Youth At Risk Program | Youth At Risk of Hep C Transmission

Youth workers have been identified as a group that could provide vital harm reduction information for young people at risk of injecting. However, many youth workers feel reluctant to raise the issue because of a lack of accurate and up to date knowledge on hepatitis c and other harm reduction services. Many are also unsure of how to raise the issue of injecting drug use with young people.

“Young injectors and young people at risk of injecting have low levels of knowledge not only about hepatitis C, but also the existence of and supports available at harm reduction services, including NSPs. They also do not see hepatitis C as relevant to them.” (Bryant et. Al. p1, 2012)
(Bryant et. Al. p1, 2012)

What Was The Youth At Risk Program?

The Youth at Risk training was a one-day workshop that aimed to increase the knowledge and confidence of youth workers about hepatitis C and other blood borne viruses so they can effectively engage with young people who may be exposed to injecting drug use.

What Did The Youth At Risk Training Include?

Understanding the A, B & C hepatitis viruses and their distinguishing differences including transmission, testing and treatment
Understanding the contexts for young people and hepatitis C including predictors for young people transitioning into injecting
Learning new engaging educational activities they can use to deliver health education to young people
Understanding harm reduction strategies, specifically needle and syringe programs and the benefits they provide to young people
Meeting their local Needle and Syringe Program (NSP) worker and getting a ‘show & tell’ experience with injecting equipment to familiarise themselves with it as well as learning about local NSP services and locations
Learning the impact of stigma and discrimination and how these create barriers for young people accessing support or approaching youth workers to discuss issues related to hepatitis C or injecting
Being part of interactive and dynamic discussions about what their service can do to support young people in this area using credible case scenarios as a launch pad.

Which Local Health Districts Were Involved With Youth At Risk?

Youth at Risk is a partnership project between Hepatitis NSW and, Far West, Nepean Blue Mountains, Sydney, South Eastern Sydney and Western Sydney Local Health Districts (LHDs). Workshops ran in these LHDs until June 2017.

Where And When Were The Youth At Risk Workshops?

18 October 2016, Shoalhaven Illawarra LHD
25 October 2016, Mission Australia, Sydney LHD
8 November 2016, St George Youth Services, South Easy Sydney LHD
9 November 2016, WAYS Youth Service, South East Sydney LHD
10 November 2016, Project Youth, South East Sydney LHD
23 November 2016, Oasis Youth Support Network/Wayside Chapel, South East Sydney LHD
1 December 2016, Flourish Australia, Western Sydney LHD
14 March 2017, Weave Youth and Community Services, South East Sydney LHD
15 March 2017, Oasis Youth Support Network/Wayside Chapel, South East Sydney LHD
20 March 2017, Project Youth, South East Sydney LHD
28 March 2017, Shoalhaven Illawarra LHD
4 May 2017, Cranebrook Community Health Centre, Nepean Blue Mountains LHD
10 May 2017, Headspace Parramatta, Western Sydney LHD
23 May 2017, Broken Hill, Far West & Western NSW LHD
25 May 2017, Dareton, Far West & Western NSW LHD
7 June 2017, Barnardos Belmore, Sydney LHD