Who should read this?

This site is designed for community organisations that work with young people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Sharing the experiences of three peak youth organisations.

View Project Overview
* Photo courtesy of the Centre for Multicultural Youth
Between 2007 and 2010, the Scanlon Foundation funded three projects involving young people from culturally diverse backgrounds.

During the past three years, much was learnt by the service providers who delivered the projects and by the Scanlon Foundation. The projects have produced useful resources based on these learnings, which we are now sharing in the belief that the information might help:

During the past three years, much was learnt by the service providers who delivered the projects and by the Scanlon Foundation. The projects have produced useful resources based on these learnings, which we are now sharing in the belief that the information might help:

The Projects

The three Scanlon Foundation projects were auspiced by the Australian Multicultural Foundation

Voices of Young Australians: Uniting for Social Cohesion

Delivered by the Centre for Multicultural Youth, Victoria

This three-year project was based in the Cities of Hume and Whittlesea and in the Shire of Melton. These are local government areas on the northern fringes of Melbourne experiencing growth and demographic changes.

The project had three main objectives:

  • to help young people from diverse cultural and faith backgrounds to develop youth leadership skills through leadership training
  • to increase community acceptance of cultural diversity through dialogue and youth-led activities
  • to mentor future leaders in diverse communities.

Connections: Culturally Diverse Youth Development Project

Delivered by St George Youth Services Inc. NSW

This project was based in the St George and Sutherland regions in the inner west of Sydney. These regions have very diverse populations with a mix of established communities and new arrivals.

The project had three main objectives:

  • to help young people from culturally diverse backgrounds develop leadership skills through leadership training
  • to build awareness and acceptance of cultural identity through youth-led activities and the media
  • to enhance the social development of culturally diverse young people by improving knowledge, life skills and networking.

Under the Radar: Multicultural Youth Living on the Margins

Delivered by Multicultural Youth South Australia

This project, which was based in Adelaide, targeted young people at risk living in various parts of the city. All participants were young men from African backgrounds.

The project had three main objectives:

  • to deliver a series of targeted programs for at-risk young men from culturally diverse backgrounds
  • to undertake parallel research to identify the key issues affecting the lives and futures of at-risk young men from culturally diverse backgrounds
  • to develop a train-the-trainer toolkit to help other service providers to better meet the needs of the targeted group.
download project report
download project report
download project report download toolkit introduction

Report Youth Round Table

The aim of the Cultural Diversity and Social Cohesion Multicultural Youth Forum was to provide an opportunity for the three youth projects funded by the Scanlon Foundation to present the findings of their projects to date.

download project report
The DOs and DON'Ts of project design and management
Create realistic timelines that take into account the complex needs of the young people and of other stakeholders.