Mission Australia to expand our Youth Beat service in the Northern Territory

Mission Australia is expanding its youth services in Palmerston, with its Casuarina site relocating to its Palmerston Divisional Office from 1 July to provide greater support to up to 150 young people each week.

Two new staff will also join the existing Mission Australia team of eight in delivering its services to the northern suburbs of Darwin, which includes its youth and family support programs, Youth Beat and court support initiatives.

The move has been welcomed by local residents, the Palmerston City Council, Neighbourhood Watch, Palmerston Police and the NT Government which earlier this month committed more than $170,000 to fund the expansion of Mission Australia’s Youth Beat outreach service in Palmerston from two to six nights per week.

Mission Australia’s Youth Beat service, which also operates in Darwin and Katherine, provides advice, guidance and support to young people who are at risk of engaging in offending behaviour or hurting themselves through drug and alcohol abuse.

Mission Australia State Director Phillip Leslie said the expansion in Palmerston will help provide support to troubled youth, and provide important links for young people to family, education, community and recreation within the local community.

“Palmerston is one of the fastest growing cities in the country. At the same time, its disadvantaged community is also climbing. There’s consequently a significant need for our services to assist with the growing numbers of disadvantaged young people and their families in Palmerston,” Phillip said.

“Last year, Youth Beat engaged around 4,500 young people– many of whom have previously been caught up in crime or are at risk getting into trouble.

“While operating for two nights a week, more than 60 percent of young people who came into contact with Youth Beat in Palmerston during the past six months were aged between 10 and 15 years. More than 60 percent of these encounters were between the hours of 8-10pm.”

According to Phillip, diversionary programs like Youth Beat are extremely important to help stem the flow of young Territorians – particularly from Indigenous backgrounds – from falling into the juvenile justice system.

“Youth Beat is known as a ‘diversionary program’ because it helps ‘divert’ young people from entering, or re-entering, the juvenile justice system.

“Youth Beat assists young people as early as possible and plays a part in addressing the root causes of their problem as well as showing them they can have a future outside anti-social behaviour, stealing cars or getting involved in drugs.

“The expansion of Youth Beat to six nights per week will mean an after-hours point of contact will be available to young people, ultimately helping to improve young people’s safety at night and potentially decrease crime in the area.”

As well as Youth Beat, Mission Australia will provide a range of other youth initiatives in Palmerston, including the Youth and Family support program, which helps youth who are disengaged, at risk of and struggling with issues of homelessness.

Additionally, court support will also be provided for young people in Palmerston who are apprehended by the Police who cannot access adult supervision. Mission Australia staff will provide assistance with interviews and where possible, help navigate them through the court process.

Further reading:

• Youth Beat Fact Sheet
• Mission Australia Youth Services