Our Approach
MYSA’s services are underpinned by five key principles: (1) youth and community development; (2) participation; (3) access and equity; (4) diversity; and (5) partnership, as follows:
Youth and community development
MYSA’s programs are informed by a youth and community development approach which recognises the right of the client to participate in decision-making that affects their lives.
Participation
MYSA engages young people in an ongoing consultative process and encourages their participation in all aspects of service delivery including design, development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. MYSA also consults with other stakeholders including community leaders and representatives as well as multicultural and mainstream service organisations. This avoids duplication of services and encourages the pooling of knowledge, skills and resources.
Access and equity
MYSA is actively involved in a range of activities designed to improve access and equity in service provision to clients. In addition to ensuring clients are actively involved in service planning and have a choice in the type and nature of services provided, MYSA works with the broader government and non-government sectors to ensure access and equity principles underpin service delivery. Examples include: (1) providing information, advice, support, resources and training to the mainstream services sector to enable agencies to become more culturally inclusive and responsive; (2) advocating at the state and national level for access and equity principles to be built into current national, state and local government service delivery contracts; (3) advocating at the state and national level for an across-government access and equity policy to be developed for young people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, with a particular focus on those from new and emerging refugee communities; (4) participating in national and state policy networks to ensure that refugee youth perspectives are included in policy and program directions and decisions.
Diversity
Young refugees comprise numerous heterogeneous subgroups. Needs and issues vary between and within groups according to cultural and religious background, English language proficiency, level of acculturation, and various socioeconomic and demographic factors such as age and gender. By necessity, MYSA’s services are therefore flexible, responsive, and sensitive to diversity. MYSA also works with a wide range of mainstream service providers to ensure their services, programs and projects are sensitive to diversity.
Partnership
MYSA’s commitment to service excellence and in leading best practice is based on its demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective inter-sectoral and inter-agency partnerships and relationships with a wide range of government and non-government service providers, schools, community groups, and private business sector organisations. With respect to service provision, MYSA has established numerous partnerships with a broad range of government and non-government agencies in relevant service sectors to ensure young refugees experience a service system that works together.
Young people are at the core of our service ethos best described below:
