WA Youth Action Plan 2024-2027: Definitions

Throughout the Youth Action Plan, the Department of Communities uses the term ‘Aboriginal’ respectfully to refer to both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, as the preferred usage by Aboriginal people in WA.

Accessibility is about making sure that everyone, including people with different abilities or needs, can access and use things like buildings, technology, information, and services. It’s about creating an environment where everyone is included, feels valued and can contribute and join in.

Accountability means taking responsibility for your actions and decisions. It involves being reliable and trustworthy, doing what you say you will do, and being honest and transparent.

An Acknowledgement of Country is a way to show respect for Traditional Owners and the continuing connection of Aboriginal people to Country.

Amplifying means making something stronger, louder, or more noticeable. It’s about increasing the reach and influence of something to make it more powerful or effective.

Climate action means taking steps to deal with climate change and its impacts. This means making policies and plans to reduce things like pollution and greenhouse gases that make the planet hotter. It also means developing clean energy and making our communities better prepared for extreme weather hazards such as heatwave, bushfires, cyclones and floods.  It's not just about helping the environment, but also about making sure people, especially those who are most vulnerable, are safe and can live well, even when faced with challenges from climate change.

The amount of money needed to be able to live comfortably and buy things like food, housing, transport, and other basic needs. When the cost of living goes up, it means that things are getting more expensive, and more money is needed to afford the same things.

Diversity means that there are differences between people regarding a range of characteristics. This includes people having different backgrounds, cultures, beliefs, and abilities. It is important that we recognise and embrace diversity so that we can develop services that meet peoples’ different needs and foster greater inclusion in the community.  

Embracing means accepting and welcoming something or someone with open arms. It’s about showing love, respect, and appreciation; and being open minded, curious and inclusive.

Empowering means giving people the tools, support, and confidence they need to take control of their lives and make positive changes. Empowering others means helping them believe in themselves and their abilities; and giving them the resources and opportunities to reach their full potential. It’s about inspiring and enabling people to make a difference in their own lives and the world around them.

Etc. is a fancy way of saying ‘and so on’ or ‘and other similar things’. It’s used to say that there are more examples or items that could be listed, but they’re not necessary to mention because they’re similar to the ideas already stated.

Equity is about fairness and ensuring that everyone has what they need to succeed, regardless of their background or circumstances. It recognises that different people may need different levels of support to achieve the same result. This is different to equality where everyone is treated the same exact way, regardless of differences.

A goal is a target or destination that you want to reach. It’s something you can aim and work towards. Goals can be big or small, short-term or long-term. They give you direction and motivation to keep moving forward and achieve what you want in life.

To grow means to become bigger, stronger, or more important over time. Growth can happen physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually and it’s all about progressing and improving as time goes on.

Holistic means considering the whole picture or all aspects of something, rather than just focussing on one part. Holistic approaches recognise that everything is interconnected and that addressing multiple factors can lead to better overall outcomes.

Inclusion means making sure everyone feels welcome, respected, and valued no matter who they are. It’s about creating a sense of belonging and community where everyone feels like they matter.

Lesbian: used to describe a person who identifies as a girl or woman who is attracted to someone of the same identified gender.

Gay: an individual who identifies as a man and is attracted to other people who identify as men. The term ‘gay’ is also commonly used to described someone who is attracted to someone of the same identified gender (not necessarily of the male gender).

Bisexual: an attraction to someone of the same gender and other genders. Everyone’s experience is a little different, and bi doesn’t necessarily mean being attracted to only two genders.

Transgender: an umbrella term used to refer to people whose assigned sex at birth does not match their gender identity. Trans people may choose to live their lives with or without modifying their body, dress or legal status, and with or without medical treatment and surgery. Trans people may use a variety of terms to describe themselves including but not limited to: man, woman, trans woman, trans man, non-binary, agender, genderqueer, genderfluid, trans guy, trans masculine/masc, trans feminine/femme.

Queer: a common umbrella term used to mean anyone who is same gender attracted or gender diverse.

Intersex: people are born with different kinds of bodies. People who are intersex are born with natural variations in their body that differ from what we might expect to be ‘typically’ male/female. This can include (but is not limited to) variations in hormones, chromosomes and sexual organs.

Asexual: a sexual orientation that reflects little to no sexual attraction, either within or outside relationships. People who identify as asexual can still experience romantic attraction across the sexuality continuum. While asexual people do not experience sexual attraction, this does not necessarily imply a lack of libido or sex drive.

+: used to describe communities outside heteronormative and cisgender identities that fall under the queer umbrella.

Life skills help people to handle everyday tasks and challenges. They’re the things you do to take care of yourself and get through life smoothly like cooking, managing money, solving problems, communicating with people and knowing how to fill out forms. Life skills are the skills that make you feel confident and capable as they grow up and face new adventures.

Refers to the points in life where you go through big changes, for example, moving from primary school to high school, graduating high school, getting a first job, or moving out of the family home.

The Minister for Youth is a leader in government who is responsible for looking out for the interests of young people. Their job is to listen to young people’s needs and make sure they’re represented in government decisions.

The Minister for Youth is currently the Honourable Hannah Beazley MLA.  

Monitoring means keeping an eye on something to make sure it is working well or going according to plan. Monitoring involves paying attention to how things are progressing, identifying any problems or areas for improvement, and taking action when needed to keep things on course.

The Ministerial Youth Advisory Council is an advisory group of up to 12 young Western Australians, aged 15- 25 years, who draw upon their relevant knowledge, experience, and skills to provide advice to the Minister for Youth.

Navigate means to plan or find your way through something and finding the best path to get where you want to go.

Place-based approaches recognise that local people generally know what is best for their local area. It means considering the specific circumstances of a place and engaging the local people when making decisions that impact them.

The principles in the Youth Action Plan are the values or ideas that will guide how the actions throughout the Action Plan are implemented.

Social and Emotional Wellbeing is the foundation of physical and mental health, particularly for Aboriginal people and takes a holistic view of health that recognises connection to land, sea, culture and spirituality all influence wellbeing.

Strengths-based means focussing on what people are good at and what they can do well, rather than just looking at problems or weaknesses. It emphasises positivity and empowerment, encouraging individuals or groups to use their talents and abilities to overcome challenges and reach their goals.

Success means achieving your goals or accomplishing something you set out to do. Success might look different to different people – it might be passing a school test, getting your dream job, scoring a goal at soccer, or making a good choice in a hard situation. Whatever it is, success often involves hard work, determination and feeling proud of your achievement.

Thrive means to grow, flourish, and prosper in a healthy and positive way. Thriving isn’t just about surviving; it’s about living your best life and feeling fulfilled in different parts of your life.

‘Transition’ is like a bridge between two different things or stages. It’s the process of moving or changing from one thing to another. Transitions can happen at many parts of life and can be exciting, scary, or even challenging; but they’re always about change and moving forward.

Transparency means being open, honest, and clear about what is going on. Transparency can involve sharing information, decisions, and processes so that everyone involved can understand what is happening and why.

The use of ‘us’ or ‘we’ throughout this document generally refers to the WA Government.

Wellbeing refers to your physical, mental, emotional, and social health. To take care of your wellbeing includes things such as eating nutritious food, getting enough sleep, managing stress, being active, and investing in relationships. Wellbeing can also include the quality of someone’s life and their ability to contribute to the world with a sense of meaning and purpose.

People aged between 10-25 years old.