Youth Justice System - Music Education

sMAG INVITED TO ATTEND OFFICIAL LAUNCH:
JUSTICE-INVOLVED YOUNG PEOPLE NETWORK

JULY, 2018.

sMAG submitted an opinion paper to a Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into Youth Justice Centres in Victoria (the inquiry) in early April, 2017. The premise of the sMAG submission was to highlight the benefits and potential of including Music Education in the schooling programs of young people while held in a youth criminal detention centre.

JYP Network The sMAG paper advocated the extent, benefits and potential of music education programs in Youth Justice Centres in Victoria, for example, aptitude for enhancement the security and safety of staff, employees and the young offenders; lessening of likelihood of reoffending, and interrelated implications of separating young people from their communities and cultures; provision of additional options for keeping young people out of youth justice centres; enhancement of culture and practices at centres, including the role of the Department of Health and Human Services in overseeing policies and programs in centres. Following the completion of the inquiry, a network was convened by  collaboration in the School of Social and Political Sciences (SPSS); and the  Melbourne Graduate School of Education (MGSE) in the University of Melbourne  to connect academics, practitioners, policy-makers, and young people and  their communities to engage in conversation aimed to bring about social  change and better outcomes for young people in Youth Justice Centres in Victoria. An inaugural public event of the Justice-involved Young People Network (JYP Network), a public conversation ‘Locking Up Our Kids: what do we  hope to achieve’ was held with a panel of experts early April 2018 at the University of Melbourne. A number of themes emerged: the need to acknowledge individual and systemic bias; the links between child protection and increased likelihood of criminalisation and youth justice involvement; how failings in the education system drive children and young people towards justice-involvement; the need to use custody as a last resort; that custodial settings – where necessary – can and must be truly therapeutic and rehabilitative to be effective; and that a socially just system of responding to young people’s problematic behaviours must be framed by principles of care, responsibility and relationship. sMAG was invited to attend the official launch of the JYP Network late July, 2018 that introduced themes to spark interest and discussion; and become the basis of ongoing conversations and activities.Liana Buchanan, Principal Commissioner for Children and Young People; justice advocate Peter Norden AO; and comedian Corey White were invited guests. Australia’s oldest culture and some of the newest Australians shared experiences in an event late October, 2018. sMAG representatives look forward to continued involvement in this important network in 2019. Dr. Helen Farrell University of Melbourne Victorian Election Music Education Charter The Change.org online petition, outlining a next stage 4 year strategy in Music Education was sent to the Hon. Mr. Merlino after the successful Andrews' government re-election.  See the petition - click here. Federal Election Music Education Charter As we move towards a Federal election, we have a change.org petition outlining key points any newly elected government can put in place to see Music Education move forward in Australia. The key asks: Make Music a compulsory subject for all Primary school students in Australia Provide Primary schools with a minimum time allocation per week to deliver Music, as it has with sport.  While sport provides extensive physical health benefits, Music provides extensive social and emotional benefits Instruct AITSL to deliver benchmarks for quality music education teacher service for ITE providers Develop ITE provider guidelines for excellence in Music education pre service training. Work at COAG to instruct STATE governments to deliver on whole of class, P – 6 Music Education delivery, according to the standards required in the Australian Curriculum Encourage State Education Ministers at COAG to deliver Music Education to all Justice system programs, special needs specific schools and any alternate education setting as appropriate. Encourage State Education Ministers at COAG to follow the example provided in Victoria where a strategic improvement plan has resulted in greater Music Education delivery, including maintaining salaried instrumental music teachers, the Quality Music Education Framework and the VCAA Music Education Guide:  https://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/teachingresources/discipline/arts/Pages/music.aspx We encourage everyone to sign and share the petition with their friends, family and colleagues.  There is power in numbers - please support the campaign. https://www.change.org/p/the-hon-daniel-tehan-mp-federal-election-music-education-charter  When the election is called, we will invite people to write to their local candidates. Don't Stop The Music - Holiday viewing The school break would be a great time to watch Don't Stop The Music if you have not yet had time: https://iview.abc.net.au/show/dont-stop-the-music/series/1/video/AC1620W001S00?fbclid=IwAR3Y_LSsWjApSoMruYxf5mXMcpu2ww3UPFOh9GfDa8STDX7NJpQb98I732w The South Australian government have published a $7M strategy to improve Music Education in that State following the airing of the show #DontStopTheMusicAU. Please get behind the national campaign to see Music made a compulsory subject. Countdown on the ABC, did an enormous amount for Music in Australia.  Molly Meldrum's bronze statue is outside The Corner Hotel in Richmond.  Get down to Richmond over January and take a selfie.  #DontStopTheMusicAU VIT PTT Following the VIT PTT guideline publication, the AEU continues to work with public schools, and individuals affected by the changes.  For those that attended the forum a few years ago, Marino D'Ortenzio is consulting around the processes.  Please place any queries to the AEU directly.