Where we are up to
Aboriginal Youth Justice (AYJ) provides professional development opportunities for Aboriginal Youth Justice Programs which includes workers from the:
- Community Based Aboriginal Youth Justice Program
- Aboriginal Early School Leaver Program
- Aboriginal Youth Support Service
- Aboriginal Intensive Support Program
- Aboriginal Liaison Officers.
Professional development is offered through:
- Beginning Practice Induction sessions
- professional development opportunities
- cultural activities, and
- networking oppportunities.
Beginning Practice Induction sessions are offered as an orientation to new workers in the program as well as those requesting a refresher. The Beginning Practice training was last held in April 2022 and consisted of information on:
- Youth Justice System Overview
- Courts
- Aboriginal Youth Justice Program;
- case note recording and privacy issues.
Aboriginal Youth Justice Program Network meetings occur biannually. Since COVID-19 restrictions have been in place, Aboriginal Youth Justice have been unable to deliver face-to-face sessions and are now hosting shorter meetings online via Microsoft Teams.
The last meeting was held in August and provided workers with information on AYJ’s Wirkara Kulpa and Aboriginal Case Management Review Panels. The Koorie Youth Council presented on Amplifying the Voice Project and VACCA provided information on their Youth Through Care Program which operates in youth justice facilities. One funded agency provided an update on programs that are offered to Aboriginal children and young people in their region with yarning time to discuss the programs amongst the group. The group also received a refresher of the youth justice system which was requested in the previous meeting in April.
Aboriginal Youth Justice are working with the Koori Justice Unit and Naalamba Ganbu Nerrilinggu Yilam to develop a joint staff network forum in November. The group are exploring professional development training such as:
- trauma
- wellbeing
- mental health and case management support, and
- cultural activities.