A two day conference is underway in Papakura in Auckland. The aim is to bring together practitioners and researchers in the youth justice space to analyse, reflect on, and share what best practice should or could actually look like ensuring the best possible outcomes for our rangatahi.
The Youth Justice Conference held at the Blue Light Youth Centre is proudly hosted by Judge Ida Malosi, Principal Youth Court Judge.
Attendees from the New Zealand Police, Oranga Tamariki, and various youth organisations will engage with expert speakers from The Cause Collective, the University of Auckland, Talking Trouble, Xabilities, Brainwave Trust, VOYCE Whakarongomai, and more. The event will also feature insights from the Chief Children’s Commissioner and powerful community-led presentations.
Brendon Crompton, CEO of Blue Light, emphasised the importance of this event, stating, “This conference will bring together practitioners and researchers in the youth justice space to analyse, reflect on, and share what best practice should or could actually look like—ensuring the best possible outcomes for our rangatahi.”
Her Honour Judge Ida Malosi also shared her thoughts on the significance of the conference, saying, ‘It has been decades since a conference of this type has taken place and it is well over-due’. She strongly encouraged the conference delegates to not give up the challenge of working with some of New Zealand’s most at-risk youth to be innovative in their practice and to use learnings of the past to make improvements to the service they deliver to Tamariki and rangatahi today.
Blue Light originally began in Australia as a community policing initiative and remains strong in all states. As well as in New Zealand, it is now active in the Solomon Islands, East Timor, Cook Islands, and Scotland.
The conference concludes today.
