ID pilot removes barriers for young people leaving custody
Young people leaving custody will face fewer barriers to rebuilding their lives, with a new initiative ensuring they have valid identification before re-entering the community.
The ID trial is a collaboration between Service NSW and Youth Justice NSW to provide eligible young people with the opportunity to receive a NSW Photo Card or learner licence before they are released from a Youth Justice Centre.
For young people, having identification is a first step towards independence and accessing government services including housing, employment and education – crucial for rebuilding their lives after custody.
The Service NSW Mobile Service Centre team visited Frank Baxter Youth Justice Centre at Kariong to help eligible 16–21-year-olds complete their application for a photo card, supporting more than 30 young people. Some eligible young people have also been assisted with applying for their learner licence.
Service NSW and Youth Justice NSW will assess the pilot’s impact to see if this service is viable to become a regular initiative and if it can be expanded to other youth justice centres.
As part of a separate pilot program, people attending Youth Koori Court at Parramatta can receive information on NSW government transactions with a Service NSW team member available on the ground at the court on select sitting days.
Here young people can receive advice on services including booking an appointment at their local Service NSW Centre, how to attain identification, set up a MyServiceNSW account to transact digitally or apply for cost-of-living support where eligible.
Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government and Youth Justice, Jihad Dib said:
“When young people leave custody they can face obstacles that prevent them from turning their lives around, including something as basic as not having a valid ID.
“Without an ID it’s harder to get a job, secure housing, enrol in education or access government services – and that’s a barrier we’re removing with this initiative.
“By ensuring these young people have the necessary identification before released, we’re giving them a stronger foundation for a fresh start and improve their chances of rehabilitation.”
Managing Director for Service NSW Greg Wells:
“Service NSW is committed to making government services more accessible for all people, and this program is an important step in removing barriers for vulnerable young people.
“Our dedicated staff attend the Youth Justice Centre to help young people process their NSW Photo Card applications and their cards are organised for them to collect when they are released.
“At the Youth Koori Court, we are there in-person to answer any questions people may have and this helps ensure equal access to government information for all our customers, regardless of their ability or environment.”