NSW urged to fund early intervention services
Streetwork will appear before the NSW Select Committee on Youth Justice on Friday 26 June 2026 to press for recurrent funding for early intervention and prevention services. The charity says NSW needs a funding mechanism to scale programmes that help young people avoid, or move away from, contact with the justice system.
Streetwork CEO Helen Banu OAM and youth caseworker Willie Bishop will give evidence alongside other early intervention organisations. The group says young people do better when trusted, practical and relationship-based support starts before a crisis grows.
Streetwork’s most recent independent Social Impact Report found that 91% of young people who came to the service with crime-related challenges did not reoffend after joining the Kickstart Mentoring programme. The report also found a 10% improvement in overall wellbeing.
programme results
“We do not need to start from scratch,” Helen Banu OAM said. “The models already exist with early intervention and diversion programmes being run by organisations like Streetwork, we just aren’t funded by government to do it.”
According to the Huber Social Impact Report, Kickstart participants recorded a 14% increase in their ability to find, apply for and secure employment. The same report found a 12% increase in understanding education and employment options, an 11% increase in feeling connected to community, a 9% increase in confidence, a 9% increase in pride in what they can accomplish, and an 8% reduction in feelings of anxiety.
“Young people do not enter the justice system because of one isolated issue,” Ms Banu said. “We see young people dealing with overlapping challenges, trauma, school disengagement, housing instability, mental health concerns, family stress and exposure to violence. If those needs are not addressed early, they can escalate into justice system involvement.”
Kickstart provides one-on-one support for vulnerable young people aged 12 to 18 through outreach, mentoring and advocacy at the point of police contact. Youth caseworkers build trust with young people, help them set goals, reconnect them with education and services, and support practical steps toward stability.
Streetwork also compared its results with outcomes for young people leaving incarceration. 91% of Kickstart participants with crime-related challenges did not reoffend, compared with 37.5% for those leaving incarceration.
“Early intervention is good for the kids, but it is also by far the best way to prevent crime before it happens,” Ms Banu said. She added that most impact-geared philanthropic funding is already invested in this area.
Meanwhile, Streetwork says current funding is short-term and fragmented. The NSW Select Committee on Youth Justice is hearing evidence on Friday 26 June 2026 as early intervention groups argue for a recurrent funding model.
Last updated: 29 June 2026, 11:45 am
