Cardinia’s youth resource officers Senior
By Sarah Schwager
CARDINIA’S Police In Schools officers have taken on a new role to help ‘at risk’ youth who are not attending school.
Senior Constables Helen McLauchlan, Lisa McConnell and Sharon Patterson took on the role as Cardinia’s youth resource officers earlier this year.
The positions have replaced the Police In Schools program in which uniform police visited schools across Victoria aiming to enhance the relationship between the youth and police.
Sen Const McLauchlan said they would continue to visit schools, but would now also focus on children who did not attend school.
“If there are any issues with youth that other police members might have, we’ll help,” she said.
Sen Const Patterson said the role was proactive.
“We are trying to go out there and deal with youth in a positive way,” she said.
The program will deal with young people aged up to 24 years, and also focus on children under 15 who were not attending school.
For children aged 15 to 18, there are learning courses outside the school system, such as VCAL, but for the younger kids, there are no alternatives.
“There are kids as young as nine, 10 and 11 who have nowhere to go and are disconnecting from their community,” Sen Const McLauchlan said.
Sen Const McConnell said youth had other problems to deal with outside of school.
“Sometimes the problems stem from domestic violence or home problems,” she said.
“We try to redirect them if they are falling foul of the law or engaging in antisocial behaviour.”
The youth resource officers will network with other youth agencies to create a community policing approach.
Sen Const McLauchlan said having such a long involvement in the Police In Schools program meant they were well equipped to take on the role.
Sen Const McLauchlan is the most junior with 16 years experience, Sen Const McConnell has 18 and Sen Const Patterson has 20.
The three officers also have nine children between them.
Sen Const McLauchlan said they hoped to get an alternative education program up and running in Pakenham for the younger children.
Other initiatives will include a volleyball competition, ropes course and horseriding and other activities to help get the police more involved with youth.
