Children, Youth and Families

Empowering Futures

In 2023 council commenced work on a new initiative to engage deeply with youth in our community, and to formulate a Youth Strategy that will guide our work, and achieve outcomes for youth.

Key projects that have come out of this work have included the successful Derwent Valley Youth Summit in June 2023, ongoing collaborative efforts throughout the last 12-months, transitioning youth agency funding to The Link Youth Health Service, and implementing a Safeguarding Children Policy (November 2023). The empowering futures initiative has also seen the establishment of an inter-agency networking partnership —Collaboration for Youth, master planning for a youth park at Ellis Dean Reserve, and the development of a comprehensive Youth Policy and Strategy (June 2024).

These interconnected efforts foster a youth-centric community in the Derwent Valley, promoting long-term positive outcomes, innovation, and excellence in service delivery.

Our Commitment to Youth

Our Youth policy adopted in June 2024 outlines our commitment to young people.

We recognises that young people are vital to our community, and their contribution is critical to creating a vibrant, viable and progressive community in the short medium and long term.
Young people are the community's future and we are committed to ensuring that processes, structures, and opportunities are developed to enable young people to fully participate in our community.
We are committed to consulting and engaging with young people on decisions that directly affect them and ensuring that young people's wellbeing is at the center of all decision making.
We will collaborate with service provider, youth supporting organisations and other levels of government to ensure young people in the Derwent Valley have every opportunity to thrive.

Youth Strategy

Our Youth Strategy 2024 - 2027 guides our work with young people. It consists of actions grouped under the following key themes identified by young people:

pathways to support education and employment
opportunities to increase personal wellbeing
increase personal and community safety
ensure a voice through engagement and empowerment
leadership opportunities , both personal, as well as civic duty and creating pride.

To make this happen, Council has a key role in advocacy and partnerships, coordination, collaboration, facilitation and networking.

Safeguarding Children and Young People

Derwent Valley Council is a Child Safe Organisation and has a zero tolerance for child abuse and harm.
Learn more about our child safety policies and our Child Safe Statement of Commitment.

Derwent Valley Collaboration For Youth

Derwent Valley Council is part of the Derwent Valley Collaboration For Youth. This is a partnership between Council, The Link Youth Health Service, Kids in the Valley, You Church Tasmania, and New Norfolk High School.

The objectives of the collaboration are:

To work towards the establishment of a youth support service in the Derwent Valley that provides support to young people regarding their wellbeing, education and safety.
To promote opportunities for community participation, learning and leadership amongst young people in the Derwent Valley.
To ensure that young people and families are involved in decisions affecting them, including the development, delivery, and evaluation of services.
To advocate for the concerns of young people in our community by leveraging our collective voice.

Youth Summit

In June 2023, we partnered with Communities for Children to organise a Youth Summit. The summit brought together Derwent Valley youth, service providers, and community leaders working in the sector to listen to young people and gain a better understanding of their issues and concerns.

The outcomes from the summit were used to inform the Council’s new Strategic Plan, and a new Youth Policy and Strategy. This is the latest example of how the Council engages with partners and stakeholders across a range of social and community programs.

You can read the Youth Summit outcomes report, see the projects the group came up with, and view a one-page snapshot of the plan for continuing engagement with this important user group.

Click on the cover of each of the documents below to read

Other opportunities and services available for youth in the Derwent Valley

COMMUNITIES FOR CHILDREN

Communities for Children South East Tasmania deliver programs and activities in the areas of:

Southern Midlands
Central Highlands
Brighton
Derwent Valley

Communities for Children deliver programs and activities for families with Children in the 0-12 year age group that address the priority areas of Safety, Resilience and Aspirations and the Communities for Children Facilitating Partner objectives of:

To improve the health and well-being of families and the development of young children, from before birth through to age 12 years, paying special attention to:
1. Healthy young families — supporting parents to care for their children before and after birth and throughout the early years;
2. Supporting families and parents — support for parents to provide children with secure attachment, consistent discipline and quality environments that are stable, positive, stimulating, safe and secure;
3. Early learning — provide access to high quality early learning opportunities in the years before school; provide early identification and support for children at risk of developmental and behavioural problems; assist parents with ways they can stimulate and promote child development and learning from birth; and
4. School transition and engagement - support children and families to make a smooth transition to school and work with local schools to assist children and families with their ongoing engagement with school.
To create strong child-friendly communities that understand the importance of children and apply this capacity to maximise the health, well-being and early development of young children at the local level.

https://www.facebook.com/CfCSouthEastTasmania/

https://www.salvationarmy.org.au/tasmaniac4c/

KIDS IN THE VALLEY

Creating space for kids & teens to thrive in the Derwent Valley, Tasmania.

Kids in the Valley provide programs and activities for young people 6-18 years and their families. They focus on social education, health, and well-being opportunities to build capacity, connections, and resilience.

Kids in the valley are funded by Communities for Children, with all programs free for participants. Programs offered include:

In school Support
School holiday activities
Out of school programs
Film Challenge
Family fun day
Parenting programs.

https://kidsinthevalley.com.au/

Derwent Valley Youth Future Action Team (D'FAT)

Derwent Valley Youth Future Action Team (D’FAT) is a youth led not-for-profit organisation that exists to empower young people to become respected and engaged members of the Derwent Valley community.

D’FAT meets fortnightly on Thursday 7.00 PM at The Derwent Valley Community House, 56 Blair Street, New Norfolk.

D’FAT was formed in 2002* and membership is open to young people (12 – 25 years) in the Derwent Valley Local Government Area (Granton – Maydena).

*D’FAT was the youth advisory group for Derwent Valley Council from 2002 until 2021 (Special Committee of Council from 2004 until 2021).

D’FAT aims to:

Advise organisations and individuals on youth issues and concerns
Develop activities and projects for young people

The objectives of D’FAT are:

To increase awareness of and address youth issues and concerns
To provide opportunities for community involvement
To facilitate and promote consultation between young people and community groups and all levels of government
To represent the views of young people
To develop young leaders
To promote a positive image of young people
To support and co-ordinate activities and projects for young people.

www.dfat.com.au/

Scouts Tasmania

New Norfolk Scouts is for boys and girls aged 5.5 to 16 years, and focuses on exploring the outdoors, discovery and learning interesting things! Joeys, Cubs, Scouts belong to a unit and begin to learn leadership and teamwork in small teams called patrols.

If you enjoy fun, games and learning new skills then you’ll love being a Joey, Cub, or Scout! You’ll get to go on camps with your unit, and you might attend a camp (like Cuboree) with hundreds of other scouts! As well as learning things like how to use a compass, you’ll go on bushwalks, bike trips, and have the chance to do things like sailing, canoeing, abseiling and sometimes even flying!

Your Joey, Cub, or Scout Leader will help you along the way and encourage you to take part. You’ll learn life-long skills, make friends and have fun! Scouts are keen to learn, belong, and have fun, so our activities are designed to stimulate their emotional and adventurous spirits.

You can find out more on their website or look for their Facebook page: