Life Without Barriers will use mentoring and structured therapy, to support young people and their families.
Image: Five young people are sitting on a stoop and smiling at each other.
Life Without Barriers will support young people coming back into the community after time in detention following the Queensland Government’s investment in a 12-month program in the Gold Coast region.
The new 'Staying on Track' program provides practical, personalised support to help young people thrive and be successful.
Life Without Barriers will deliver the program, which uses mentoring and structured therapy, to support young people and their families.
Life Without Barriers has always supported developmentally and culturally appropriate therapeutic support to help young people address the causes of their offending, and to understand the impact of their actions.
Our focus must be on keeping families together, providing vulnerable children and young people with the support they need, and ensuring access to education, family, and community support, and meaningful opportunities.
Life Without Barriers’ Deputy Chief Executive Child, Youth and Family, Carly Jacobitz, welcomed the Crisafulli Government’s investment through Staying on Track.
“We know that many young people who have experienced adverse childhood experiences, such as abuse, neglect, or family violence, can face other challenges that make them vulnerable to the youth justice system,” Ms Jacobitz said.
“Intervention is crucial, and our evidence-based Staying on Track program provides important, tailored support that will help young people in the Gold Coast region build on their strengths, form connections, engage in education and strengthen their family relationships,
Ms Jacobitz said.
“We look forward to partnering with the Crisafulli Government and bringing our knowledge and experience to family-focused support that can help young people stay on track and reduce the risk of reoffending.”
Minister for Youth Justice and Victim Support Laura Gerber said the Crisafulli Government’s Staying on Track program would be a critical step in breaking the cycle of repeat youth offending in Queensland.
“The best way to stop youth offenders from continuing to offend is to invest in effective rehabilitation and Staying on Track is designed to give youth leaving detention the support they need to make a fresh start,” Minister Gerber said.
Read the Staying on Track Media Release from the Queensland Government here>.
