The Youth in Emergency Services (YES) program at Banksia Hill Detention Centre was highly commended in the government category of 2022 Resilient Australia Awards announced today.
The popular program is jointly run by the Department of Justice and the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) and offers young people an opportunity to learn a variety of emergency services skills and community values.
In an Australian first, YES was introduced at Banksia Hill in April 2019 as a way of encouraging vulnerable young people in custody to engage in activities which benefit the community. It also highlights the value of emergency services volunteers and fosters teamwork and communication.
About 100 detainees have participated across 13 courses, run by Banksia Hill staff alongside DFES staff and volunteers. In the next few weeks, a cohort of girls detained at Banksia Hill is set to undertake the six-week YES course for the first time.
Acting Corrective Services Commissioner Christine Ginbey said that some young people in custody had not had much contact with vocational training and formal education previously.
“At the same time as providing practical learning exposure, the YES program gives young detainees an insight into the importance of emergency services to the community,” Ms Ginbey said.
“It may spur them to pursue further training opportunities in the emergency services or other sectors after they leave Banksia Hill which in turn have the potential to improve their employment prospects.”
Banksia Hill Superintendent Wade Reid said the program endeavoured to increase young offenders’ awareness of volunteering and how to respond to an emergency.
“The YES program helps them gain an understanding and appreciation of emergency services as they develop hands-on, first-responder skills,” Superintendent Reid said.
“It also aims to create a pathway for participants into the emergency services, be it as a volunteer or in a career role.”
In the most recently completed YES program, young offenders tackled a simulated emergency involving a car which had slammed into a tree, and affiliated hazards such as a scrub fire.
“I liked learning how to do first aid, putting out fires and pulling out the person that was trapped in the car,” one of the trainee detainees said.
Another said: “I liked learning how to save someone’s life and how to put out a fire.”
The YES program’s success has sparked keen interest from other Australian states, with a detention centre in Queensland looking to replicate the program.
