Developing locally relevant outreach programs for same sex attracted youth in regional areas
Issue addressed: This paper reports on the process evaluation of the Same Sky project,1 which was aimed at developing regional community support programs for same sex attracted youth (SSAY) and their families in four regional sites in Western Australia. A multi-faceted approach modelled on successfu...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
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Australian Health Promotion Association
2007
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/21847 |
| _version_ | 1848750705066639360 |
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| author | Lobo, Roanna Brown, Graham Edwards, J. |
| author_facet | Lobo, Roanna Brown, Graham Edwards, J. |
| author_sort | Lobo, Roanna |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Issue addressed: This paper reports on the process evaluation of the Same Sky project,1 which was aimed at developing regional community support programs for same sex attracted youth (SSAY) and their families in four regional sites in Western Australia. A multi-faceted approach modelled on successful urban outreach programs was used to build professional capacity and develop peer-based support programs in the community. Methods: A triangulated mixed methods evaluation design was implemented to capture various outputs and outcomes of the intervention strategies. Data were collected via interviews and questionnaires and by assessing community readiness through community participation and involvement in the programs and through demand for printed resources.Results: There was increased community awareness of same sex attraction issues and professional capacity to help SSAY regionally following training and distribution of printed resources. Improved alliances between regional and metropolitan service providers were also evident. Not all of the planned peer support interventions could be implemented. Drop-in centres and peer support groups proved particularly problematic to establish. Basing the project officer in one of the rural sites was notable in improving project progress. Conclusions: Some aspects of the urban outreach models for SSAY were transportable to rural areas, others were not. Some specific problems identified were a lack of community readiness, a distrust of ‘outsiders’ to the community, significant differences between the needs of SSAY across regional demonstration sites, and difficulties in engaging locally based volunteers and agencies to develop and run rural outreach services. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T07:41:04Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-21847 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T07:41:04Z |
| publishDate | 2007 |
| publisher | Australian Health Promotion Association |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-218472017-01-30T12:27:50Z Developing locally relevant outreach programs for same sex attracted youth in regional areas Lobo, Roanna Brown, Graham Edwards, J. regional outreach same sex attracted youth rural Issue addressed: This paper reports on the process evaluation of the Same Sky project,1 which was aimed at developing regional community support programs for same sex attracted youth (SSAY) and their families in four regional sites in Western Australia. A multi-faceted approach modelled on successful urban outreach programs was used to build professional capacity and develop peer-based support programs in the community. Methods: A triangulated mixed methods evaluation design was implemented to capture various outputs and outcomes of the intervention strategies. Data were collected via interviews and questionnaires and by assessing community readiness through community participation and involvement in the programs and through demand for printed resources.Results: There was increased community awareness of same sex attraction issues and professional capacity to help SSAY regionally following training and distribution of printed resources. Improved alliances between regional and metropolitan service providers were also evident. Not all of the planned peer support interventions could be implemented. Drop-in centres and peer support groups proved particularly problematic to establish. Basing the project officer in one of the rural sites was notable in improving project progress. Conclusions: Some aspects of the urban outreach models for SSAY were transportable to rural areas, others were not. Some specific problems identified were a lack of community readiness, a distrust of ‘outsiders’ to the community, significant differences between the needs of SSAY across regional demonstration sites, and difficulties in engaging locally based volunteers and agencies to develop and run rural outreach services. 2007 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/21847 Australian Health Promotion Association restricted |
| spellingShingle | regional outreach same sex attracted youth rural Lobo, Roanna Brown, Graham Edwards, J. Developing locally relevant outreach programs for same sex attracted youth in regional areas |
| title | Developing locally relevant outreach programs for same sex attracted youth in regional areas |
| title_full | Developing locally relevant outreach programs for same sex attracted youth in regional areas |
| title_fullStr | Developing locally relevant outreach programs for same sex attracted youth in regional areas |
| title_full_unstemmed | Developing locally relevant outreach programs for same sex attracted youth in regional areas |
| title_short | Developing locally relevant outreach programs for same sex attracted youth in regional areas |
| title_sort | developing locally relevant outreach programs for same sex attracted youth in regional areas |
| topic | regional outreach same sex attracted youth rural |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/21847 |