Youth Violence and offending
Recurring media reports about “African gangs” and violent crimes committed by young Africans have stirred panic in parts of Australia – although these reports rarely mention the educational challenges, unemployment, and other factors that lead young people to these crimes. This unbalanced reporting affects all African-Australian people, and in particular those respectable and hardworking jobseekers who want to find work and build new relationships in their communities.
There are a number of initiatives, both from government and non-governmental organisations, that are seeking to address youth violence through carefully targeted and integrated post-detention, school retention, and employment programs. Afro Helplinefocuses on sustainable initiatives informed and driven by teachers, parents and other members of our African communities, as a means of facilitating long-term solutions to this issue.
We encourage individuals involved in developing such initiatives or who are aware of any projects in this space to contact usso that we can pass the information to those who can benefit from it. We also welcome offers of help from anyone who would like to volunteer in their area to tackle this issue, which has such negative consequences for all Africans.
List of African organisations working with young people
- Afro-Aus Care
- South Sudanese Community Association
- Youth Activating Youth
- African Australian Students organisation