Juvenile offenders in Victoria, Australia are given opportunities to envision, prepare for, and make a new life for themselves, thanks to the Bridge Project. Stemming from a long relationship between the YMCA in Victoria and the youth justice centers in the area, the Bridge Project supports and connects incarcerated young people with opportunities to pursue jobs in fields that they are interested in as they transition into their lives outside of custody.
Around 15 years ago, the youth justice centers in Victoria evaluated their programs and decided that they wanted to bring in a community organization to help create a more positive environment and develop rehabilitation strategies. YMCA Victoria was brought in to lead sports and recreation programs for teens in custody and act as a liaison to the community. The Developmental Assets® have long been infused in the programming of YMCA Victoria, and as a result, they have shaped the activities in the youth justice centers as well. The programs are voluntary, but everyone in custody attends at least one activity a month.
While they are in custody, youth are given opportunities to develop relationships with the staff and community members through a variety of programs. On specific days, local teens, representatives from area businesses, and employers come into the centers and interact with the teens in custody. They play sports, do activities, and get to know each other. This program helps to educate the community, break down stereotypes, and show peers and community members that the teens in custody are normal teens, not just offenders. It also helps the youth in custody understand the behaviors they need in order to interact and engage with the community. Showing both groups that they can relate to one another helps promote communication skills and positive identity.
At one justice center, a leadership program was developed for a group of young men that staff identified as natural leaders. In the program, the teens learned about leadership, mentoring and how to run leadership activities for their peers. The young men then ran leadership sessions for some of the younger men in custody and for students at a local secondary school. By developing and utilizing their strengths, they were able to explain complex concepts, engage their peers, build their own confidence, and inspire others.
The Bridge Project was developed out of conversations between representatives from the justice centers, YMCA Victoria and community volunteers, and exists to improve the opportunities young people have access to when they leave custody. It was frustrating for staff when young people would be released only to return to custody a few months later. What was missing was support for the youth as they went out into the community.
Through the Bridge Project, young men and women in the youth justice centers are matched with entry-level positions at local businesses that fit their interests and goals. They are able to meet potential employers, conduct interviews, and prepare for work before they are released from custody so they feel well-equipped to be successful. Once released and as they begin their new jobs, the young adults are connected individually with a mentor in the workplace and are supported for the first four weeks by Bridge Project staff. In addition, the employer is supported initially, both financially and with guidance from the Bridge Project staff. The involvement of the Bridge Project helps to ease concerns about hiring juvenile offenders. In the time that this program has been running employers have been very pleased with their hires and some have gone on to hire more employees through the program. Since its inception two years ago, the Bridge Project has placed 40 former juvenile offenders in the workplace, with 80% of those successfully completing their work placement and continuing to work. None have re-offended. Through the program, these young people have opportunities to imagine and pursue their goals and to see a future for themselves that many could not imagine before.
For more information, visit the Bridge Project website or contact Sherilyn Hanson, the Bridge Project Manager, at sherilyn.hanson@ymca.org.au
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