ABORIGINAL CORPORATION TO PROVIDE YOUTH INTERVENTION PROGRAM IN KARRATHA

BY GERARD MAZZA AND ELIZA KLOSER

State government with Robe River Kuruma Aboriginal Corporation at the Target 120 announcement. Credit: Eliza Kloser

In Karratha, the state government has appointed a local Aboriginal corporation to deliver a program to steer at-risk youth away from the criminal justice system.

Robe River Kuruma Aboriginal Corporation (RRKAC) will deliver Target 120, an early intervention program that works directly with young people and their families.

Target 120 has been implemented at various sites across WA, with nearly half of all participants having no further contact with police, according to the state government.

The $31.5 million program was announced as part of Labor’s election campaign in 2017 and was first rolled out in Perth and regional areas including Kununurra.

Last year, the government committed $11 million to expand the project to nine additional areas, including Karratha.

RRKAC Community and Economic Development Manager Tom Murphy said the organisation was looking forward to providing the service.

‘‘In our strategic plan, we talk a lot about working with Robe River Kuruma youth, and more broadly all Aboriginal young people,’’ he said.

“I think it’s important work. It’s challenging work at times, but I think we’ve got a really great platform now to really change some lives.”

He said about ten young people and their families had been identified as candidates for Target 120 in Karratha.

Minister for Community Services Sabine Winton said Karratha was the 15th Target 120 site, with the program yet to be rolled out in Carnarvon, Derby, Halls Creek, Fitzroy Crossing, and Newman.

“Similar processes are at work at the moment, in terms of finalising the procurement,” she said.

“For some people, it’s a bit frustrating, but it’s actually important that the work gets done properly, because we don’t really want external service providers.

“We want these programs, these early intervention programs, to be run by local people.

“That’s complex and it takes time to get the right people in place.”

RRKAC is a native title body with rights to an area of 16, 000 square kilometres in the Pilbara.