We use cookies to improve your experience on our site and to show you personalised advertising. To find out more, read our privacy policy and cookie policy

Skip to Content
University of Wollongong Australia. Logo. University of Wollongong Australia. Logo. University of Wollongong Australia. Logo.
  • Search
  • Give
  • Library
  • Current Students
  • Staff
  • UOW Global
    • Our global presence
    • UOW in Dubai
    • UOW in Hong Kong
    • UOW in Malaysia
  • Menu
  • Study at UOW

    • Courses
    • Apply
    • Scholarships & grants
    • Accommodation
    • High-school students
    • Non-school leavers
    • Postgraduate students
    • International students
    • Moving to Wollongong
    • Study abroad & exchange
    • Global sport programs
    • Campuses
    Study at UOW
  • Engage

    • Future student
    • Alumni
    • Visit UOW
    • Woolyungah Indigenous Centre
    • Volunteer
    • The Stand Magazine
    • Community Members
    • Grants and funding
    • Give to UOW
    • Visit the Library
    • Key contacts
    • Educators & school teachers
    Engage with us
  • About UOW

    • Welcome
    • Our people
    • Services
    • Contacts
    • What's on
    • Global presence
    • Media Centre
    • Faculties & schools
    • Our vision & strategy
    • Our Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Strategy
    • Our reputation & experience
    • Locations, campuses & partners
    See more about UOW
  • Research

    • Our research
    • Researcher support
    • Research impact
    • Partnership & collaboration
    • Graduate Research School
    • Commercial research
    • Global Challenges
    • Media, news & events
    • Find an expert
    • Our people
    See more about research
  • Industry

    • Generator Lab
    • Advantage SME
    • Success stories
    • Industry research engagement
    • Equipment & Labs
    • Funding opportunities
    • Intellectual property
    • Collaboration for business
    • Collaboration for researchers
    See more about Industry
  • Alumni

    • Benefits
    • Outlook Magazine
    • Events & webinars
    • Volunteer
    • Awards
    • Honorary alumni
    • Testamurs & transcripts
    • Update your details
    • Your career journey
    • Contact us & FAQ
    See more about alumni
  • Quick links

    • Contact directory
    • Staff Intranet
    • Campus maps
    • Transport & parking
    • Key dates
    • Events
    • Password management
    • Jobs
    • Accommodation
    • Policy directory
  • Library
You are here More Pages
  • Home
  • About UOW
  • Media Centre
  • 2022
  • UOW students help secure funding for a local youth mentoring program

Media Quick Links

  • Contact UOW Media
  • Visiting campus
  • Image library
  • UOW key facts
  • Find an expert
  • News Corp subscription
  • Sign up for the latest news from UOW Media

August 31, 2022


  • Story By
  • Alex Reszelska
  • Photo By
  • Unsplash
Share
Type
Media Release
Category
Community
Tags
WollongongCommunity servicePostgraduateCareerCollaborationCommunityCrimeIllawarraInternshipSocial WorkVocational Pathways

UOW in the News

UOW students help secure funding for a local youth mentoring program

Mentoring program to support youth self-development for at-risk young people of the Illawarra


Since 2019, Lake Illawarra and Wollongong Police Districts have collaborated with Youth Justice Wollongong and UOW on identifying appropriate interventions to address Youth Domestic Family Violence (DFV). One of their recent research findings was that involving young people in a 12-month mentoring program designed to target domestic violence offending behaviour may prove successful in decreasing youth crime rates.

With more than 35 years of experience, the Australian Community Support Organisation (ACSO) has long worked in the Illawarra to support youth self-development and employment programs. When approached by NSW Police and NSW Youth Justice to help find tangible solutions to the at-risk youth challenge, ACSO joined forces with the University of Wollongong’s (UOW) student talent to develop a specific, youth-oriented mentoring program.

For this project, ACSO became an industry host for the Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) subject, CRLP200. UOW students who were instrumental in co-creating the mentoring program allowed ACSO to approach the issue with a fresh perspective.

As a result of this collaboration, ACSO received funding from the Commonwealth Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources to run a youth mentoring intervention pilot project in the Illawarra called Boost. Launching on 1st September, the project is set to service 65 young people, supporting them to understand their AVOs (Apprehended Violence Orders), develop skills and techniques to enable behaviour change and set them up for success in life.

“At ACSO, our vision is for a community where everyone has the opportunity to thrive and prison truly is the last resort. We are excited to be able to pilot and evaluate an innovative, collaborative program with such committed partners in the Illawarra. This mentoring program will lead to better outcomes not only for individual young people but for the whole community,” said Larissa Daniel, ACSO’s Chief Strategy Officer.

WIL provides students with the opportunity to enhance their employability by applying knowledge and skills acquired in their tertiary studies in professional work settings. Nuala O’Donnell, UOW Associate Director, Student Engagement & Employability, applauded the results of student participation in the program.

“When creating WIL subjects, we want our students to get the taste of the real world, to learn how workplaces operate and what challenges they may need to overcome in their professional lives. In this case, the students not only learned a lot themselves, but they also contributed to this very important project that will be transformational for many underprivileged young people of the Illawarra,” said Ms O’Donnell.

ABOUT BOOST

  • The program will help young people to identify the thoughts, feelings, triggers and stressors that may lead to breaches of AVOs.
  • It will link young people and their families and significant support networks with mentors who will support them in finding strategies to reduce the likelihood of AVO breaches. The participants will practise these through experiential learning activities.
  • The Boost program is a safe place where young people will feel supported by their mentor to make meaningful changes in their behaviour and their relationships. 
  • In the spirit of piloting, ACSO will continue to collaborate with NSW Police and Youth Justice, NSW Children’s Courts and other relevant stakeholders to build cohesion between ACSO and these government services.
  • 6 mentors and one program facilitator supported by the program manager will work intensively (up to 15 hours per week) with individuals at high risk of breaching an AVO.

ABOUT WIL AT UOW

Employers can find out more about hosting UOW students and accessing employer services via UOW Careers Central.

Media Contacts for this article

UOW Media Office

You may also be interested in

Australia Day awards and honours for academics and community members
New scholarship aims to grow Indigenous education pathways
Dragons Community and High Performance Centre update
Services & Help
  • Current students
  • Library
  • Information technology
  • Accommodation
  • Security & safety
  • Pool, gym & retail
News, Media & Events
  • Media Centre
  • The Stand
  • Alumni Magazine
  • Research news
  • Events
  • Find an expert
Faculties
  • Arts, Social Sciences & Humanities
  • Business & Law
  • Engineering & Information Sciences
  • Science, Medicine & Health
Administration
  • Graduation
  • Environment
  • Policy directory
  • Learning and teaching
  • Financial Services
  • Access to information
  • Jobs
UOW Entities
  • Innovation Campus
  • UOW College Australia
  • UOW College Hong Kong
  • UOW in Dubai
  • UOW Global Enterprises
  • UOW Malaysia KDU
  • UOW Pulse
Connect with us
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Conversation
  • Contact us
  • Feedback
  • Give to UOW

Northfields Ave Wollongong,  NSW 2522  Australia 
Phone: 1300 367 869 
International: +61 2 4221 3218 
Switchboard: +61 2 4221 3555

  • NUW Alliance: Smarter Solutions for NSW
  • University Global Partnership Network (UGPN)
  • Reconciliation Australia
  • AWEI LGBTQ inclusion awards logo

Aboriginal flag Torres Strait Islander flag

On the lands that we study, we walk, and we live, we acknowledge and respect the traditional custodians and cultural knowledge holders of these lands.

Copyright © 2023 University of Wollongong
CRICOS Provider No: 00102E | TEQSA Provider ID: PRV12062 | ABN: 61 060 567 686
Copyright & disclaimer | Privacy & cookie usage | Web Accessibility Statement

Close