One-third of Aboriginal youths in Kalgoorlie-Boulder suffer high psychological distress and will not go to police for emergencies and many feel they face racism and fear walking or shopping in town, a report released today found.

The findings were revealed in the Federally funded report on the Guthoo — “we are one” — Youth Summit held in Kalgoorlie in October last year, after the death of 14-year-old Elijah Doughty.

It included a survey of 192 young Aboriginal people aged 11 to 17, accounting for 71 per cent of the estimated total young Aboriginal population in Kalgoorlie-Boulder.

Written by Koya Aboriginal Corporation, the report found despite experiencing concerning levels of psychological distress and being worried about antisocial behaviour in town, many young Aboriginal people were reluctant to use services in the region when they needed them.

Eighty-three per cent of young people surveyed said they would not attend Headspace if they had mental health problems and 33 per cent said they do not and would not go to the police if they needed urgent help.

While some of the feelings around living in Kalgoorlie-Boulder were positive — “It is OK, I got my family here and it makes me happy” — others reported a perceived lack of interesting activities and fears around being targets of racism. “Boring, same thing,” one wrote.

“Visit my family.

“Try to stay in school, they always kick me out.”

Another said: “Well I find Kalgoorlie to be a bit boring most of the times but I like to go shopping.

“But I find Kalgoorlie to be a bit racist because whenever I (go) in a store the shopkeepers always follow me.”

One young person said Aboriginal people were “treated differently sometimes by others and police officers or even shop keepers”.

Another said while Kalgoorlie was a good place, more opportunities for youth were needed.

The report found misinformation and negative stereotypes held by some members of the wider community had a “huge bearing” on the daily lives of a vulnerable Aboriginal community.

“An example is the harassment the Aboriginal youth are currently facing in Kalgoorlie-Boulder,” it said.

“In one case, a young female (aged 17) was walking at night by herself in Kalgoorlie. She was chased by a group of non-Aboriginal people who were yelling at her. The young lady said she ‘won’t go into town again by herself’. She was frightened by the experience and believes she was in danger and Kalgoorlie was not a safe place.”

In another example cited in the report, a 10-year-old boy was riding home on his expensive mountain bike when he was verbally abused by a non-Aboriginal woman driving a car, shouting at him and saying he had stolen the bike.

Koya Aboriginal Corporation recommended the establishment of the Guthoo Youth Movement, a central place in which Kalgoorlie’s Aboriginal young people could be employed in a range of positions to create, develop and strengthen their wellbeing in a variety of areas.

This would involve a World Indigenous Youth Gathering, to be held once every two years in the Goldfields with three days on country and three to four days in Kalgoorlie-Boulder.

“The purpose of WIYG is to provide a platform in which Aboriginal young people can voice their needs, aspirations and resolutions in an international setting,” the report said. “We expect participation in WIYG will reduce antisocial behaviours (such as violence and self-harming habits) among Aboriginal young people but will also be a beacon of inspiration, action and resolution.”

However, Koya stressed the importance of a whole of community approach if WIYG and GYM were to be successful.

“The campaign needs to address the negative stereotypes that currently exist,” it said.

Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion said there was a lot to be done and local people must be involved in leading and driving change.

“I feel optimistic that if we all work together we will be able to achieve a brighter a future for all Kalgoorlie youth,” he said.