A WESTERN suburbs multicultural centre is reconnecting disengaged African youth with their communities.
The Centre for Multicultural Youth’s Young African Men’s Project (YAMP) aims to strengthen relationships between young African men, police and wider society.
YAMP project officer Girma Seid says the program teaches participants about life skills and drug and alcohol services in the area and is improving their dealings with police.
As reported by the Weekly, police last month released data showing Somali and Sudanese-born Victorians are five times more likely to commit offences than the broader population, while a 2010 Victoria University survey of Sudanese and Pacific Islander teenagers found they lacked trust and confidence in police.
Relations further deteriorated earlier this month when police ended the public screening of the funeral for Ethiopian prime minister Meles Zenawi, triggering an angry protest that brought city traffic to a standstill.
Mr Seid says his team ventures to areas with significant African populations, such as Footscray, Sunshine and Flemington, to connect with young men. “A lot of these boys don’t trust anybody and feel isolated . . . they don’t even know that there are support services for them.”
Earlier this month, the centre hosted a camp in Kinglake for more than 20 African young men from the west. Youth workers and Footscray police officers also attended. It was the third camp since 2009 and sought to ease tension between African youth and police.
Sudanese refugee Zac, 20, who didn’t want his surname published, said African youth faced many obstacles settling into life in Australia.
After coming to Australia 10 years ago and spending six months in English classes, Zac was enrolled into a mainstream school. He moved schools six times before being expelled in year 9.
Zac turned to alcohol and drugs, congregating with his friends in parks during school hours.
Camp leader Domenic Maitian, 24, is calling for more educational support for African refugees. “The more young people we are able to get engaged with programs like the Young African Men’s Project the more young Africans we will see becoming ambassadors for their country and reaching their full potential.” For more details on YAMP, visit cmy.net.au
