Walali Bili helps divert at risk young people from coming into further contact with the Youth Justice system.

Walali Bili works with young people aged 10-17 who have completed their youth justice commitments such as Youth Justice Conferencing, Community Service Orders, or detention. The program aims to encourage positive lifestyle choices and prevent re-offending behaviour.

The program works in partnership with parents, care givers, other services, Elders, and the community.

Culturally safe supports include:

• Programs that promote positive lifestyles, cultural connection, health, wellbeing, and resilience
• Case management and linking young people with the supports and services they need including housing, substance misuse, health and wellbeing and family support
• Assessment of barriers to education, training and employment
• Support, liaison and advocacy with Youth Justice
• Mentoring

About Walali Bili Mentoring:

For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, mentoring has been taking place for generations through the Elders and mobs traditional role of sharing the wisdom and knowledge with the younger generation.

This program seeks to build on this natural mentoring process and combine it with formal structures to further improve outcomes for young participants. Mentoring fits well with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander teaching and learning styles to support positive behaviour change.

Many of the Mentors have experienced similar challenges to those faced by the young people in the program. Mentors who have overcome negative life circumstances understand what it takes to achieve positive change.

Walali Bili will provide ongoing support to young people and Mentors.

Elders Cautioning Project:

Darumbal Community Youth Service Inc. is liaising with the Queensland Police Service and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders to support young people within the community facing Youth Justice interventions. Participants will be connected with a suitable Elder who will administer a ‘caution’ in a culturally safe way. An Elders Caution is a formal warning given instead of charging the young person. In order for a caution to be given the participant must: 1. Admit to committing the offence, 2. Agree to be given a caution. The Elders Cautioning Program is a program that targets those offenders aged between 10-17years of age. It is aimed to divert young people away from further offending and contact with the Youth Justice system.

For Further Information:

Please call 07 4922 6180 during business hours and ask to speak to any of our friendly staff.

You can also download our referral form HERE and email to: referral@darumbal.org.au or alternatively drop it in to our office located at 2/155 Alma Street Rockhampton.

Funding Agency: Commonwealth Government – National Indigenous Australians Agency
Funded Period: 7 May 2019 – 30 April 2022.
Youth Justice Programs Manager: Danielle Gillespie

Team members:

Lee Bob