that most symptoms As I am writing this, I read that a ten
parents just don’t understand they are year old boy was removed to his
doing anything wrong. We have been in of troubled behaviour signal a deficiency
in human connections. grandmother. He had been living with
touch with young people under the age his mother, who is a stripper, and her
of 16 who are being exploited sexually When we received news about the 30 boyfriend, who is a convicted child
by adult males who are paying the girls people killed in a schoolyard shooting at pornography abuser.
sometimes with cigarettes and cans of
beer. We have had to rescue a young What hope do our kids have
woman from a household where her if they don’t have good role
stepfather was holding her as a sex models and environments that
slave. In one Sydney suburb we are are nurturing?
dealing with many teenage pregnancies Hurt people hurt people.
and these girls have no support
whatsoever. (Native American Proverb)
In a country town a young man
approached me and stated, “If you bring
up a dog badly, it will bite. If you raise it Father Chris Riley
with kindness it will not hurt anyone.” I CEO and Founder
asked him what his point was, and he Youth Off The Streets
Email: info@youthoffthestreets.com.au • www.youthoffthestreets.com.au
What is Ice?
here is some evidence that “ICE” is • increased alertness, confidence • malnutrition and rapid weight loss
T being used in your town. and libido, more energy, feelings of
increased strength, talkativeness,
due to reduced appetite
Parents, and everyone involved need to • chronic sleeping problems
know a bit about this terrible drug. restlessness, repeating simple
acts, and itching, picking and • reduced immunity and increased
“Ice” is the street name for crystal scratching susceptibility to infections due to
methamphetamine hydrochloride, which the person not sleeping or eating
is a powerful, synthetic stimulant drug. • tremors of the hands and fingers properly
Stimulant drugs speed up the messages • speeding up of bodily functions, • depression, anxiety, tension and
going to and from the brain. such as increased breathing rate, paranoia
Ice is more potent than other forms of body temperature, blood pressure,
a rapid and irregular heartbeat and • brain damage (there is some
amphetamines. It is more pure than evidence that amphetamines may
the powder form of methamphetamine excessive sweating
damage brain cells resulting in
(speed). • difficulty sleeping, reduced reduced memory function and
Ice often appears as large, transparent appetite, dilated pupils, dry other impairments in thinking)
and ‘sheet like’ crystals that may have a mouth, stomach cramps, nausea,
dizziness, blurred vision and severe • dental problems (from grinding
hint of pink, blue or green colour. Other teeth)
street names for Ice include: meth, headaches
crystal, crystal meth, shabu, batu, tina • abrupt shifts in thought and • smoking Ice can damage the lungs
and glass. speech, which can make someone • snorting Ice can damage the lining
using Ice difficult to understand of the nose
How it is used? • nervousness, panic attacks, • injecting Ice can lead to scarring,
anxiety, paranoia abscesses and vein damage.
Ice is known to be smoked, swallowed,
snorted, injected or inserted anally • irritability, aggression, hostility and Sharing injecting equipment
(‘shafting’). Some people smoke Ice ‘amphetamine psychosis’ including increases the risk of contracting
using a glass pipe, while others heat it hallucinations, paranoid delusions blood-borne viruses, such as
on aluminium foil and inhale the vapours and bizarre behaviour. Hepatitis B and C, and HIV.
(“chasing”). The variable purity of each batch of Ice
increases the risk of negative effects and
What are the effects of Ice? overdose.
Other effects and issues
The effects of any drug vary from person Due to some of the effects of Ice, some
to person, depending on the individual’s Coming down people may be more prone to practice
size, weight and health, how much unsafe sex. This increases the chances
and how the drug is taken, whether the As the effects of Ice wear off, a person
of contracting sexually transmitted
person is used to taking it and whether may experience a range of symptoms
infections and blood-borne viruses, such
other drugs are taken. Effects also such as tension, depression, radical
as Hep. B and C and HIV.
depend on the environment in which the mood swings, uncontrollable violence
drug is used – such as whether a person and exhaustion. As well as health problems, Ice can
is alone, with others or at a party. result in family, financial, legal, work,
school and other personal problems.
Long-term effects These problems can be made much
Immediate effects
Long time use of Ice can result in a worse because some people who
Soon after taking Ice, a person may number of health issues, including: use Ice can become irritable, hostile
experience a number of psychological and violent and/or experience other
• high blood pressure and increased
and physical effects including: psychological problems.
risk of heart related complications
• feelings of euphoria, excitement such as heart attack and heart It is also dangerous to drive a vehicle or
and well being failure operate machinery after using Ice.
On the ground...
The Youth Off The Streets Walgett Outreach first Christmas party was held at
the Walgett Swimming Pool on Thursday 20 December.
Below are some happy snaps from the day.
Approximately 260 members of the community attended, Santa paid a surprise visit and handed out presents ... one of
where they enjoyed a swim, BBQ, the PCYC van, and, the highlights of the day!
everyone received a “Care and Share It’s Only Fair” calendar Support from community members and service providers ensured
– an initiative of Barwon Cottage and Walgett Shire Youth the smooth running of the day and YOTS would like to thank
Development to highlight family violence issues. everyone who volunteered their time to help us out on the day.
Outreach Programs
There has been a significant amount provided information on healthy eating, Youth Health Forum
of rainfall in Walgett in the last month cooking, drugs and alcohol abuse, and – Getting Back on Track
and this has had a direct impact on our risk-taking behaviours. A big thank you
Outreach services. It rained on all but to Jess Lovell – Reconnect, and Walgett In March YOTS will be travel to Bourke
two of our planned outreach days, and Community College for supporting us in to participate in a Youth Health Forum
a fishing camp also had to be cancelled running this pilot program. - Getting Back on Track – a community
due to rain in January. focus on community health.
We continue to hold the Gingie The objectives of the forum include
program at the local swimming pool improving the capacity building for
on Monday afternoons and Namoi on professionals working with young
Tuesday afternoons. people; providing the best possible
support for young people and, providing
an opportunity for professionals to
meet, update knowledge, skills and
exchange information in the local
context.
This special Forum is proudly sponsored
by the Centre for Aboriginal Health, NSW
Health, and has been jointly organised
L Copetown Dam fishing trip: (above) Thomas,
Leon and Todd, Ricky (below).
by the Youth Health Forum Organising
L Gingie Outreach on Mondays
Committee, Youth Off The Streets, and
Greater Western Area Health Service.
We are looking at options for an
outreach activity for the town kids and
hope to have activities running shortly.
Local Office
86 Wee Waa Street, Walgett NSW
We would like to congratulate the
young people who attended the Phone: 0419 163 815 or
Healthy Lifestyle Pilot Program which 0409 719 428
completed in December. This Program walgettoutreach@youthofthestreets.com.au
YOTS Walgett Outreach would like to thank the following people and
businesses for their ongoing support:
• Jess Lovell from Reconnect • Mantons Butchers
• Walgett Memorial Swimming Pool • Ted and Helen Russell
• Walgett Family Violence Prevention & Legal Service • Gilbert Nolan
• The Dharriwaa Elders • Walgett Community College and the Walgett Community
The Our Place, Walgett Youth and Young Families Project is funded by the
Australian Government under the National
Homelessness Strategy.
FOR DONATIONS PLEASE CALL 1800 06 22 88 DURING BUSINESS HOURS.
PO Box 6025, Alexandria NSW 2015 • Tel (02) 8332 5000 • Fax (02) 8332 5050
Email: info@youthoffthestreets.com.au
www.youthoffthestreets.com.au
ABN 29 100 388 412
Registered as a tax deductible gift recipient.
Charitable Fundraising No. 12611
