City LLEN News
Good Cycles Synergy Partnership
Recently we partnered with the Mission Australia Synergy program & Good Cycles to provide at-risk young people with an opportunity to learn more about this fantastic #socialenterprise, career pathways in the growing field of bicycle maintenance and gain practical skills like changing tyres!
Amaze Victoria – Teen Girls on the Spectrum
The City LLEN partnered with Amaze Victoria to provide parents and teachers with the opportunity of learning more skills and gaining greater knowledge to support teenage girls on the Autistic Spectrum (ASD). A great informative day was had with some excellent guest speakers, including:
- Dr Michael Carr-Gregg stepped the attendees through his process of diagnosing and supporting teenage girls who have been referred to him. He explained what the typical psychological stages of development were for a teenager and how to identify risk and protective factors that support healthy transitions from childhood to womanhood. It was very relevant to note that today, this process has been extended in the time it takes young people to traverse this phase of their life, 30 years ago this transition was typically around 7 years. With puberty more regularly starting as young as 10 years and full emotional maturity not being reached until early twenties, there is an extended period of vulnerability for young women.
- Dr Janine Manjiviona explained how many girls on the spectrum learn how to mask their communication issues as children but this becomes increasingly more difficult as they enter the teen years. This pressure and stress to camouflage their differences can lead to stress, anxiety and depression. Quite often Janine will be presented with a teenage girl who has already been diagnosed with depression but after careful consideration realises the underlying cause is the girls autism. Once the correct diagnosis is made, parents and teachers can adapt how they support the teenager and the teenager can learn about themselves – with great relief they are able to feel better about themselves and gain skills and insights to better support them to navigate school and life. The Dr then provided some great tips for parents and teachers to help them support students on the spectrum.
Community Council of Australia -
It takes a village campaign
We are proud to be a campaign partner with the Community Council of Australia's It takes a village campaign to encourage recognition of the role we all play in the education of our young people.
The campaign recognises the roles that we all play in kid's education, not just the assumed teachers and families in children's lives.
Ways to support local young people in their education include
- Asking how a school project is going
- Getting involved in homework programs
- Getting involved in mentoring programs
- Be an advocate for education in general
- Asking young people what they're interested in
- Helping young people to identify what they're good about and recognising their strengths
please join them at https://ittakesavillage.org.au/
See below the campaign video.