16/10/2023 - Australasian Youth Justice Acknowledgement Day - Department of Human Services

Today (16 October) we celebrate the inaugural Australasian Youth Justice Acknowledgment Day, an official day of recognition of the incredible work and dedication of youth justice workers across Australia and New Zealand.

Youth justice is a challenging and demanding profession, but also an incredibly rewarding one, where staff go above and beyond to promote rehabilitation and positive outcomes for young people while helping to maintain safety in the community.

Under the theme of ‘Quality Connections: People, Practice and Purpose’, Australasian Youth Justice Acknowledgement Day focuses on the importance of strengthening the connections between our youth justice workforce, children and young people in contact with the youth justice system, and our partners and stakeholders.

In this segment, we hear from Mellanie Fernandez, Director - Communities & Justice | Youth Justice Services, Department of Human Services: Mellanie has extensive experience as a senior manager and executive involved in service delivery and reform within the UK and here in Australia. Josh Craig, Onboarding and Development Supervisor | Youth Justice Services, Department of Human Services. Josh has worked in Youth Justice for almost 15 years, having worked at the Magill Training Centre, Cavan Training Centre & currently working within Kurlana Tapa Youth Justice Centre (previously known as the Adelaide Youth Training Centre).