Christchurch Youth Health Centre GP Dr Sue Bagshaw has set up a new venture, aimed at researching and tackling developmental and health-related issues of young people. Studies have shown lately that there is cause for significant concern relating to an increase in STDs and mental health problems among youth. This project, called Collaborative, aims to address these issues, targeting young people specifically, in the hope that not only will youth health and developmental issues improve, but so will the rate of youth offending. Principal Youth Court Judge Andrew Beecroft, patron of the project, says “Often, underlying causes of youth offending are health-related.” Research may also help in deciding when young people should be considered individually responsible for their actions. In light of the recent statistics regarding youth STDs, mental and other health-related problems, youth health workers have realised they need to better understand the causes of these issues to provide an effective service, a spokesperson said. "We have these huge arguments about boy racers and sex and drugs but nobody actually links it all together."
Credit: GayNZ.com News Staff
First published: Tuesday, 6th September 2005 - 12:00pm