Putting teens on the path of positive change
By Inspector Glenn Doyle
As Townsville residents, we’re all too familiar with media stories about young offenders caught up in the seemingly endless cycle of juvenile crime.
However, lesser known are home-grown successes where teens are being helped to break that cycle.
Project Booyah is one great example, with a mammoth 90 per cent drop in reoffending by local participants — significantly higher than the program’s statewide average.
The leadership and mentoring program run by the Queensland Police Service helps 15 and 16 year olds who’ve been involved with the police or the youth justice system, or who are disengaged from schooling.
The main aim is get teens back into education or to help them move into the workforce.
The background of the teens varies: in some cases, they’re on the wrong track because they’ve wagged school, mixed in the wrong company, or suffered from family dysfunction.
As with all young people, they need mentoring, support and structure in their lives.
Project Booyah provides this through adventure-based learning that focuses on numeracy, literacy, life skills, fitness and decision-making. And it makes teens ready for work through completion of a TAFE hospitality certificate.
As someone who’s witnessed the project up-close, it’s heartening to see graduates turn their lives around, regain a sense of self-worth and rebuild often troubled family relationships.
The program’s success can be seen in the statistics. In Townsville, over 80 per cent of Booyah graduates have gone back to school or on to further education, while 35 per cent have taken up jobs in local businesses.
The project’s positive impact was recognised when it took home gold at the 2016 Australian Crime and Violence Prevention Awards.
In better coordinating services for vulnerable young people, the Townsville Stronger Communities Action Group is looking to programs such as Project Booyah to provide positive options.
If you know of a 15 or 16 year old who could benefit, or if you’re a business that would like to employ a graduate, Project Booyah would love to hear from you.
The project coordinator for Townsville can be contacted through www. projectbooyah.com.au.
Locally, Project Booyah partners with the Department of Education and Training, TAFE, the PCYC and community groups.
