Cairns Man's Life Savings Fuel Program to Help At-Risk Youth

A Cairns man has dedicated his life savings to helping local young people thrive through his innovative program, Fresh Start Academy. After nearly three decades working with at-risk youth through government departments, Rob Hodge found that there were limitations to the support he could offer.

"It was really tough to be able to provide young people opportunities," he said. "I think it helps contribute to a sort of nihilism in their way of thinking that 'well, I've got nothing to lose'."

A New Approach

Mr. Hodge left his "fairly comfortable government job" to take a risk and build a program from scratch, using his own hands, money, and family. The program offers hands-on skills training in mechanics, with participants learning practical trade skills on the job. Initially, the group offered a barbering course, and now they have added mechanics, with 24 young people attending each semester.

"If we get them early and if we provide a learning space for them that invigorates them, that's the real truth to sustainable diversion," Mr. Hodge said.

Funding and Impact

The program has received $300,000 in funding until January next year through the state government's Kickstarter program. Half of Mr. Hodge's students are kids aged 15-17 who are "disengaged" with school or considered at risk of entering the justice system.

According to the latest Queensland Crime Report, released in June, Far North Queensland had the highest number of serious repeat youth offenders. However, Mr. Hodge believes that purpose and pride create lasting change, rather than punishment.

"We have young people who have been kicked from pillar to post from the time that they were born," he said. "They've grown up knowing that they're the have-nots."

Success Stories

Fresh Start Academy program coordinator and Mr. Hodge's son, Traye, said the program was a "win-win" for community members who donated their cars to get fixed. "It's a full free service by our fully qualified mechanic here, and our young people are getting a chance to really learn hands-on," he said.

Since the first semester, four young people have gone on to apprenticeships, and another four are continuing their studies at TAFE. One participant, 16-year-old Robert Cutmore, joined the program because he struggled in a traditional classroom setting. "It's more of a one-on-one thing for me, hands-on work like here at Fresh Start," he said.

Support from the Community

Youth Advocacy Centre chief executive Katherine Hayes said programs like Mr. Hodge's were "exactly what we should be supporting" to address juvenile crime. "We're dealing with complex human beings here and it's not a conveyor belt of change," she said.

Ms. Hayes emphasized that grassroots, early intervention programs built skills like turning up, accountability, and confidence, which were harder to measure but just as important.