Nationals Member for Northern Tablelands, Brendan Moylan, is pleased to announce a $120,000 funding injection for BackTrack to continue their Night Crew program.
Night Crew is an outreach program which operates between 8pm and 7am to engage young people at risk.
It came about when youth workers from BackTrack sought a solution to an increase in vehicle thefts around Armidale in early 2025.
BackTrack approach Mr Moylan for funding for the program to undergo a12-week trial earlier this year.
An estimated $107,000 was secured for the trial and the results speak for themselves.
“The initial trial of BackTrack’s Night Crew program proved an immediate success with a significant reduction in break-ins and vehicle thefts,” Mr Moylan said.
“In the first eight weeks, the Night Crew team engaged with 60 young people on the streets of Armidale with 60 per cent of those under 14.
“There was a 75 per cent reduction in break-ins and reported stolen vehicles during that time.
“It was a no-brainer for me to approach the NSW Government to continue funding the Night Crew program.
“The premier has responded with another $120,000 to continue this homegrown, commonsense program.
“This is a fantastic result for the Armidale region and another great example of what can happen when everyone works together to address a serious community problem.
“I commend BackTrack and their youth workers for implementing this program of which we are now seeing results.”
