Responding to young people as if they really mattered: Reflections on the development and work of “The Haven” 1972–1981

This paper seeks to describe the development of one Brisbane based programme and its search for appropriate responses to the suffering of contemporary youth. Difficulties associated with drugs and alcohol form its major area of concern. A review of such a programme may be of interest to those who work with troubled youth. Wider interest might be established if some tentative links are established with those processes that have occurred during the past decade through which the sufferings of young people have gradually become more accepted as constituting a public and political issue. An important question emerges as to whether there are tangible signs in our community, beyond the relatively marginal responses of programmes such as “The Haven”, that alienated and troubled youth really matter.