an ncylc e-bulletin

Issue #1: June 2003

VISIT TO A WESTERN SYDNEY YOUTH CENTRE

On 1 May 2003, Corinna and I paid a vist to a youth centre in Western Sydney. The idea of the session was to help the kids out legally. Other visitors to the centre included a Legal Aid solicitor. There were approximately twenty boys there. Most of them had been expelled or suspended from school and were in trouble legally. None actually told us specifically of the legal trouble they were in, but, one of the major issues raised was how police had harassed them for no reason. What could the kids do?

Whilst we were having lunch with the kids in front of the centre, police officers pulled up and requested them to move as the shopping centre was just across the road. The officers explained that the elderly people may get frightened when they see the kids hanging around. One youth complained that one particular police officer was always asking questions. However, the kids didn't seem too keen on making an official complaint. They seem intimidated by the police.

Other than that, we gave out NCYLC cards containing our number and also told the kids about the website and explained that the legal advice is free and the type of cases that we have at the moment. One particular worker asked questions that he thought would generally benefit the kids.

I also told them that we would keep in touch with the centre and pass on new posters and cards etc when we had an 1800 number.

Kristy Bagnall