Project Booyah

Project Booyah represents an integrated program embracing a community inclusive approach which is delivering real change for young people at risk in Queensland. This is achieved by promoting seamless service delivery across whole government and establishing effective strategic and operational partnerships with private enterprises which hold a capacity to extend and sustain change for these young people. Aligned with evidence based best practice, our aspiration is to holistically address a young person’s disengagement from their family, their community and education to ultimately reduce and prevent their involvement in anti-social behaviour, substance misuse, self-harm and/or crime and the criminal justice system. In order to achieve this Project Booyah incorporates adventure based learning principles, social and skill development training, community interventions, mentoring, case management, education and vocational scholarships to support young people and their families to build careers and vocational pathways as well as bridging their disconnect with society.

Whilst the Queensland Police Service (QPS) assumes coordinating agency, each program relies on the partnerships with government, public and private sector organisations to achieve real change in a young person’s life. QPS conduct the whole government program in partnership with Queensland Police-Citizens Youth Welfare Association, Department of Justice and Attorney-General, The Department of Education and Training, TAFE Queensland and Queensland Health. All participating agencies share responsibility for assisting young people throughout the program and beyond and this multifaceted approach has been recognised as best practice. Importantly all aspects of the Project Booyah framework are evidence based and linked to published research and best practice models.