Reporting and evaluation
Youth on Track is assessed against specific criteria to measure its impact on the community. Learn how the program is being evaluated and understand how it's helping young people.
Reporting
Youth on Track has specific continuous reporting guidelines to help ensure it’s providing appropriate services to young people. These reports are completed by the Youth on Track Unit and Youth on Track service providers.
Some of these reports include:
the Quarterly Key Performance Indicators Report
client exit reports
service provider update reports
annual service provider quality assurance self-assessments
complaints and feedback register
risk register of all serious or repetitive risks
weekly updates of changes to a young person’s circumstances
participant feedback survey completed by a young person and their family.
Evaluation
Youth on Track is continually being evaluated by government and non-government stakeholders. This ensures the program is providing the most appropriate services to young people and understands what can be improved. Current and previous evaluations are listed below.
Cultural and Indigenous Research Centre Australia (CIRCA) report
In 2017, Youth Justice NSW worked with the Cultural and Indigenous Research Centre Australia (CIRCA) to measure the social outcomes achieved through Youth on Track
The report found that the program is helping to change the attitudes and behaviours of young people by focusing on the services they need.
To view the report see, Social outcomes evaluation report –2017.
Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) outcome evaluation
In 2022, BOCSAR delivered the Youth on Track outcome evaluation measuring the program’s effectiveness across a range of justice and wellbeing domains. The evaluation, designed as a randomised controlled trial, provided valuable insights into the program’s impact and identified opportunities to adjust service delivery.
BOCSAR process evaluation
In 2019 BOCSAR delivered the Youth on Track process evaluation to determine whether the Youth on Track randomised controlled trial is being implemented as intended and whether there are any unexpected consequences of the trial.
To view the report, see Randomised controlled trial process evaluation - 2019.
How the program is performing
In 2021, Youth on Track released a snapshot of how the program works to help young people. This snapshot is taken from the 7 sites where the program is offered.
To view the full report, see Youth on Track 2021 snapshot.
Risks and needs
The 2021 Snapshot assessed if a young person’s re-offending risk and need had reduced. It reviews if a young person’s participation in school and work has improved. It also assesses if there has been an improvement in family relationships.
The report found:
62% of participants reduced their risk of re-offending after 3 months in the program.
79% of participants reduced their risk of re-offending after 6 months in the program.
100% of participants reduced their risk of re-offending after completing the program.
Police contact
The snapshot assesses how Youth on Track reduces police contact with young people. It found that between 2017 to 2021 contact with police was substantially reduced.
It assesses how often a young person had contact with police when referred to Youth on Track. It then compares this to how often a young person had police contact after completing the program.
Referrals
The snapshot assesses the number of young people referred to Youth on Track and if they were eligible for the program. Due to the lockdown, there weren’t as many participants consenting to the program in 2021.
The report found:
92% of all referrals made were eligible for the program.
79% of eligible referrals were accepted. This was the program’s site capacity.
269 eligible young people consented to participate in the program.