- Two new projects aimed at addressing the complex causes of youth crime in Mount Isa and Townsville will share in almost $430,000 in funding under the Palaszczuk Government’s Community Partnership Innovation Grants
- The funding will enable Queensland Youth Services will deliver its Proud Warrior project in Mount Isa and Townsville, while Save the Children (trading as 54 Reasons) will deliver a Back to Community program in Mount Isa.
- In total,12 projects will share in more than $3 million in funding in the second round of the Palaszczuk Government’s Community Partnership Innovation Grants.
- The local projects complement the wide range of government programs and initiatives aimed at tackling the complex causes of youth crime.
Youth Justice Minister Leanne Linard today announced that two projects to be delivered in Mount Isa and Townsville are among 12 new projects to receive a Community Partnership Innovation Grant to tackle youth offending in Queensland.
Queensland Youth Services will receive almost $130,000 to deliver The Proud Warrior project in Mount Isa and Townsville. This project will provide intervention for primarily Indigenous young people who are at risk of disengaging from school, young people from low socio-economic households, and cases where young people are known, or their family is known, to police.
54 Reasons will receive $300,000 to deliver their ‘Back to Community’ reintegration program. The program will provide culturally responsive support for young people whose home country is Mount Isa, Doomadgee or Mornington Island when leaving the Cleveland Youth Detention Centre.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Youth Justice Leanne Linard:
“Local communities are often the first to see when a young person disconnects from family, stops attending school or shows anti-social behaviour, all of which may contribute to a young person offending.
“When I meet with local community groups, they tell me they want to work with the Palaszczuk Government and put their local experience and knowledge to good use to help divert young people from crime.
“Our government’s Community Partnership Innovation Grants provides funding to enable them to do just that.”
Quotes attributable to Member for Mundingburra Les Walker:
“The Palaszczuk Government is listening to the community and acting in response to youth crime.
“There is no quick fix, no silver bullet to fix youth crime. The Premier recently announced a comprehensive suite of measures to target serious repeat offenders, tackle the complex causes of youth crime and support community safety.
“This included an additional $100 million being invested in programs proven to make a difference.
“But the government can’t do it alone and we are committed to working with local community groups, like Queensland Youth Services and 54 Reasons, to deliver local programs that will make a difference.”
