Y O U T H A F F A I R S C O U N C I L O F S O U T H A U S T R A L I A

The Generate production team would like to offer YOU the opportunity to speak out about issues affecting you within your local community.

We are looking for enthusiastic young members of YACSA to write articles on a regular (once a month) or ad-hoc basis.

Left are some members of the first Generate crew: Tim Hards (Generate lay-out), Lucas de Boer (Generate contributor), Tanya McCready (YACSA young member) & Jessie Lees (YACSA's Youth Participation Officer). All have moved on so new blood is required.

Here is the new Generate Induction Pack as a downloadable pdf (

64Kb). The various sections may be viewed online below.

Andrew McHugh, Member Communications Officer, email andrew@yacsa.com.au or phone 08 8226 3080.

What is Generate?
Generate is an ‘zine produced by YACSA’s young members and distributed to all YACSA members as part of YACSAround and is available on the YACSA website. All YACSA young members are encouraged to contribute their work, be it an article, review, art work, photograph, event details or letter to the editor.

What is the role and purpose of Generate?
Generate exists to represent the interests and issues of young people in South Australia. In their own words, young people are able to inform young members of opportunities arising within the sector, discuss issues affecting and of interest to young people, relevant grant and volunteer opportunities, and news specific to YACSA, including ways young members can be involved within the organisation. All young members have talents and skills - Generate exists to share their creations with people around the state.

Generate provides an opportunity for young people to talk about what’s interesting to young people and what’s happening in their lives. It provides valuable opportunity to inform other young people, the youth sector and YACSA about what is really going on for young people. Generate is a training ground for aspiring writers and artists and an opportunity to gain valuable work experience in a supportive environment.

Who can contribute to Generate?
Any YACSA members aged between 12 and 25 years old. Membership forms are available at www.yacsa.com.au and membership is free for any young person (between 12 and 25 years).

· An opportunity for young members to develop an online and hard copy ‘zine to promote YACSA to young people around SA, as well as nurture the existing young members of the organisation.

How do the views expressed in Generate fit with YACSA’s Policy Platform?
YACSA has defined positions on a range of relevant areas. All submissions should be consistent with the principle of YACSA’s Policy Platform to be found at www.yacsa.com.au.

In the case that an article contravenes this, YACSA reserves the right not to publish. YACSA may also make contact with the contributor to offer changes, constructive feedback, advice or training.

How do I get more information or apply?
To find out more phone YACSA on (08) 8226 3080 or email Andrew McHugh, Member Communications Officer, at andrew@yacsa.com.au.

Email or send your submissions with your contact details to Generate at YACSA either via email andrew@yacsa.com.au, by post to GPO Box 2117 Adelaide SA 5001, or by fax to (08) 8226 3081.

Will I receive training and support?
YACSA aims to provide training in the areas of interest and need identified by contributors e.g. editing, photography or how to run a vox-pop. Contributors are encouraged to discuss training opportunities, support and mentoring with the Member Communications Officer.

What is the role of contributors?
Any young member can contribute to Generate on a regular or ad-hoc basis. Generate welcomes new contributors at anytime. Young members are encouraged to contribute any work that they have created – including photographs, artwork, poems, horoscopes, cartoon strips, or creative writing. All submissions will be considered!!

What are the principles underpinning Generate?
Respect
You have the right to consideration and respect regardless of gender, sexual preference, race, religion, political belief, socio-economic status or disability. Contributions should be interesting and provocative but not offensive. No racism, sexism or homophobia will be tolerated.

Communication
All members should communicate politely, respectfully, and appropriately at all times. Any comments are to be constructive and clearly explained.

Participation
You will have the opportunity to and will be encouraged to have your interests represented. You can be involved in decisions being made about you.

Grievances
If you have a complaint, it will be taken seriously. You can contact or ask to see the Member Communications Officer or Executive Director.

Confidentiality
Your circumstances and all information disclosed to staff or peers are treated with the utmost confidentiality.

Basic Principles for all articles
§ Pick an issue, a problem, a question;

§ Conclude with an answer. Be original. The answer might seem to be that there is no answer and that more information is needed, but that is itself an answer! Use reference and links to sources of more information.

§ Did you stick to the Style Guidelines and the positions outlined in the Policy Platform?

§ Articles can be submitted at any time for inclusion in a future edition of Generate.

Each edition of Generate may include:
Please note that the following guidelines are designed to give you a hand if you’re stuck on what or how to contribute to Generate. All the guidelines are open to interpretation and ultimately aim to inspire creativity and consistency within Generate. We hope to make it as easy as possible for you to get your ideas across to fellow YACSA members.

Disclaimer
While the views presented by those who contribute to Generate are their own and are not necessarily those of the Youth Affairs Council of South Australia (YACSA), they are presented in the interest of open debate and discussion about the interests and issues of young people in South Australia and reflect our strong commitment to social justice and having an innovative and progressive voice.

Editorial
The editorial is the responsibility of the Production Team. The editorial aims to attract the reader’s interest and attention to the articles in the edition. It can also be used to express an opinion or reaction to timely news, event or an issue of concern. Most editorials have one (or more) of the following four purposes:

§ Entertain: The writer encourages or entertains the reader about an important issue.

Opinion/Topical/Current Affairs
Articles should be well constructed and based on evidence, experience or examples. The writer must be prepared to substantiate their claims. Opinion articles are to be clearly delineated as such.

The writer should research the topic and come up with a variety of information that can be used to build a compelling argument or convincing opinion article.

§ Quote the opinion of experts and other people who know a lot about the subject.

§ Offer examples and anecdotes from your own life or other people's experience.

§ Your article should conclude with a one-sentence description of who you are. For example “Ms Jennifer Duncan is the Executive Director of YACSA”.

§ Selecting: Choose an Issue ~ consult with YACSA, check out newspapers and magazines or think about what is relevant and interesting to you and your friends.

§ Collecting: Gathering Support ~ Gather as many details to convince others about your opinion. These details may include facts or evidence, written statements from sources or authorities in the subject (experts), comparisons to similar situations to support your argument, pictures or images that strengthen your argument, be able to counter argue your opponents on this issue.

§ Connecting: Remember to brainstorm before you write the first draft ~ Body should have clear and accurate details and examples. Give strong arguments in beginning of editorial and at the end. Show the opposing arguments and their weaknesses (paragraph 2). Offer a solution at the end. Do not be “wishy-washy.” Stick to your argument or opinion.

§ Correcting: Your article should be clear and forceful. Paragraphs should be brief and direct. Give examples and illustrations (quotes give strength). Be honest and accurate but avoid causing offence to others.

5. the last paragraph should restate your thesis statement and end on a positive note

Vox-Pop
Members are encouraged to develop questions and conduct a survey of young people. The interviewer should discuss their plan with YACSA and gain approval. We encourage interviewers to be accompanied by a friend, especially if they can take photographs!

Letter to the Editor
§ Pick a topic that you feel passionate about. Relate it to an issue very recently discussed in Generate. If you are referring to a previously published article, identify it by its title and the date it was published (Re: Young people and mobile phones, February Edition). This enables the editor to quickly check the original item to verify any references you have made to it (i.e. quotes, statistics, etc.).

§ Think of new ways to discuss the topic and present unique solutions to the problem. If you are responding to a writer's views (or any other opinion piece), don't launch a personal attack on the columnist -- question his/her views. Offer a different opinion. Try to advance the debate so that other readers might join in the discussion in subsequent letters.

§ Write clearly and concisely. Let your sense of humour and originality shine through.

Review of a book, magazine, journal, movie, CD or play.
Your review for Generate should to be approximately 150-200 words long, and should be targeted to other members of YACSA, including young people. The template below is a guide to what you may like to include in your review and how to structure it.

Introduce the subject, scope and type of book/ CD/ magazine/ journal
§ Identify the author/ artist and title

§ Include any background information that is relevant to readers (eg: identify the problem the book addresses or earlier work the author has done that may be relevant or interesting)

Briefly summarise the content
§ For a non-fiction book, article or journal provide an overview of the books main themes/ ideas

§ For a fiction book, briefly summarise the story line without giving important information away to readers

Provide your reactions to the book
§ Description- is the book interesting, memorable, useful, and to whom would it be most interesting?