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A STORY WITH IMPACT

What impact can one man and his dog jumping team have on the lives of young people doing it tough in the bush? A profound one, Catherine Scott tells Wendy Williams, as part of a series profiling powerful documentaries in partnership with Documentary Australia Foundation.

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BERNIE NSW LOCAL HERO

We’re thrilled to tell you that CEO and founder of BackTrack Youth Works, Bernie Shakeshaft has won the 2020 NSW Local Hero Award. 

The story behind Bernie’s nomination for Australian of the Year is a beautiful testament to the power of the film!

A passionate teacher and educator working within an NSW Correctional Facility was so moved by the Backtrack Boys film that she screened the documentary to the inmates she teaches.

The response was overwhelming. The inmates first wrote personal letters to Bernie about what it would have meant for them to be part of a program like BackTrack when they were younger. They were so impacted that they also asked their teacher to help them to nominate Bernie for Australian of the Year.

One inmate wrote “There is more to life than jail, the film inspired me to help younger Aboriginal people in my community. There is more to life than drugs or alcohol or domestic violence.”  

Their teacher who believes strongly in the power of screening the film added, “The thing that stuck out for me was they thought it was beautiful to see that there are people out there who believe in their skills and abilities. This movie gave them hope and I often wonder what their lives would be like if they had access to the BackTrack program in their younger years.” 

We are pleased to tell you that the inmates their educator played a part in the BackTrack’s founder CEO Bernie Shakeshaft receiving the NSW Local Hero Award.

Backtrack Boys hopes to continue the program to screen the film within Juvenile Detention Centres in Australia in the coming months.

If you work in Juvenile Justice please email info@backtrackboys.com.au if you would like to be part of the screening program.

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INSPIRING A NEW BACKTRACK PROGRAM 

With Australian-wide community screenings are continuing to take place and with the recent national TV broadcast of Backtrack Boys on SBS – the film has generated huge interest with over 120 communities and towns expressing a desire in starting BackTrack style programs!

A new youth program called RuffTrack HAS operated a 12-week pilot program in NSW’s Hawkesbury/Bankstown area and is was so successful it is now set to continue for a further year. RuffTrack, like BackTrack, aims to connect disengaged youth with their community and to collaborate with local police to make real change in young people’s lives.

RuffTrack came about after Backtrack Boys was screened by a local organisation, Hawkesbury Helping Hands. Local youth police officer Belinda Flynn, and (farmer) Dave Graham, in collaboration with local police, businesses and schools attended the event and the community were inspired to create this new youth program. This is what can happen when a “whole of community” approach is taken!

BackTrack Youth Works are now helping to mentor RuffTrack and we are proud to say our Backtrack Boy Zac is working for BackTrack Youth Works (Zac is currently completing his Cert in Community Services) and he is now mentoring the team in the Hawkesbury and showing them the ropes (or the dog leads!)

Host a screening of the film and start a discussion in your community about helping your young people! CLICK TO HOST PAGE

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BACKTRACK BOYS HELPS PROFESSIONAL LEARNING

BackTrack have been honoured to be part of this year’s NSW Dept of Communities and Justice Practice Conference. Child protection practitioners and leaders were given the opportunity to watch and learn from the Backtrack Boys documentary and hear from CEO Bernie Shakeshaft and two of the successful young people that have been through the BackTrack program. Facilitated by senior practitioner Kate Alexander, the keynote session was positively received by over 500 child protection workers and streamed live around the state to over 130 locations.

The screening and discussion helped deepen their knowledge and skills on how to connect with young people who are experiencing challenges and about the enormous power of love, acceptance and belonging that the BackTrack program has successfully been built upon. Backtrack Boys documentary is a powerful way to reach educators and professionals and promote discussion and learning in their practice.

If you are a teacher, youth worker, child protection worker or work in juvenile justice or education please email info@backtrackboys.com.au if you would like to register your interest in a educational and professional screening toolkit.

EDUCATIONAL & PROFESSIONAL LEARNING TOOLS

We are developing educational tools to accompany “Backtrack Boys”.
We would like the documentary to be used in schools, TAFEs, Uni’s and also for anyone working with young people such as youth workers, police, juvenile justice and community services.

Please email to register your interest info@backtrackboys.com