The Territory Labor Government is breaking thecycle of crime and anti-social behaviour in Alice Springs through a comprehensiveplan, which includes the commencement of seven Youth Engagement Night Officers (YENOs).
YENOs are specialist youth workersassigned to work with at-risk young people up to the age of 17, who areunsupervised in public places in Alice Springs and engaging in anti-socialbehaviour.
YENOs will form partof the Territory Families Youth Outreach and Re-engagement Team (YORET) andwill operate seven days a week from 8pm-3am.
YENOs will support NT Police, TerritoryFamilies, Talice Security, and non-government youth services. They will address anti-social behaviour, put at-risk youngpeople back on track and make referrals for ongoing support, programs andservices.
Establishment of the YENOs is part of the TerritoryLabor Governments Breaking the Cycleplan to tackle youth crime and anti-social behaviour in Alice Springs.
Other initiatives include:
- More mobile CCTV cameras in anti-social behaviour hot spots (Already in effect)
- Two School Engagement Officers to work with young people who have been identified as being disengaged from schooling. These officers have been appointed. (Already in effect)
- Three School Compliance Officers to work with young people when attempts to increase school attendance has not been successful. (Already in effect)
- Expand the youth drop-in centres at Gap Youth and Community Centre and Tangentyere Council Brown Street to operate seven days a week (currently both operate five days) and extend their bus service. (Already in effect)
- Expand the hours of the Tangentyere Night Patrol to get young people off the streets. Patrol vehicles will run seven days a week from 6pm-3am. (Already in effect)
- Create an Aboriginal-led Youth Outreach Service. A team of respected Aboriginal outreach workers will provide advice and support to youth engagement officers and mentor Aboriginal young people, drawing on the cultural authority of the Tangentyere Council Mens Four Corners Group and Tangentyere Womens Family Safety Group. (In effect 1 July)
As noted by Minister for Territory Families,Dale Wakefield
The Territory Labor Government is listening to Centralianswho have had enough of crime, youth crime, and anti-social behaviour. The Breaking the Cycle plan gives us abetter chance of breaking the cycle of crime and keeps Alice Springs safer.
YENOs have the same statutoryresponsibilities as Youth Outreach and Reengagement Officers (YOREO), but theywill be rostered on late night hours and will have a greater focus onidentifying and addressing anti-social behaviour.
YENOs are specialist youth workersand will provide brief interventions to ensure that at-risk young people getthe support services that they need to address risky behaviour and get back onthe right track.
This is in stark contrast to the chaotic CLPgovernment who cut vital youth services in Alice Springs. They failed toimplement any plan to fix alcohol-related crime and anti-social behaviour onour streets.
