Page 3764 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 29 October 2014
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victims, offenders and their support people a chance to tell their story. Offenders hear at first hand about the harm they have caused and are encouraged to accept personal responsibility for their actions.
We have evidence-based practice improvements that have been made in youth services to strengthen the skills of case managers to reduce risk factors associated with offending, increase the compliance of young people under supervision with justice orders, and strengthen protective factors. These include embedding single-case management, implementing the youth justice support and intervention framework and strengthening cultural planning for young people on justice orders.
While it is still early days in the 10-year life of the blueprint, results show that we are on the right track to improving outcomes for children and young people in the ACT. In particular, the results demonstrate progress in seeing fewer children and young people engaged in or at risk of offending.
I would like to thank those who work in the youth justice system in the ACT for their hard work, professionalism and dedication to the work they do.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Ms Berry.
MS BERRY: Minister, could you please inform the Assembly of any initiatives that assist young people to transition from the youth justice service?
MR GENTLEMAN: Again I refer to the Blueprint for youth justice in the ACT. A key strategy of the blueprint is to connect and reintegrate young people into a home and the wider community through effective throughcare. This is best achieved through services that assist young people to transition successfully from the youth justice system.
For young people who have been involved with youth justice services, these initiatives include the Bendora transition unit at Bimberi Youth Justice Centre. The unit supports young people to prepare for a successful transition into the community through skills training and work experience. We have seen that, Madam Speaker, on a visit to Bimberi, where we saw a young person exiting the system and preparing to go straight into work as a bricklayer the next day—fantastic opportunities.
The Murrumbidgee Education and Training Centre delivers a program to support young people to engage in education, training and employment on their transition to the community. A transition teacher and transition officer facilitate this program. The Narrabundah House Indigenous supported residential facility supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander males, 15 to 18 years of age, who are on community-based justice orders, by providing intensive case management with a focus on community participation and integration. Youth housing and homelessness services can provide young people with supported accommodation to help them remain engaged in education, employment or training. The services can also help young people find their own or shared accommodation.
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