PROJECT BOOYAH
PROJECT BOOYAH
We dressed the PROJECT BOOYAH lads for their graduation
Congratulations to the PROJECT BOOYAH lads on their graduation this week. It was a privilege to kit them out in fresh suits so they could celebrate in style.
What is Project Booyah?
Project Booyah provides a 16-week community inclusive police mentoring program, incorporating adventure-based learning, leadership skills, social and skill development training, community intervention, functional literacy/numeracy support and vocational scholarships to support identified disconnected young people regain a sense of their own self-worth, build resilience and enable them to feel a connection with their local community.
Project Booyah selects 10-12 young people for each cohort at various locations around the State, twice a year, aligned with school semesters. Referrals are accepted from government partners or directly from families that believe their loved ones require extra support to make better life choices!
Successful applicants then participate in a Goal Setting Day to begin their 16-week Project Booyah ‘journey’. The 16 weeks is broken into two school terms. Term One & Term Three involves a commitment of two days per week; where the young person completes a vocational education and training course and participates in a nationally accredited program called RESPECT, skill development training, functional literacy and numeracy education, outdoor educational activities (Rite of Passage), mentoring and intensive case management.
A leadership day, adventure-based camp, health, work readiness and a variety of motivational guest speakers add to the Project Booyah experience.
What happens post program?
The 16 week Project Booyah program is not the end of the young persons journey. Police officers and the Youth Support Officers remain constant mentors throughout the program, assisting the young people. Whilst graduation represents the end of the active aspect of the program, the youth support focused approach continues with Framing the Future (FTF), to support the graduates. FTF is the QPS mentoring post program initiative through a tailored case management approach to review and monitor risk and protective factors of Project Booyah graduates and diffuse benefits to other at-risk young people.
Graduation post program
At the end of the program, a graduation day and ceremony are held for participants involving all family members and significant others. The graduation day is significant for both Project Booyah staff, the young people that have participated in the program, as well as parents and carers, because it is a milestone in the young person’s journey, and a beginning for new opportunities. Police officers and Youth Support Officers remain constant mentors throughout the program, assisting the young people. Whilst graduation represents the end of the formalised aspect of the program, the youth support focused approach continues with Framing the Future (FTF).
We are so lucky to be a part of such a great program and that we were part of their Project Booyah journey. Keiran Horsfall, Senior Constable kindly shared a few words with us, “I would like to sincerely thank the staff at Canelands Central for their efforts yesterday. They were so polite and helpful. The lads felt very comfortable and relaxed when choosing their suits for graduation. The staff definitely did the company proud and were such a pleasure to work with,” he said.
“The lads were extremely grateful for their graduation suits and were so excited and happy that they had something they could take home and show everyone. Their confidence has gone through the roof! Project Booyah Mackay thank you from the bottom of our hearts and we hope that you will continue to support us for many years to come.”