Will Smith used to be a police officer, a job that gave him a front-row seat to the struggles many young Tasmanians face.
Tired of arresting the same disadvantaged and disengaged youth over and over, he decided to do something about it and created JCP Empowering Youth.
For the past three years, the organisation has been working with at-risk young people who are struggling with school or have had run-ins with the law.
Now, thanks to a $3.7 million investment from the state government, promised during the last election, the program is set to expand.
Smith said the funding will allow JCP to reach even more young people who need support “for a number of years” to come.
“We feel really privileged to … provide solutions to young people where they may fall through the cracks or not quite have a solution available to them at the time,” he said.
“This allows us to expand our reach across the state, reaching young people up to around 90 full participants.”
These full-time participants get intensive support, daily check-ins with the program and access to 24-hour assistance when they need it.
Children and Youth Minister Roger Jaensch said the BEAST Program helps informally fill the gaps in the government’s youth justice and child safety reforms.
“Over the years JCP Youth has proven to be the solution where we haven’t been able to as government make things stick for young people in our care,” he said.
“We’re really grateful to them for the work that they do, that they’ve continued to do.”
“This is a program that provides help to young men, 11 to 17 years of age, who need help with managing their behaviour, making good decisions, learning life skills, as well, that help them to live independently and constructively in the community and keep them out of trouble, out of the reach of anti-social behaviour and potentially offending behaviour.”
