19th April, 2016

MEDIA RELEASE

#saveYEAH

Vulnerable youth left at risk as Federal Government Defund Australia’s Only National

Youth led Sexual Health Organisation

Young people’s Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) rates are rising, condom use is declining, yet the Federal Government has confirmed they are defunding Youth Empowerment Against HIV/AIDS (YEAH) beyond June 30, 2016.

For over a decade YEAH has established itself as Australia’s only National youth led and youth focused sexual health promotion organisation. YEAH's core programs and activities advance the 8 key strategic components of the Federal Government's national STI strategy and have pioneeredyoung people’s participation and leadership in increasing access to quality, inclusive, age appropriate and youth friendly sexual health information.

When asked why the Government would choose to remove funding for the organisation, a Government spokesperson said, it has made a sufficient investment in youth STI prevention by allocating funds through a recent tender process for a new web based resource. YEAH already delivers an extensive range of existing web-based programs. In 2015 it reached more than 900,000 people through many innovative online channels.

YEAH CEO Alischa Ross said “With more than 75% of allSTIsoccurring amongst young people aged 15-29 and a quarter of sexually active high school students reporting they have experienced unwanted or coerced sex, surely our Federal Government should be investing in more than justweb based resources? Surely we need to be investing in a multi strategy approach including evidenced based practices of peereducation, workshops, public awareness events and condom and educational resource distribution to address such a big health burden affecting young people?”

“Built on 7 years of minimal Government investment, it is difficult to understand why the Government wouldsuddenly stop funding anationalnetwork of engaged youngpeople leading sexual health education amongst their peers only to fund the development of anew web based resource designed atengaging the same population that have just been told there is nofunding fortheir efforts to lead engagement with their peers?”

Yesterday YEAH formally invited the Federal Health Minister, Sussan Ley to meet with a group of YEAH’s young sexual health peer educators to discuss with them first-hand the impact of the work that they deliver in the hope of finding a solution to sustain the organisation’s unique programs and activities.

Representatives from relevant shadow Ministries are angered to learn that such valuable and evidenced based programs delivering real health benefits would be lost through such shortsighted Government decisions.

YEAH sexual health educator Tamsin Lewis said, “YEAH does so much good in the world and I am thankful everyday for the knowledge I have gained from the programs in order to better understand my own sexual health and help other young people understand theirs”.

YEAH’s Red Aware campaign has a current subscriber base of over 10,400, with upwards of 60 young people joining each week.

The national networks of young volunteers involved in the Agents of YEAH peer education program have already exceeded delivery of government funded KPIs for the 2016 financial year and the program continues to attract strong interest from young people wanting to join. YEAH engages with up to four times the number of people it receives funding to train.

“Funding YEAH is an investment in the future. We simply will not be establishing an improved sexual health and healthy relationship culture in Australia without Young people’s participation and leadership. Relying on a network of dedicated volunteers YEAH is the driving force supporting this leadership” says Ross.

Interviews available with youth representatives from The Agents of YEAH Program,

YEAH CEO, Alischa Ross and Chair Person, Leigh Hocking
All media enquiries: Karen Cochrane, 0467 855 533. Public Petition Campaign