The Department of Justice and Attorney-General’s Transition to Success (T2S) Program has graduated more than 200 young people, either in the youth justice system or considered at risk, over the past 12 months.
The Program is seen as a key to successfully reduce reoffending.
Minister for Children and Youth Justice, Leanne Linard said the T2S Program had its largest ever number of graduates in 2021, after a funding boost allowed it to be expanded to 20 locations across the State.
“I’m delighted to see the Program going from strength to strength since it began as a home-grown initiative over seven years ago,” Ms Linard said.
“There have been 207 graduates in the past year alone,” she said.
“T2S works well because it offers alternative education and vocational training to young people in the youth justice system and those at risk of entering it as a way of helping them build a brighter future.”
Ms Linard said many of the participants had dropped out of mainstream schooling for a variety of reasons but, with the help of dedicated youth justice staff, they were working to leave their past behind.
“The Program is also working closely with businesses, Councils, schools, training organisations and community groups on the next phase, which is to help the young people into jobs, work experience, training, or further education,” she said.
“The evidence shows that supporting young people to access education and employment pathways reduces offending and improves community safety — and this Program is doing exactly that.”
The Minister said that, in 2021, T2S participants completed a range of certificates across the State, including farm hand, horticulture and construction courses.
Ms Linard said an evaluation of the Program in 2018 found more than two-thirds of graduates did not offend within 12 months of completing the course.
