About Youth on Track

What does Youth on Track do?

Youth on Track is an early intervention program that identifies young people aged 10 to 17 who are at risk of long-term involvement in the criminal justice system. 

The program can start after a young person’s first formal contact with police.

This police contact could look like a: 

• caution

• charge (but only where Youth Justice supervision was not involved) 

• Youth Justice Conference. 

Youth on Track works alongside the police and other aspects of the criminal justice system to help a young person make better decisions about their lives. It also partners with Youth on Track service providers who help run the program. 

How Youth on Track works

Youth on Track is a voluntary program, so the young person must consent to be involved.

To be involved in the program, a young person must be referred through either a discretionary or automatic referral and live in a location where Youth on Track operates. 

Youth Justice NSW works in partnership with Youth on Track NGO service providers to deliver the program.

These providers have caseworkers and other support workers that work with young people to help them complete the program. After the referral process, the young person is given a plan to work toward.

This plan involves: 

•  consistent communication with the young person and their family 

• assessing the young person’s risks and needs 

• receiving support from a caseworker 

•  creating achievable goals to prevent future offences.  

For more information on the referral, eligibility and screening process, see How Youth on Track works. 

Youth on Track locations

Youth on Track is currently only offered in these locations: 

• Hunter 

• Blacktown 

• Mid North Coast 

• Central West 

• Coffs 

• Riverina 

• New England. 

For more information on where Youth on Track is offered, see Locations. 

Target group

Youth on Track is a location-specific program that works with young people aged 10 to 17 years. The program is for young people who have received one or more cautions, conferences or charges, and who are likely to re-offend.

Young people in this target group are often exposed to factors that increase their risk of offending.

Some of these factors include: 

• truancy 

• child at-risk reports 

• substance abuse 

• mental health conditions 

• family history of domestic violence 

• school dis-engagement 

• associating with peers involved with police. 

Youth on Track aims to improve these risk factors by providing a young person with a case plan and achievable goals to work toward.