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What is a Youth Justice Program?

How is the Youth Justice program funded?

Who is on Youth Justice Team?

How can I find out more about the
Youth Justice Program?

Q / Answers

 What is a Youth Justice Program?                      ▲

Youth Justice Program also aims to encourage greater community participation in providing support for young people. (eg. supporting Legal Graffiti Program).

Youth Justice Team ensures that children and young people receive the support they need to lead crime-free lives.

How is the Youth Justice program funded?        ▲

The purpose of the Youth Development/Justice funding is to improve young people's well-being by enhancing opportunities for their participation in the social, cultural and economic life of the community.

Who is on Youth Justice Team?                       ▲

Youth Justice Counsellor works two days per week and is involved in on-going individual client counselling.

Youth Justice Coordinator is involved in community development and works with other service providers on identifying issues and goals relevant to Youth Justice field and facilitates the development of collective resolutions or strategies.

What is the specific target group for this program?                                                                   ▲

Young people who have offended or are at risk of offending.

What happens once I make a referral to Youth Justice Program?                                                     ▲

This enables the Youth Justice Team to identify suitable programs to address the needs of the young person with the intention of preventing further  offending.

Identification of ‘risk’ and ‘protective’ factors is essential in explaining why children and youth act they way they do, and how they cope or interact with their environments.

Research shows us that young people are more often ‘victims’ of crime rather than perpetrators.

Through research and experience with working with young people we have found that certain social factors play a significant role in young people offending.

For example, data shows that juveniles who get involved in criminal justice system tend to come from low socio-economic backgrounds, with unemployment and poverty being prominent characteristics and many young people who appear before children’s courts do not live in nuclear two-parent families.

We acknowledge that these social characteristics must be taken into account in causal explanations of offenders (and discussions of ‘risk’ and ‘protective’ factors).

Young person is given an opportunity to share their story and participate in skill-based programs which teach them basic coping skills and also taking responsibility for their actions.

Youth Justice Program also aims to work with young people 10-17yrs and using early intervention as a crime prevention strategy, teach young people skills in communication, negotiation, conflict resolution, anger management etc.

Our strengths-based, skill building approach creates a safe space for young people to address risky behaviours, build on protective factors, and improve relationships in a format that interests and engages young people.

We are interested in encouraging young people to hold on to their voices and stay true to themselves, we aim to enhance young person’s judgment and critical-thinking skills for wise and healthy choices and teach them skills in communication, negotiation and conflict resolution.

Equipped with these skills, young people can start to grow and participate successfully in the life of their community.

Bayside Alternative Education School Program (BAESP)

A 4-6 week program is offered each term covering a range of topics- communication, anger management, coping and stress management and conflict resolution.

Camps, games and small group work is used.

It is co-facilitated with the Youth Support program (BABI).


Lose the Fuse

An Anger Management program for young men aged 15-17 years.

It is a 8 week program and in the past it was delivered in partnership between Boystown, Cooee and BABI.

In 2006, this program has been delivered in partnership with Youth Support Coordinators. Combines aerosol art, martial arts, music, discussion and food.

COMMUNIK8

This program targeted young people who had engaged in repeated offending behaviour and were on court orders.

The purpose of this program was to:

• Increase the personal and social development of young people
• Involve family members (or significant adults) where possible
• Seek to develop the skills and strategies of young people to reduce violence and anti-social behaviour.

Upper Primary Program (UPP)

The purpose of the Upper Primary Program is to provide a leadership program for young males aged 11-12 years of age (school years 6-7), as well as to reduce the risk of children disengaging from the education system and transitioning into the youth justice system.

The program aims to assist the young people participating in the program to achieve:

• an increased awareness of local services; improved awareness of self;
• increase their enthusiasm for learning both within, and external to, the educational environment;
• improve learning skills; provide positive role modeling;
• develop recreational skills;
• develop social skills (including the ability to manage their feelings and communication);
• and have fun!
  
  For more information about UPP please call BABI on 3393 4176.

Target group: Young people aged 15-20 years who are ‘at risk’ or young people who have an interest in Hip Hop culture.

This program involved initial workshops teaching skills in legal (aerosol) art and techniques such as stencilling, design etc. Four massive community murals have been completed during this program including Wynnum PCYC, Wynnum North Scout Group and Wynnum High School.

This program has been very successful with high participant attendance and high community support:

• To provide young people with an opportunity to explore their interest in legal street art;
• To provide young people with an avenue to contribute and participate positively in their local community.

• To provide an opportunity for young people to participate in decision-making, planning and design of each mural.

Emina Ajanovic, Youth Development Worker @ BABI; and

Christian Griffiths, expert in AeroGraffix (Spray Art) and youth worker.

Girls Self-Esteem Program

This Program aims:

• to increase young women’s confidence and capacity to make active (positive) decisions to improve their lives;
• to effectively communicate to young women the benefits of self-care;
• to inspire young women to think about the range of options available to them, and provide a series of educational workshops to address youth issues including sex education, safe partying and drug and alcohol abuse;
• to work with young women and to provide role models and mentoring for them, for the purposes of supporting young women, and building strong communities;
• to teach young women skills to minimize risk-taking behaviours and increase their confidence and encourage open-discussion about body image, sex, relationships and self-esteem in a safe environment;
• to build strong relationships with young women and offer a supportive and safe environment; where they can feel comfortable and feel sense of belonging;
• to enhance self esteem as a result of the mastery of new skills and information.

WYC’D is a new and innovative Wynnum/Redlands Youth and Community Development (WYC'D) Project initiated by BABI Youth & Family Support and The Solution Network Australia.

This project will work collaboratively with local services in developing and delivering an ongoing and self-funded program that responds to the needs of at risk young people in the community.

The project will be piloted as a 3 stage process that includes a group focus, community focus and global focus. The project will be evaluated by the Family Challenge Charitable Trust and Psychology Clinic throughout its duration.

Target Group: Male and Female young people aged 14-17 years living in the Wynnum/Redlands area who are:

• At-Risk of or have been excluded from school or alternative education;
• At-Risk of or have been self-harming and/or participating in destructive behaviours;
• At-Risk of or have been offending.

For more information please call BABI on 3393 4176.