Save the Children is proud to announce Out Teach Mobile Education (“Out Teach”) has received a gold medal from the Australian Institute of Criminology’s Crime and Violence Prevention Awards.
Out Teach is a one-on-one outreach teaching initiative which targets students who are in the justice system and have disengaged from schooling – Save the Children seeks to reconnect them with their educational goals.
Save the Children Tasmanian State Manager Lisa Cuatt said the program had a proven track record for reducing re-offending and getting troubled young lives back on track.
“Across Australia, the rate of re-offending is about 65 per cent, but for kids involved in the Out Teach program in Tasmania, the re-offending rate is under 20 per cent,” Ms Cuatt said.
“The mentoring and support Out Teach provides has been transformational for many young Tasmanians on bail and in transition from detention.
“I am incredible proud Out Teach has been recognised with such a prestigious award.”
Ms Cuatt said many of the young people Out Teach worked with had been disengaged from education for years.
“They have had difficulties engaging with mainstream education and don’t operate well in group settings,” Ms Cuatt said.
“We knew we could help young people to stop reoffending but often when they had made the decision to change their trajectory away from offending, their options were limited because of their low levels of literacy and numeracy.
“We employ a teacher to work with the young people in our youth justice programs, to help them meet their educational and vocational goals. We gained additional funding to purchase a van – and to fit the van out as a mobile classroom.
“We know that young people who are engaged in learning will have better life long outcomes. Out Teach suits young people who struggle in mainstream education, building their confidence as learners.”
The project employs a specialist teacher and uses a mobile classroom in both outdoor and informal settings to work one-on-one with young people.
The Australian Crime and Violence Prevention annual awards recognise the outstanding contributions being made across Australia for crime prevention, including the development and implementation of practical projects to reduce violence and other types of crime in the community.
For more information about Out Teach visit: https://www.savethechildren.org.au/Our-Stories/Wheels-of-change
For interviews, call Jess Brennan on 0421 334 918