Second chance for youngsters

By Shaun Inguanzo
A GRADUATION marked the end of a new beginning for seven young people from across Greater Dandenong, Casey, and Cardinia.
Last Friday’s graduation ceremony for the Victoria Police-run Operation Newstart went smoothly.
But the real success was how dedicated members of Victoria Police turned around the lives of seven young people who had been failing to attend school.
Teachers and peers had labelled the youths “at-risk” of a bad future.
But with operation Newstart’s intervention, each young person can now look forward to a bright future.
The program is an eight-week, four-day-a-week course involving three camps, and a range of self-confidence building activities.
Senior Constable Brett Hore worked with the youths and described the group as “the best yet”.
“I’ve helped young people for three years and this group really pulled together,” he said.
Sen Const Hore said Operation Newstart’s south east region had taken 12 groups and 96 students over three years.
“They went to school on Mondays and then to us between Tuesday and Friday,” he said.
The project is based at Cleeland Secondary College but this term’s intake included students from Fountain Gate, Endeavour Hills, Dandenong, and Pakenham.
The graduation was held at Keysborough’s Southern Golf Club with friends, family and senior police officers in attendance, as well as Narre Warren North MP Luke Donnellan.