THE City of Swan’s Ballajura youth outreach project is a finalist in next month’s WA youth awards.

Nominated for the youth focus sector collaboration award, the Ballajura project focuses on working with young people in schools, parks and community spaces to create pathways to better leadership and participation.

Kids First Australia (KFA) is an integral part of the project and has been embedded in the Ballajura community since 1999.

“Our role has been to provide a safe, welcoming and trusted place for young people who have connected with the outreach team,” said KFA general manager youth and family services WA and SA Daniel Pisani.

“Through our Ballajura youth centre young people can drop in, talk with our youth workers, get support with whatever may be happening in their lives and when needed, access more intensive support or be connected with other services,” Mr Pisani said.

“We also work closely with the outreach team to develop and deliver tailored programs and workshops based on what young people are telling us they need and want.”

Mr Pisani said the youth centre drop-in team was currently made up of two senior youthwork case managers and three youth workers and funded by the City of Swan and an Attorney General criminal property confiscation grant over a two year period.

City of Swan mayor Tanya Richardson said these partnerships helped engage young people who could otherwise miss out on support and ensure they can access the right services at the right time.

“By bringing together young people, community organisations, schools, WA police, local government and youth services we’ve crafted stronger connections and better outcomes for young people,” Mrs Richardson said.

Finalists were named across 10 categories with each category winner receiving both their award and a $1000 prize on the awards night.

The youth awards are on Friday, September 11 at the Pan Pacific Hotel, Perth in partnership with the WA government, Department of Communities and Youth Affairs Council of Western Australia (YACWA), with support from Lotterywest.

Visit YACWA's website for more information.