Safe hangouts for young people offer right support at the right time

Every day after school the Sanderson Middle School turns into a safe hangout for young people aged 10 -17, which we call the SHAK. For some of the regulars the SHAK is a place to have fun, for others it’s a place to have a meal, and for many it’s a safe place to talk about tough topics with adults they trust.

“We bring young people together, show them how to respond to difficult situations, prepare them for adult life and the next stages in their own development and education” said Jamie, a youth worker at the SHAK.

The model of the SHAK isn’t new, they exist all over Australia and all over the world and they are proven to work. The problem is, there just isn’t enough of them, and this is particularly so for the NT where we have a young population. “We don’t need one SHAK in Darwin, we need five”, said the Anglicare NT CEO Craig Kelly when asked about funding meeting demand.

The SHAK is a prevention program

One thing everyone can agree on when it comes to crime, is prevention – stopping it from happening in the first place. All the research says if we can steer young people away from crime before they come into contact with the police and the justice system, the outcome is better for the whole community. The SHAK is a prevention/early intervention program because it offers an alternative point of view for young people.

“The SHAK is a really valuable service as it provides vulnerable young people with access to their basic needs, like nourishing food and a safe space” said SHAK worker Fiona. “Young people also build healthy relationships with trained youth workers who listen to them, advocate for them, provide meaningful support to them and, most importantly, facilitate a safe space where they can have fun.”

Referrals and connections are an important part of the process

Boab leads the SHAK, and has great deal of pride in how well the SHAK is connected with other services for young people in the NT.

“If SHAK kids aren’t attending school, the school will let us know and we can find out why. The same goes for other youth programs offered by Anglicare NT, we can refer them across to programs that can help with their specific problems. Often kids don’t know what support is available to them. We help connect them.”