Katherine Danylak, Senior Sergeant Robbie Adams, Tracie Alborough, Dr Janet Ruffles
The Embedded Youth Outreach Program (EYOP) at Victoria Police demonstrates a unique approach aimed at reducing youth offending and improving outcomes for young people who come to the attention of police. As a mobile response EYOP is both agile and flexible, providing young offenders and victims an opportunity to be linked with support services aligned to their needs. Engagement with EYOP is initiated upon police contact, before criminological and vulnerability risk factors escalate to further offences or serious crimes.
The presentation highlights the key elements of the EYOP service operating model and focuses on new ways of working and addresses the issue of roles and responsibilities when delivering services in collaboration with an agency from the not-for-profit sector.
The Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science (CFBS), Swinburne University has been engaged to provide independent evaluation services to the EYOP. The presentation covers the evaluation of the EYOP – the focus of the current rolling evaluation and the findings of the evaluation conducted earlier during the pilot period.
Biography:
Katherine currently manages the Embedded Youth Outreach Program (EYOP), a unique program where police members work with youth workers to deliver joint after-hours services aimed at addressing the root causes of offending and interrupting the offending pathway.
Previously, Katherine has worked in the health and education sectors on the design and delivery of cross sector partnerships with a focus on reducing disadvantage. Prior to working with Victoria Police, Katherine was the Social Participation Manager at AMES Australia.
Katherine holds a Master’s in Education and a Master’s in Public Policy and Management.
Outside of her work commitments, Katherine is on the Board of the Australian Ukrainian non-government peak body where she chairs a national sub-committee.
Senior Sergeant Robbie Adams is currently the OIC of Westgate Proactive Policing Unit working out of the Werribee Police Complex and servicing a diverse community of approximately 500,00 within the North West Metro, Division 2. Robbie has always had a significant interest in working with young people throughout his 32 year career, from facilitating the Victoria Police Youth Cadet program as a constable in the early 90’s through to his current involvement in the Embedded Youth Outreach Program.
Robbie has predominantly been operational since graduating from the Victoria Police Academy in 1990, working at various Metro, Regional and Coastal Police Stations and has performed duties at a number of Tasking Units. Promoted to Senior Sergeant at NWMetro ND2 T&C, supervising the Planning, Tasking and Intelligence units he later moved to the Westgate PPU OIC position where he has continued his passion in working with youth.
Tracie is currently Team Leader for the EYOP program in Melbourne’s West, working directly with young people alongside Victoria Police and supporting staff to do the same.
Tracie has over 25 years working in the community and human services sectors. Tracie has a lived experience similar to many of the young people she works with on a daily basis and this continues to drive her passion for the work.
Tracie has been a strong advocate for young people, working for better outcomes for their future. Through her advocacy she has ensured that the voice of children and young people has been represented at local, state and international levels.
Tracie holds a Bachelor of Psychological Science, Graduate Diploma in Adolescent Health and Welfare and a Graduate Certificate in Developmental Trauma.
Dr Janet Ruffles, DPsych (Clin- Forensic), BA (Hons)/LLB (Hons) is a Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science, Swinburne University of Technology. She has experience in various aspects of the forensic mental health and correctional sectors, having worked as a forensic psychologist in both inpatient and community forensic mental health settings, a Corporate Lawyer at the Victorian Institute of Forensic Mental Health, and a Mental Health Case Investigator with the Coroners Court of Victoria. She has experience in qualitative and quantitative research and policy review and has collaborated on numerous service evaluations in the areas of forensic mental health, forensic disability, youth mental health, and youth sexual violence and abuse, contributing research and project management skills, as well as legal expertise.