Improved services for young people in western Downs

Services for vulnerable young people in the western Darling Downs, particularly those in contact with the youth justice system, have improved thanks to the official opening of Roma’s new Youth Justice Service Centre today.

The centre was opened by Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Communities, Stirling Hinchliffe, as part of his three-day tour of south-west Queensland.

Representing Minister for Communities Warren Pitt, Mr Hinchliffe said the new Roma Youth Justice Service Centre, operated by the Department of Communities, was a much-improved venue to deliver youth justice services for Roma.

“This centre is one of 15 across the state that are part of the government’s efforts to address youth offending and provide the best possible chance of rehabilitation to those involved with the youth justice system,” Mr Hinchliffe said.

“The purpose-designed Roma Youth Justice Service Centre provides for specialist responses to offenders, resulting in better outcomes for young people, their families, and the wider community.”

Mr Pitt said the Arthur Street centre catered for 32 clients, including young people in Cunnamulla and Charleville, with services and programs aimed at rehabilitating young people and diverting them from the youth justice system.

“The centre enables a comprehensive and cooperative approach to helping this region’s most vulnerable young people,” he said.

“It means that we can provide more effective and efficient service delivery, and better outcomes for young people and the community in general.”

Also launched in Roma today was a pilot program to tackle current and projected shortages of qualified workers for the community and disability services sector.

As part of the pilot Rural Education Pathways for Community Services Careers initiative, a specialist recruitment firm will work with non-government organisations over two years on strategies to recruit more workers to the sector.

“If left unchecked, future workforce shortages could threaten the delivery of vital community and disability services in rural and regional Queensland,” Mr Hinchliffe said.

The pilot program is funded by the Department of Communities’ Strengthening Rural Non-Government Organisations program, which is part of the Blueprint for the Bush strategy.

Media contact:    Minister’s Office 3235 4280
                        Mr Hinchliffe 0418 983 654