At risk youth

The Herald reports:

The Government will fund 15,000 idle Auckland youngsters who could get up to mischief in the school holidays to go on one-week programmes this summer.

It will also fund up to 200 places for 10-day adventure camps that can be ordered by the Youth Court or a family group conference.

The plans are part of a suite of programmes announced by Prime Minister John Key yesterday in what he termed “a great mission” to ensure the potential of the next generation is released.

Chief Youth Court Judge Andrew Becroft was later effusive in his praise of the Prime Minister’s move. “It is a clear signal that the Government means business to work with at-risk young people across the board.”

Some programmes announced yesterday are aimed at children from deprived homes, some at minor offenders and some at serious youth offenders.

I suspect the Government doesn’t mind this Judge’s comments on Government policy 🙂