Last days to apply for innovative youth crime funding

Associate Justice Minister Chester Borrows is urging community groups with innovative ideas to tackle youth crime in their area to apply now for the Youth Crime Action Plan’s innovation fund.

The new fund, part of the Government’s Youth Crime Action Plan, will provide grants to groups and organisations with new ideas for reducing youth crime.  Applications for the first round of funding close on Friday 14 February.

“There are so many positive, enthusiastic people working with young offenders in our community, it’s great that the Government now has another way to back them to try new things,” says Mr Borrows.

“I understand the Ministry of Justice has already had strong interest in the fund, and I’m encouraging anyone with ideas for how to address youth crime in their area to consider applying.”

The fund is starting with $400,000 to support community-based youth justice initiatives and build community capacity to address youth offending.  Projects will need to be innovative and not eligible for Government funding by more conventional sources.

“In 2014 we want to build on recent successes in youth justice.  Appearances before the youth court are already down 19 per cent since June 2011, to get that down further we need everyone working together to help young offenders back onto the right track,” says Mr Borrows.

Information about the YCAP Innovation Fund and how to apply for grants is available on the Government Electronic Tender Service website at www.gets.govt.nz.  The full Youth Crime Action Plan, as well as supporting documents, is available on www.justice.govt.nz.