About Us
About the YACCA Program
We estimate that each year Youth and Community Combined Action (YACCA) services work with at least 2,000 young people ages 10-17 years who are at-risk of becoming involved with the youth justice system. Many YACCA Service clients are from Murri or Islander backgrounds - communities over-represented in the youth justice system. Many others are experiencing difficulty with their schooling and may have been suspended or even excluded from schools in their community.
YACCA was formed as a youth crime prevention program by the Queensland Government in 1992. It was rolled out in twenty communities - almost the same locations from which the program operates today.
The target areas for the programs are
Beenleigh
Brisbane
Bundaberg
Cairns
Cherbourg/Murgon
Deception Bay
Goodna
Inala
Logan
Mackay
Maroochydore
Mt Isa
Nerang
Palm Island
Rockhampton
Redcliffe
Thuringowa
Toowoomba
Wynnum/Redlands
Zillmere
There are many different perspectives on crime prevention. Within the YACCA Network (YACCAN), the dominant perspective is that crime prevention is about creating alternative ways of dealing with crime other than through the justice system. In other words, it's about keeping young people out of the criminal justice system.
In our eighteen years of operation, there have been great successes, programs that have established new ways of working and new models of operation as well as the ups and downs of any substantial group of like services operating in different communities. A number of services or programs established by YACCA have received awards or been celebrated by governments or the community. Most services leverage their core funding from the Queensland Government's Office For Youth by attracting funding support from all levels of government, philanthropic trusts, corporations, individuals and local service organisations.
The YACCA Program offers services and youth workers great flexibility in the way that they engage with young people. The descriptions of services on this site describe a huge range of activities employed to engage young people in development programs. Crime prevention outcomes derive from the life skills, vocational and social skills learned by participants and the connection with their community that they gain during the course of their journey with YACCA.
At the heart of YACCA lies the relationship between youth workers and the young people that participate in our programs. It is a relationship of trust, nurtured and based on attending to individual needs. From that base, YACCA services have built a huge network of supportive relationships with their communities, including local and state government agencies, schools, health services, businesses, politicians, service organisations, statewide youth organisations, police and many more.
The story of YACCA is the story of a group of youth workers determined - over a long period of time - that young people in Queensland should benefit from the realisation of the potential of this extraordinary program.
About YACCAN
YACCAN is the network of YACCA funded services in Queensland. It aims to provide a central point for information sharing, professional development and learning relating to crime prevention and young people. YACCAN aims to establish and maintain high quality and collaborative relationships with government and other relevant agencies on a broader level.
YACCAN provides support to all members through the provision of information, induction on all aspects of YACCA work, training and professional development, and a forum for peer support and information sharing.
Contact Us
YACCAN is auspiced by Inala YACCA through Inala Youth Service
You can contact YACCAN through Impact Youth Projects as follows:
Phone: (07) 3849 8284
Fax: (07) 3849 8285
Email: admin@impactyouthprojects.net.au
Beenleigh YACCA
Phone: (07) 3807 7988
Bundaberg YACCA
Phone: (07) 4132 8225
Goodna YACCA
Phone: (07) 3818 3118
Logan YACCA
Phone: (07) 3826 1500
Nerang YACCA
Phone: (07) 5578 2457
Rockhampton YACCA
Phone: (07) 4921 2000
Townsville YACCA
Phone: (07) 4775 9150
Wynnum/Redlands YACCA
Phone:(07) 3393 4176
Zillmere YACCA
Phone: (07) 3865 2880