Rockingham
'Weld to Life Program'
Rockingham PCYC implemented the "Weld to
Life Program" in March 2007. The program is designed for young boys aged
12 to 17yrs who have been referred by the Department of Corrective
Services, Juvenile Justice, Schools, Department for Child Protection and
Parents to be trained in welding and fabrication.
The program creates an alternative activity for teenage boys and is
designed to prevent them from re-offending as well as breaking down the
barriers between them and authority. The ultimate goal is to guide the
boys to further education or employment.
The program has seen a reduction in the youths offending behaviour, an
improvement in their respect for authority and an increase in attendance
at school.
Juvenile Justice Teams
- A Youth
Diversionary Program
Juvenile Justice Teams are an alternative
way to handle young people who have committed offences and may be in the
early stages of offending.
The teams ask that young people take responsibility for their actions.
They encourage young people to face up to problems and divert them from
the courts.
Young people are sent to the teams by the police or the Children's Court.
To be accepted by a Juvenile Justice Team, a young person must agree they
have done something wrong and must be prepared to make amends (put things
right).
Within the team process, all participants (the young person; their family
and the victim) work out a contract - known as an Action Plan - for the
young person. Together, they address what they did wrong and how it
affects people, in a bid to get the young person back on track.
Constable Care
Constable Care's strategies have received
national acclaim over the last 3 years with Australian Crime and Violence
Prevention Awards and recently secured national registration as a Charity
under the Harm Prevention Charity Category.
Program One: 'Loser'
- This 30 minute interactive drama play focuses on the issues of
'graffiti' and targets primary school children aged between 9yrs-12yrs.
The play examines the necessity of a think before you act approach and
what can happen as a result of lawless behaviour.
Program Two: 'Sporting Chance' -
This 30 minute Puppet Show is a culturally
relevant program focusing on indigenous issues, developed in partnership
with Indigenous elders, leaders, children and other key stakeholders. This
program is presented in remote and isolated indigenous communities only
and targets children aged 6yrs-12yrs.
School Leavers, Dunsborough
Schoolies or Leavers as it is now known
started to evolve in the 1990's in Western Australia with the small
coastal town of Dunsborough, 278 kilometres south of Perth quickly
becoming the main celebration point for Leavers.
Numbers of School Leavers coming to the town steadily increased until in
2004 when over 4000 people congregated in Lion Park situated in the centre
of town, creating a major public safety issue. A key concern was the large
number of older males or 'Toolies' attracted by the young female school
leavers.
Attempts had been made to divert Leavers from the community without
significant success. Police developed a number of strategies to assist in
the general management; however the lack of additional Government and
volunteer agency support made the task extremely difficult.
In 2005 the Office of Crime Prevention joined forces with Police and,
strongly supported by the Shire of Busselton, assisted in implementing the
successful strategy 'Management by Event'.
Indigenous Driver Training Program
Tackling the road toll and reducing anti
social behaviour on the road has become a focus of Kensington PCYC with its
indigenous Driver Training Program.
Incarceration rates are high within the indigenous community with a large
percentage of those offences leading to prison time being driving
offences. Dealing with this issue through driver education and creating
easy access to quality training is proving successful.
The bureaucracy and high cost of obtaining a license is prohibitive to
some sections of the community with many choosing to just drive. Driving
with lack of training and without a license inevitably brings them into
contact with the Police and the cycle of offending begins.
Main stream driving schools find this client group difficult to work with
due to late cancellations of lessons, itinerant addresses and poor time
management of the clients.
