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Glossary

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A

Action plan: An action plan (generally a document) includes all the details necessary to put something in place. Action plans include: objectives, responsibilities, schedules, the allocation of resources, and expected outcomes.
Active participation: In this context, active participation means young people becoming actively involved in proposing, discussing and defining the policies that the government makes.
Advocate: To support or recommend.
Agenda: A list of matters to be discussed.
Australian Electoral Commission: The Australian Electoral Commission maintains the Commonwealth Electoral Roll and conducts federal elections and referendums. Previously known as the Australian Electoral Office.

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B

Best practice: An activity or procedure that has proven to be the best way of doing something.
Board: A board is a group of people who oversee an organisation, advise management, and set the policies for that organisation. Also known as a Board of Directors.
Breaking the Unemployment Cycle initiative: Breaking the Unemployment Cycle is a Queensland Government initiative aimed at providing better opportunities for employment through community employment programs and an increased number of apprenticeships and traineeships.

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C

Cabinet: A group of senior ministers in the government that are responsible for the development and implementation of policy (e.g. the Department of the Premier and Cabinet, Queensland)
Chat room: A place or page on the Web where people can 'chat' with each other by typing messages which are displayed on the screens of other people in the chat room.
Collaborative / Collaboration: A number of people and/or organisations working together towards a common goal.
Commission for Children and Young People: The Commission for Children and Young People promotes and protects the rights, interests and well-being of all children and young people in Queensland.
Committee: A number of people appointed as a group to perform some special function, generally to investigate, report on, or to act on some matter.
Commonwealth Government: The Commonwealth Government (or, Federal Government) debates, investigates and sets into place policies and law that affect the whole of Australia. Federal Parliament consists of the Senate (76 seats - 12 from each of the six states and two from each of the two mainland territories) and the House of Representatives (150 seats). See also: Member of Parliament, Minister.
Communication strategy: A plan detailing how information and issues are presented in order that people will understand and respond to them.
Community: A group of people living in a local area, or who have ethnic or cultural backgrounds and ideals in common.
Community Cabinet: Ministers, political advisers and the directors-general of government agencies travel to local areas to discuss issues of concern to the local communities. See also: Ministerial Regional Community Forums and Regional Parliament.
Community sector peak bodies: Non-government organisations whose membership consists of smaller organisations which have common or related interests.
Community youth sector: Young people in the community.
Consultation: A discussion between two or more people to consider a specific matter.
Consultation strategy: A plan detailing how a consultation will take place - who will be involved, what issues will be discussed etc.
Consultative mechanisms: The means by which a consultation will take place - meetings, discussion papers, calling for opinions, surveys etc.
Counselling: Providing direction, advice or support.
CREATE Foundation: The CREATE Foundation helps ensure that children and young people in care are afforded the same opportunities as all young Australians. See also: Foundation.
Cultural life: The values, beliefs, languages, arts and sciences, traditions, institutions and way of life of individuals or groups. See also: Economic life, Social life.

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D

Decision-makers: People who consider all facts and other information on a specific issue or question, and make a determination on what will happen next.
Decision-making avenues: The different ways by which an issue or question can be brought to the attention of the people or groups who will make a final decision.
Demand reduction: To reduce the need, or number of requests, for something. Compare to: Supply reduction.
Department of Child Safety: Formerly the Department of Families. The Department provides services to children and families where child abuse or neglect has been alleged or identified.
Department of Communities: Formerly the Department of Families. The Department provides services to build strong communities where all people feel safe, valued and empowered, wherever they live, whatever their circumstances.
Department of Employment and Training (Queensland): The Department of Employment and Training provides Queenslanders with services in employment, training, technical and further education, and youth affairs.
Department of Families ( Queensland): Now know as Department of Communities and the Department of Child Safety.
Department of Housing ( Queensland): The Department of Housing is helping to create a housing system that provides safe, secure, affordable and appropriate housing to as many Queenslanders as possible. See also: Young People's Housing Statement.
Department of Premier and Cabinet ( Queensland): The Department of the Premier and Cabinet supports the Premier in administering his legislative duties as well as managing policy and executive governance in Queensland. See also: Queensland Parliament.
Disability Services Queensland: Disability Services Queensland is the first disability focused department in Queensland. Central to ongoing reform of disability services, we represent a new way forward for people with a disability and their families.
Diversity: A wide range of differences. Young people come from extremely wide and varied backgrounds. Influences may include age, gender, culture, sexuality, economic status, and access to programs, services, training and employment.
Duke of Edinburgh's Award: The Duke of Edinburgh's Award is an international program that provides an opportunity for young people to build self-esteem, self-confidence, self-reliance, self-motivation, and respect for others through involvement in service, skill, recreation and expeditionary activities.

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E

Economic life: In this context, the financial resources available to provide and sustain a lifestyle. See also: Cultural life, Social life.
Economic security: In this context, having the financial resources available to ensure a comfortable style of living, both now and in the future.
Education and Training Reforms for the Future: Education and Training Reforms for the Future is a Queensland Government policy direction for the future of all stages of education (pre-school through to senior schooling), vocational education and training, and employment.
Education Queensland: Education Queensland is responsible for education in Queensland, including state and non-state schooling and higher education.
Engage / Engages / Engagement: To become involved. To bring together.
Engagement strategies: In this context, detailed plans for involving young people in discussions and decision making and how young people will be invited to take part, who will take part, how involvement will take place, what issues will be discussed etc.
Engagement tools: The means by which young people will be invited to become involved in meetings, television campaigns, newspaper articles/advertisements, website articles, surveys etc.
E-petition: A petition is a formal request signed by at least one person that asks Parliament to take (or not to take) some particular action. E-petition allows individuals to petition the Queensland Government online.
Equity: In this context: fairness, equal treatment.
Evaluation: To decide on the value or worth of something, generally judging against a set of pre-determined outcomes.

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F

Family Planning Queensland: Family Planning Queensland provides sexual and reproductive health services and offers clinical, education, information, training and research services from metropolitan and regional locations throughout the state.
Feedback: Giving opinions, criticisms, evaluations and suggestions about the work or ideas of others.
Foster care: A temporary arrangement where people other than the birth parents care for a child for a period of time.
Foundation: A non-profit organization with funds and a program managed by its own trustees and directors, established to further social, educational, religious or other charitable activities by making grants.
Funding: Money provided to carry out a project or program.
The way in which money for a project or program is provided (e.g. grant).

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G

Generate website: The Generate website provides information and connections between young people and government.
Get involved website: The Get involved website provides information on how to get involved in government decision-making.
Get on Board: An initiative run by the Office of Youth that aims to increase the number of young people aged 18 to 25 on government decision-making bodies such as boards and committees.
Grant: A type of financial assistance awarded for the conduct of research or another program as specified in an approved proposal.
Green paper: A preliminary report of proposals published in order to stimulate discussion and/or invite comment. Compare to: White Paper.

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H

Head of Government: In Queensland, the Premier; the principal administrator of the government. The heads of all Australian governments (the Premiers, Chief Ministers and Prime Minister) meet periodically in a Ministerial Council called the Council of Australian Governments (COAG).
Head of State: In Queensland, the governor; the constitutional head of the executive arm of government

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I

Immediate response protocol: A set of established policies and procedures to ensure an immediate response to a situation. See also: Protocol.
Implementation: Providing practical methods for accomplishing something, and then setting those methods into practice.
Inequity: In this context: unfair, unequal.
Information gathering: Collecting information on a particular subject or specific issue. See also: Qualitative research, Literature review.
Information gathering techniques: The ways in which information can be collected - research, meetings, interviews, requests for opinions, surveys, polls etc. See also: Qualitative research, Literature review.
Information strategy: A detailed plan for collecting information and for how that information will be used once it is collected.
Interdepartmental: Between departments. Generally, a collaboration or cooperation between different departments.
Intersectoral: Between different sectors. Generally, cooperation or collaboration between sectors (e.g. the youth sector and the aged sector) or organisations with interests in those sectors.
Issues: Questions, problems, points of disagreement and/or other topics that need to be discussed and solved. Issues can be matters of public interest and/or the concerns and ideas of communities and individuals.

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K

Key elements: The most important parts of something - the ideas, actions and general outcomes without which something will fail to achieve it's objective.
Key priorities: Where a list of priorities (important matters or actions) exists, 'key' priorities are the most important items in that list.

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L

Legislation: Laws enacted by state or federal government.
Literature review: A comprehensive survey of publications in a specific field of study or related to a particular line of research, usually in the form of a list of references or an in-depth review of the most important works.
Local government: The administrative functions of regional areas which are carried out by locally elected political bodies (e.g. city councils).

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M

Mechanisms: The technical aspects of doing something. The policies, procedures and tools used to accomplish something.
Media: The type of communication used to send a message or provide information - television, radio, newspaper, magazines, direct mail, the Internet etc.
Member of Parliament: A member of the House of Representatives elected to represent the people of a particular geographical area.
Minister: A person appointed to a high office in government, and who is usually in charge of a government department.
Model of participation: Usually presented as a document or chart, a model of participation includes the level of involvement and the recommended forms of participation for each role in a project, at each stage.
Model of practice: Usually presented as a document or chart, a model of practice details the practical steps to be taken to complete each part of a project, or to fulfil each role.
Monitoring: The collection and analysis of information on a regular basis in order to check performance compared with stated objectives, outcomes, models and work plans.
MP: See Member of Parliament.

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N

National Youth Week: A joint Australian, state, territory and local government initiative that focuses on young people and highlights the positive contributions young people make to society. See also Youthweek website.
Network: An interconnected system of things, people or organisations.
Non-government agency: A non-government agency is an agency in Australia that is not owned or controlled by the Commonwealth Government or by a State or Territory Government. This includes public hospitals run by religious institutions, private hospitals, church organisations, religious communities, registered charities, voluntary agencies, non-profit organisations, companies, and cooperative societies and associations.

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O

Office of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy: The Office of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy (OATSIP) plays a key role in providing leadership and coordinating activities across Government to ensure Indigenous Queenslanders are well represented and effectively served.
Office of Youth: The Office of Youth provides advice to government on youth affairs and helps young people become involved with the government and their communities .
Outcome: The ultimate, long-term, resulting effect of something.

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P

Peak body: Organisations whose membership consists of smaller organisations which have common or related interests.
Pilot / Pilot site: In this context, a preliminary test of a program, the outcome of which will help refine the program before it is implemented on a wider scale. A pilot site is the site (usually a physical or geographical location) at which the test will take place.
Policy: A general principle by which government, a company, or an organisation is guided in its management.
Policy analysis: An investigation or study of a policy.
Policy direction: The general aim for a policy, the general course along which it is to develop in order to achieve a specific goal.
Policy forums: Meetings (online or in person) for open discussion and questions concerning a policy.
Policy instrument: The means by which the intent of a policy is accomplished - legislation, policy document, program, service etc.
Programs: An undertaking which is focused on developing and/or maintaining a specific outcome. A system of projects and services intended to meet a public need.
Project: An activity or service that is set in place to meet a specific set of objectives, once those objectives have been accomplished, a project is complete. Compare to a program, which is an ongoing activity without a defined end.
Protective factors: In the context of substance abuse, characteristics or situations that may decrease the likelihood of problems - laws and behavioural expectations that support not using substances of abuse, access to housing and social services, access to employment and job training, youth involvement in community service etc.
Protocol: A code of conduct for specific situations and circumstances (e.g. safety protocol, immediate response protocol).
Public liability (insurance): A general term applied to forms of third party liability insurance with respect to both bodily injury and property damage liability. Public liability insurance protects the insured against suits brought by members of the public.

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Q

Qualitative research: Research that focuses on the experiences, interpretations, impressions or motivations of individuals, and that tries to describe how people view things and why. Qualitative research relates to beliefs, attitudes and changing behaviour, and concentrates on understanding the reasoning behind behavioural patterns.
Queensland Health: The Queensland Department of Health provides Queenslanders with health and health-related services.
Queensland Parliament: The Queensland Parliament consists of the Queen's representative (the Governor) and the Legislative Assembly. Queensland's system of government is a representative democracy, where the people elect Members to represent them in the Legislative Assembly. Queensland is divided into 89 electorates (or seats), each represented by a Member of the Legislative Assembly.
Queensland Youth Council: The Queensland Youth Council provides advice to the Minister for Youth on issues and activities of importance to young people in Queensland, and in relation to government policies, legislation, services, partnerships and programs that impact on young people.
Queensland Youth Charter: The Queensland Youth Charter outlines the basic principles required to ensure that the views of young people are included in government decision-making processes.

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R

Reforms: In government, changes that correct errors or injustices in order to bring about social or political improvement.
Regional Parliament: Regional Parliament is a commitment by the State Government to hold Parliament once every term (three years) in a regional centre, to make the democratic process more accessible to all Queenslanders. See also: Community Cabinet, Ministerial Regional Community Forums.
Resilience factors: Anything that contributes to a quick recovery from a hardship or misfortune.

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S

Safe place initiative: The Safe Place initiative provides shelter, referrals and counselling programs for substance abusers and those at risk of substance abuse.
Schoolies Week: Schoolies Week is actually a month-long graduation festival celebrated by Year 12 school leavers from all around Australia. It takes place after the Year 12 Leaving Certificate between mid-November and mid-December.
Services: The provision of work or professional activities that are helpful to others.
Social justice: A system that creates a fair, honest and equal society.
Social life: Enjoying life in communities or organised groups, marked by the friendly companionship of others. See also: Cultural life, Economic life.
Social policy: A policy that deals with social issues of concern to the country or community.
Social setting: A place in which social events take place.
Solution-focused: Any policy, procedure, system, idea or ideal that focuses on finding a solution to a problem rather than simply investigating the cause.
Stakeholders: Any person who has an interest in a particular subject or action. In the case of providing government programs and services that meet the needs of young people, stakeholders can include young people, organisations, individuals, and government departments.
Statistical analysis: The use of mathematical probability to draw inferences, rather than on a basis of direct observation.
Strategy: A plan or method employed in order to achieve a goal or objective.
A long-term plan, a vision for the future.
Supply reduction: A reduced ability for people to be able to purchase a particular product or service. Compare to: Demand reduction.
Support: Financial assistance. Moral, physical or psychological assistance.

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T

TAFE: A publicly-funded post-secondary organisation that provides a range of technical and vocational education and training courses. Each State and Territory has its own TAFE system.
An institution offering TAFE courses; a college.
Trial site: See, Pilot site.

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V

Vocational education and training: Post-compulsory education and training that provides people with occupational or work-related knowledge and skills.
Volatile substance misuse: The deliberate self-administration by inhalation of solvents in order to achieve intoxication, regardless of health/psychological effects or the possibility of death.

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W

Wageline: Wageline provides information on industrial relations matters relating to Queensland state and federal awards and agreements, general employment conditions, public holidays, trading hours and other legislative provisions.
White Paper: A publication that states a position on a social, political, or other subject, often including a high-level explanation of an architecture or framework of a solution. A White Paper often explains the results or conclusions of research. Compare to: Green Paper.
'Whole of life': Situations and circumstances that have far reaching effects, affecting all aspects of life or lifestyle. See also: Cultural life, Economic life, Social life.

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Y

Young People's Housing Statement: The Young People's Housing Statement [PDF 20K] outlines the key issues in respect of housing for young people, including the growing need for secure, affordable and appropriate housing options for young Queenslanders.
Youth Achievement Plans: Youth Achievement Plans set local targets for participation, retention and attainment in education, training or employment programs.
Youth Engagement grants: Youth Engagement Grants are made available by the Office for Youth for projects which involve young people in government and community decision-making.
Youth justice continuum: A theoretical tool used in the youth justice field that identifies a spectrum, starting at 'young people with significant need' through to 'young people at risk of disengaging from family, school, community, etc'.
Youth Week website: National Youth Week is Australia's celebration of young people.

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