Page 3961 - Week 12 - Thursday, 20 October 2005
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achieved against the commitments of this plan. I will begin by looking at the implementation of the turnaround program.
Turnaround aims to make major improvements in the way support is provided to young people with intensive needs. It is doing this through a model that has a cross-agency, cross-sector referral process, with a turnaround program team to coordinate services to young people on an individual basis. In the 12 months since it was launched, 16 young people have participated in the program, with 13 per cent of the young people referred to the program identifying as indigenous. Another 13 per cent were homeless at the time of referral. Additionally, five of the 10 young people who were 15 years or older were not in any form of education, training or employment.
Essential to turnaround’s work with these young people is their individualised and strength-based support, where each young person is an active partner in decision making about their lives. At this early stage, there is encouraging evidence that the model of coordinated case management is proving very effective.
The young people’s plan calls on government to recognise and respond to the needs of young people involved in the criminal justice system. In relation to the commitment, the restorative justice unit has been established in the Department of Justice and Community Safety. Referrals for 27 young people have been made to the restorative justice unit since it commenced operation on 31 January this year. Conferences for seven young people have already been conducted, with an additional 17 referrals currently under assessment. This use of diversionary conferencing strategies to assist young people to stay out of the juvenile justice system is seen as critical in terms of early intervention and prevention of recidivism.
At Quamby Youth Detention Centre, we have been able to successfully provide enhanced support to young people who are at risk of continued involvement in the juvenile justice system. This has largely been achieved through strengthening of partnerships between Quamby and a wide range of community organisations, such as the Ted Noffs Foundation. This has seen real improvements to the transitioning opportunities available to young people.
In line with this transitional focus, an information expo involving 18 key agencies was held at Quamby as part of National Youth Week activities in the ACT. The aim of the expo was to strengthen community linkages prior to a young person’s release from detention and promote successful reintegration.
The expansion of the Hindmarsh Education Centre in 2004 to include more variety and a broader curriculum is driven by a commitment to keep Quamby residents engaged in learning and provide them with skills. This has included the introduction of art and technology programs and the provision of additional IT equipment.
The government is further committed to providing improved facilities and services to young people at risk. This commitment has been demonstrated by the allocation of $40 million for the development of a new youth detention centre. Members of the minister’s youth council are currently considering a name for this new centre. A consultation process is being run with a range of people, including the current residents of Quamby, providing feedback and ideas about options for a new name.
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