Photo: getregional.com.au

As a part of the Government’s record investment, the Youth Crime Prevention Grants help local communities tackle the underlying causes of youth crime and repeat offending for young people aged between 10 and 24.

A total of $5.6 million has been provided to eight priority communities with higher crime rates and higher proportions of recidivist young offenders, including Ballarat, Casey, Frankston, Geelong, Greater Dandenong, Hume, Latrobe and Wyndham.

These community-led projects include coaching and mentoring, employment and education opportunities for young people, and are run in partnership with councils, service providers, not-for-profit groups and police.

A further $2 million in grants has been awarded to 10 projects in other communities following a competitive application process run earlier this year.

The Labor Government has also funded 42 additional police Youth Resource Officers to work in local communities and divert young people from a life of crime.

The additional staff are part of the Government’s record $2 billion Community Safety Statement, which includes thousands more police, new powers, equipment and additional measures to hold young offenders to account.

An additional $1.5 million has also been provided to projects that empower and re-engage Koori young people through a range of early intervention, prevention and diversion programs, including camps, sporting activities, workshops and education.

A full list of the youth crime prevention projects can be found at www.crimeprevention.vic.gov.au.