The Back on Track, Youth Justice Group Conferencing and Alice Springs Youth Diversion Program work to divert children and young people in the Northern Territory away from the criminal justice system. Jesuit Social Services has worked in the Northern Territory at the invitation of local communities since 2010, supporting the development of place-based and locally led solutions to issues spanning governance, environment, community development and youth criminal justice.
How does the program help?
Our Northern Territory programs respect the autonomy of local communities, and deepen their capacity and leadership to respond to local issues spanning governance, environment, community development and youth criminal justice.
Jesuit Social Services’ work in the Northern Territory commenced in 2008 with an invitation to work collaboratively with the Central and Eastern Arrernte people in Santa Teresa (Ltyentye Apurte) and Alice Springs (Mparntwe). Since then, at the invitation of a number of other communities and Aboriginal community controlled organisations, our work has grown to include the communities of Atitjere and Engawala on the Plenty Highway and Tennant Creek, as well as with the Thamarrurr Regional Aboriginal Authority Corporation and Thamarrurr Development Corporation in Wadeye.
Our work in the Northern Territory has focused on building the governance and service delivery capacity of the communities and organisations we work with.
To enable a more strategic response to the structural issues we see playing out in the lives of people on the ground, in 2016 we established an advocacy presence and office in Darwin. Jesuit Social Services has a strong network of relationships within government and community leaders and is a strong and vocal advocate on the issues directly affecting the communities we work alongside, particularly on youth justice issues.
How does the program work?
Jesuit Social Services delivers Youth Justice Group Conferencing in Darwin, Alice Springs and remote communities as required. Learn more about Youth Justice Group Conferencing.
Where is it offered?
Jesuit Social Services works in the Northern Territory locations of Alice Springs (Mparntwe), Darwin, Katherine, Palmerston, Santa Teresa (Ltyentye Apurte), Tennant Creek, Wadeye, and remote communities as required.
How does someone make a referral?
For more information on our Northern Territory Youth Justice programs, contact Peter Solly, General Manager, Northern Territory at peter.solly@jss.org.au.