Tuesday, 20 June 2023

 Steve McGHIE (Melton) (13:18): A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to represent Minister Carbines at the Paramount Chief Kuol Adol Foundation’s graduation ceremony, where I met Alor Deng, Casey Hodges and their team along with all the youth involved in the program. The PCKAF provide the South Sudanese community a mentor program for young people at risk across the west, including in Melton. Twenty-five per cent of young Sudanese–Australian offenders in custody have a sibling with past or present involvement in criminal activity. PCKAF aims to break this chain of criminal activity involvement by engaging with younger siblings of offenders. The foundation speaks directly with members of South Sudanese youth who have incarcerated older siblings. Peer pressure, fear and violence are all factors for offending and recruitment into criminal activity for younger family members. The pattern of reoffending of Victorian South Sudanese youth has become increasingly normalised, especially in the west. It is crucial for foundations like PCKAF to continue its key work in breaking the cycle and re-engaging with the youth of Melton. The mentor program provided by PCKAF supports youths transitioning into positive adulthood and builds an understanding of risk factors and resilience. Increased connection with positive role models aids in re-establishing engagement. The foundation has successfully completed two mentor programs engaging over 30 young people. The significance of this program will be felt by its participants for many years to come, and it is a foundation I am very proud to have in the Melton community. The Andrews Labor government is committed to crime prevention, with $300,000 of funding for PCKAF.