Hope for youth project

A WINDOW of opportunity has opened up for successful early intervention program Project Booyah to secure the future of its support workers.

A federal grant due to run out on June 30 provided PCYC with funding across seven locations, including Townsville, had supported a youth worker to assist Project Booyah graduates transition into education, employment and adulthood.

The youth worker position had been identified as vital to the ongoing success of the program which currently worked with 60 at- risk youths. As of the of the end of last year it had achieved a 95- 98 per cent reduction in criminal offences by participants.

A new stream of federal government funding has opened under the third round of the Safer Communities Fund to help organisations like PCYC deliver early intervention or activity based youth engagement projects. The funding stream is set to open for applications from July 1, but it’s unclear how long an application would take to process.

Brisbane- based Project Booyah co- ordinator police Inspector Stephen Pyne said they were reviewing criteria of the funding stream to determine whether they were eligible.

“We’re really keen to maintain that ( funding for youth workers),” Insp Pyne said.

He said he was reviewing the budget but was confident of being able to cover any shortfall in the short- term ( three to six months) while they waited for approval of the new funding.

Townsville- based Senator Ian Macdonald said he was yet to see a business case for extended Project Booyah funding, but said “a strong case for anything that benefits the northern community will al- ways have my support”. He was critical of the State Government who knew the funding was not ongoing and were now politicising the issue.

Sen Macdonald said statistics showed crime remained a major issue for North Queensland, but would support Commonwealth funding for any “proven program” trying to address the problems.