Youth Centres run by Gosford City Council

(eg. Erina, Kariong and Kincumber Youth Centre’s).

Gosford City Council provides a recreational area for young people to “hang out” while providing support, advocacy and referral, whilst still offering a range of low/no cost recreational programming.

Gosford City Council Youth Services Team also recognises and practices the RYDON Youth Work Code of Ethics and tries to incorporate the values of this in the day-to-day dealings with young people attending Gosford City Council’s programs and activities.

Gosford City Council Youth Services Team acknowledges that the key values possessed by Youth Workers must include integrity, respect, empathy and optimism towards young people in all areas of their work focusing on the best interests of the young people and their needs.

Gosford City Council Youth Service will co-operate with other relevant organizations to provide a broader range of services for young people by ensuring access to resources and facilities to which they are entitled and encouraging them to make constructive life choices. Gosford City Council Youth Service will promote and present positive images of young people. All of the above will be done in a helpful, non-judgemental fashion, ensuring confidentiality, self-determination and respect for young people.

Gosford City Council also promotes healthy lifestyle choices to young people. This is achieved in our centres by offering the option of healthy snacks, providing sunscreen, encouraging the young people to participate in activities that increase self-esteem and discouraging the use of alcohol and drugs.

Gosford City Council Youth Services will always concentrate on offering support to young people through listening, hearing and helping in emotional, physical and practical ways based on dialogue with young people.

Gosford City Council Youth Services recognise the need to support youth services according to need. These include:

Partnerships – This involves Gosford City Council leasing their buildings to other youth services in order to allow young people in other areas to access the support they may need (eg. Wyoming Youth Centre, The Web and Parkside). Gosford City Council is also involved in partnerships with other services e.g. Art Start, Youth Week.

Aims:

• Provide recreational and educational activities and programs to meet the identified needs of local young people.
• Network and liaise with appropriate local agencies and schools to inform, support and encourage empowerment of young people and advocate on their behalf when appropriate in order to ensure the best possible outcome for young people.
• Provide an information and referral service to young people.
• Foster in youth a sense of responsibility for self and towards others as well as providing a sense of belonging and identity.
• Encourage the positive development of youth.
• ncorporate positive living skills and development into programming and Drop-in.
• Remain transparent, open and truthful in their interactions with young people.
• Ensure fairness and equity within all dealings with young people.
• Encourage young people’s involvement in the process of evaluating, planning and running drop-in and activities/programs.

All staff working for Gosford City Council Youth Services is to ensure that young people between the ages of 12-24 (inclusive) are their primary clients and therefore the primary focus of the youth workers.