Youth Ambassadors

Youth Ambassadors is headspace Bendigo's voice for the youth of Bendigo. They promote a positive image of mental health and young people. As a member of the Youth Ambassadors, it is expected that you reflect the values of headspace Bendigo and enhance the reputation of headspace Bendigo as a leading youth mental health foundation.

As a member, we hope to:

• Provide you with the opportunity to have input into the strategic direction of headspace Bendigo, as well as mental health services on a national level

• Provide a platfrom for your voice to be heard and acted upon. Such as, becoming a media spokesperson for headspace Bendigo

• Provide opportunities to develop a variety of skills, foster leadership, media, communication and advocacy skills

• Allow young people to direct mental health policy development

• Demonstrate good practice in the involvement of young people in the youth, welfare and health sector

• Participate and plan community events

• Create marketing, promotional material and create community awareness
  

headspace Bendigo understands that all members will have different commitments outside of Youth Ambassadors. However, we do require minimum level of participation. Members must attend a Youth Ambassador meeting once a month.

• If you are unable to  make it, you must let the community enagement worker know via email, Facebook group message or phone

• If no effort is made in contacting the community enagement worker, a review of your commitment may take place

• If you miss three meetings in a row without valid excuse (sickness, extended holiday, etc), it will be seen that your outside commitments are too great, and your position will be forfeited to allow another young person to participate.

• Members are required to attend and assist with events and projects scheduled throughout the year, arrangements can be made if members are unable to attend the scheduled event, as long as it has been discussed with the community enagement worker well in advance

• If you wish to opt out/resign, or take a break from the group, notification in writing (email or hard copy) to the community enagement worker is required

Youth Ambassadors are between the ages of 14-25. Once a member turns 26 years old and still wishes to be involved with Youth Ambassadors, they are required to roll their membership over into a volunteer contract.

I have read this information and I agree to abide by the Code of Conduct

Any complaint, unresolved problem or serious dispute that involves Youth Ambassadors is to be brought to the community engagement worker. If appropriate and with agreement of both parties, the matter may involve a mediation process. 

headspace Bendigo reserves the right to exclude any young person if headspace Bendigo believes that the young person has acted inappropriately. If such steps are taken, the members participation with headspace Bendigo and Youth Ambassadors will be reassessed and may mean a predetermined timeframe of exclusion from the group or immediate expulsion.

If at any time you feel you need to take a break, seek help or support then headspace Bendigo will respect this.

I have read this information and agree to abide by the Code of Conduct. 

MEDIA SPOKESPERSON

Young people are supported in becoming active community advocates for youth mental health. By being a spokesperson, you are given the opportunity to develop your public speaking as well as providing the opportunity to raise awareness of youth mental health. Young people may be involved in speaking at community events, public functions, at local schools or at mental health forums. We do not expect for you to be experienced in public speaking.

EVENT PLANNING

With the support of headspace Bendigo, Youth Ambassadors will have the opportunity to develop, plan and execute various projects. The projects that are undertaken are to be led by the Youth Ambassador members, in co-operation with the community enagagement worker, as well as the manager of headspace Bendigo.

To ensure events are youth friendly, we want to provide the opportunity for the members to take as much responsibility for the projects undertaken as possible. So the possibilities are endless.

WEBSITE, MARKETING, PROMOTION AND COMMUNITY AWARENESS

Youth Ambassador members will be involved in the creation and production of marketing material, and will also have a say on posts that the headspace Bendigo page will put up. These posts/material are subject to approval by the community engagement worker and headspace Bendigo manager. 

I have read this information and I agree to abide by the Code of Conduct.

You are responsible for your own wellbeing. Completing a wellbeing plan can help you figure out how you will support your own wellbeing during an event.

If you have any questions or would like help filling this out, contact your support person from your headspace centre.

We ask everyone to nominate two people as supports. These should be the people you feel most comfortable for us to contact in the unlikely event that additional support is needed at an event. We will always try to tell you, if possible, when and why we are contacting them.

Your support people can be a friend, family member or mental health worker. At least one of them must be contactable 24/7.

People are affected by different things and have different ways of looking after themselves. This plan aims to give us the best chance of supporting yout to look after yourself.

1. I hereby consent to Bendigo Community Health Services reproducing or using, re-using, publishing or republishing my image or likeness, including but not limited to photographic portraits, pictures, video or film of me in which I may appear in whole or part, composite or distorted in character or form, without restriction as to changes or transformations in conjunction with my own name, in full or part, or a fictitious name, or reproduction in colour or otherwise, in any and all media (including but not limited to print and electronic copy) now or hereafter known for illustration, art, promotion, advertising, trade, or any other purpose whatsoever.

2. I hereby give permission to Bendigo Community Health Services and any other party to use my full name and photographic likeness or any part thereof in all forms of media for advertising, trade and promotion.

3. I hereby relinquish any right that I may have to examine or approve the completed product or products, final advertising copy, printed matter or other promotional materials that may be used in conjunction with my name and image or the use (including commercial use) to which they may be applied.

4. I hereby affirm that I am over 18 years of age and have the right to contract in my own name.

5. I have read this document prior to signing and I fully understand and agree with its contents.

6. This release shall be binding upon me and my heirs, legal representatives and assigns.

headspace Youth Ambassadors will be added to a Facebook/Email/Text message group where they will have contact with the community engagement worker and other group members.

Facebook and email will be the central point of contact and all information regarding training and upcoming events. All other news will be all accessible via the Facebook group.

Joining the group:

After required paperwork and induction is completed, Youth Ambassadors will be sent a request to join the Facebook group. For members privacy, the group is classified as a 'secret group'. It is suggested you turn on notifications for the group.

Who monitors the group:

The facebook group has two administrators:

• Centre Manager

• Community Engagement  Worker
  

Posts will be monitored and approved by the administrators. 

1. The participants involved in any workshop or presentation will be asked to fill out a participation evaluation form at the end of each session.

2. The questions are based around their enjoyment, whether it was informative and well organised, etc.

3. It also provides the opportunity for the members to state what they enjoyed and what didn't work well at each session.

4. These are filled out anonymously and then will be passed onto the community enagagement worker and the headspace Bendigo manager

5. The manager will review each session with the community engagement worker and use the evaluation forms as feedback for improvements on how we conduct future sessions.

Individual process:

1. Once a member has expressed their interest, the community engagement worker will arrange a time to meet with the new member to discuss the group and go over the induction process.

2. The new member is asked to come early to the next meeting, and to bring paperwork that was given to them as a part of the induction pack. The community engagement worker will go over the previous meeting with them to help get them up to speed with the current agenda.

3. After three meetings the Youth Ambassadors will have a review, seeing how everything is going, whether there is something we could improve/something that they could improve on.

4. If a person is looking unwell or has missed three meetings without an explained reason (as stated in the Code of Conduct) a check in will occur by the group facilitator.

Group process:

1. There will be an agenda for each meeting, if anyone wishes to add to the agenda, they need to contact the community engagement worker prior to the meeting, otherwise they can add general business at the end of the meeting.

2. A person/s need to take the minutes that must be typed up before the next meeting and sent to the community engagement worker.

3. Each meeting will rotate the chair and scribe, so as to share the load of the meetings. A roster will be made up to be sure that it is shared equally.

4. Jobs are given at the end of each meeting for different individuals that can, and are to report back on Facebook and email or at the next meeting.

Purpose of meetings: 

At headspace Bendigo we believe that youth participation is the most important tool in the delivery of quality services for young people. The purpose the Youth Ambassador Group is to offer young people an opportunity to have an input in the strategic direction of both headspace Bendigo and headspace National.

Conflict of interest: (if applicable)

Members have a responsibility to declare any conflict between their professional interests and their role as member

Objectives of the Group:

• Provide young people with an opportunity to have their input into the strategic direction of headspace Bendigo and headspace National.

• Provide young people with an opportunity to develop their skills in conflict resolution, public speaking, leadership and build interpersonal skills.

• Youth Ambassadors will be given the opportunity to both support headspace staff at headspace events and assist headspace staff in developing and facilitating their own event.

Frequency of Meetings:

• Meetings will run once a fortnight on a Monday, starting at 5pm.

• Meeting length will vary in time, usually 1 - 1.5 hours.

1. Go to headspacelearning.org.au 

2. headspace network

3. Create new account

4. Enter your details

You will need to select the following options:

Employment type - Volunteer

Program - Centres

Position Title - Youth Ambassador

Primary Role - Youth Reference Group Member

Secondary Role - Not required

Profession/Disipline - Other

Therapeutic Intervention Skills - N/A

Once you've signed in, click on"Catalogue"then on"headspace "Catalogue"

We suggest searching 'Youth Representative' to find the following modules. 

• Introduction to your local Youth Reference Group

• Introduction to youth participation

• Caring for self for youth representatives

• Organise an event/project for youth representatives

• Craft your message for youth representatives

• Communicate your message for youth representatives

• Youth leadership for youth representatives

Feel free to do others that may be relevant to you/that may interest you.

You will receive an e-certificate once you have completed the modules. This certificate must be sent to the community engagement worker.