Local youths on track for positive futures
Young people within the Hervey Bay youth justice system are on track to gaining employment, thanks to an innovative program that aims to reduce the risk of reoffending by providing practical work skills.
Hervey Bay Youth Justice Service Centre team leader Kirsty Smith today congratulated 22 young people as they graduated from the Transition to Success (T2S) program, run by the Department of Justice and Attorney-General.
“The T2S program has been operating in Hervey Bay for a year and has already seen a significant number of young people gain employment or complete further education,” Ms Smith said.
“Our graduates have completed Certificate I in Construction Skills, Certificate II in Rural Operations or both.
“Some have gained their Construction White Cards, while others have achieved provisional driver licences and are now able to buy their first cars.
“Thanks to these qualifications, T2S graduates have been able to secure roles including service station attendant, tiler, yard maintenance crew, plasterer and car seat upholsterer.”
To provide practical work opportunities during the T2S program, the Hervey Bay Youth Justice Service Centre partnered with local businesses and organisations – including the Hervey Bay Neighbourhood Centre – to set up a new youth centre in the neighbourhood centre at Pialba.
“T2S participants completed repairs around the centre and worked on the internal fitout for a training room,” Ms Smith said.
“They also worked at a Riverside farm where they erected fencing, learned to drive tractors, used chainsaws and looked after animals and the land.
“It’s been wonderful to see them positively engaging with the community and making achievements that will hopefully lead them toward very bright futures.”
Young people are referred to the T2S program by Youth Justice, Education Queensland and the Australian Red Cross Service.
ENDS