Page 17 - AYC Annual Report 2017 - 2018
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life skills, psycho-educational programs and pathways to future opportunities. Our facility is an ideal facility for this program
              as it provides break out space for activities, both structured and unstructured. The partnership also forms ongoing support
              relationships for youth at the Centre once the program is concluded.

               Thank you to Cumberland Multicultural Community Services for bringing the project to AYC.



                 Working Development Orders (WDO) Program
              AYC’s WDO program has continued to grow considerably. This year our program was recognised in an edition of ‘WDO News’, a
              publication developed by Legal Aid NSW, NSW Justice, NSW Office of State Revenue and Aboriginal Legal Service NSW.  This
              article indicated AYC assisted clients to remove $143, 879.24 in fine debt since 2012.

              Our  WDO  program  offers  young  people  the  opportunity  to  participate  in  mentoring,  psycho-education,  counselling  or  skill-
              based programs as a method of paying off their fines. The program works on a per hour basis and can be used by people who
              are either experiencing acute financial hardship, homelessness or have mental health or drug and alcohol related issues.

              This year AYC has seen most of the fines for driving related offences. Not displaying L/P plates as one the most common. We
              have also noticed that parking related offences are on the rise and for the first time in 3 years there have been a number of fines
              related to littering from vehicles.

               In 2017/18 we registered 116 young people into the program, 39 are currently active and receiving support to pay off their fines.
              Our program has a strong negotiated accountability component that includes the activity, the schedule for completing the
              program and a condition about not receiving another fine for the same infringement.  If a person fails to meet the criteria outlined
              on three occasions they are called to a meeting where they are informed they will be removed from the project. At this time they
              are provided alternate options to make recompense for their fines.


              The WDO program is also way of engaging young people who often wouldn’t seek support. Through the program AYC had
              the opportunity to work with a young person who presented with fines totalling approximately $1500.  Whilst participating in a
              mentoring program this young person disclosed having mental health issues and wanting to get help. They had a diagnosed
              issue however pressures from the family and other cultural pressures meant that they had stopped taking medication. AYC was
              able to alleviate the stresses related to the fine and the consequences of not making payment. Through Counselling the young
              person was supported to address the issues of their mental health in the context of their family and culture.  They remain an
              active participant in the Centre.


              Having an outstanding debt to Revenue NSW, can cause one to not be able to conduct any business with RMS. This means
              the suspension of drivers licence and or the suspension of motor vehicle registration. There is also a very real possibility that
              Revenue NSW will place a garnishee order on the persons bank account. The stress for those unable to pay fines is real and can
              be very destabilising.

              We thank Revenue NSW for allowing us to support our community through this project.


              Gokhan Singec
              Youth Worker












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