An Aboriginal-led youth program is making a big impact in Western Australia and could be a model for the whole country.

The Old Ways, New Ways program (OWNW) is a voluntary program for young people at risk with demand so strong there's a significant waitlist to join.

The program is delivered by a consortium of community-based organisations: the Aboriginal Legal Service of WA, Wadjak Northside Aboriginal Corporation, Hope Community Services and Stephen Michael Foundation, and supported by Aboriginal Elders and community members.

The consortium started OWNW in October 2024 after they saw a need for a new approach to help Indigenous kids who either had come into contact with the justice system or were at risk of doing so.

Indigenous children are drastically over-represented in the WA justice system.

OWNW Cultural and Youth Coordinator Bruce Loo said "we have the opportunity to break the cycle of our young people entering the justice system and the strength to lift young Aboriginal people and families out of the pit of despair".

"We as Elders have not only a responsibility, we are obligated to ensure the young people learn about their culture. The Old Ways New Ways program brings back culture and the values that Aboriginal people have been missing for a long time. This is the start of change for our young people and their families," he said.

'Something had to change'

Lenny Yarran played a crucial role in the establishment of the program, with its seeds sown during 20 years of work with students at Balga Senior High School before founding Wadjak Northside with his uncle.

"At Wadjak Northside, I have been there for 10 years, we started mentoring kids... We worked with the community to build relationships from the owner of the deli to the police and the principal and the teachers, even to the mayor (of the City of Stirling)," he told National Indigenous Times.

"The concept of Old Ways, News Ways came from identifying (kids at risk) and teaching them about their culture - some of them didn't know. We didn't blame mum and dad... we identified the Stolen Generation and what came with that.

"We had to work together, that was the thing, and the table was set for encouraging conversations and conducive conversations about how we create a safe place for kids in community - and every one of us played a role in that."

ALS WA's Director Programs, Victoria Williams, told National Indigenous Times the program arose out of community members who "recognised that something had to change".

"One thing that struck me the most with the pilot program was the young person who said 'the Old Ways New Ways staff make us feel like we are OK'. It is about treating these kids like human beings."

OWNW Cultural and Youth Coordinator Jamie Jackson said consistency is key.

"Some of the kids might struggle but they know next week they will have that opportunity again; to have the conversations," he said.

"It is culturally safe... We work with (non-Indigenous staff) on their skills in terms of cultural competency and understanding, and that's about getting staff comfortable enough to build the relationship and maintain the relationship."

Ms Williams noted the importance of the program's ability to be dynamic.

"There's requirements and compliance... but there is a lot more flexibility, it is Aboriginal-led, we can do it four times a week, we can do the camps; these decisions are made by Elders. It allows for the fact every child is different," she said.

OWNW Program worker Anna-Shae Michael said "as a Blackfella and a young person it was very easy for me to connect with the kids as they start to open up".

"We ask them what they feel will make a difference to them and we implement that," she said.

"They know that they're coming to activity day and they're getting fed; they're getting attention; they get education; they get to connect to culture; they get to do some sports - things that they haven't done.

"Some of these kids haven't been to school in five or six years. It's about building that connection with the kids to find out 'why haven't you been to school in six years? ... Step by step, when you work with them, you see progress in their lives... They probably would have never imagined going into a course a year ago if it wasn't for coming into Old Ways, New Ways."

Ms Williams said one thing that has stuck with her is when program workers asked the kids what were the three most important things they learned about during OWNW, and one of the kids said 'that I could get a job'.

'In anyone's world, that's huge'

Mr Jackson said it's important for the young people to feel comfortable to talk about themselves.

"One of the young fellas who is 14 didn't know how to crack an egg... That gave me the opportunity to talk with him about why he'd never been shown how. I showed him how to cook for 12 people, and the next time he showed up and said 'what are we cooking today?'," he said.

He also noted the benefit of building connections with family and culture.

"If there are gaps in the kids' knowledge about their family history you can help them figure out who their mob is. One young fella, he has 23 first cousins he didn't know about. And like in anyone's world, that's huge."

More and more families are looking to Old Ways, New Ways

46 per cent of the referrals to Old Ways New Ways come from state agencies like Justice, Communities, Education, WA Police, Legal Aid, and government schools.

Mr Jackson noted OWNW is "getting attention from the communities, it is getting the attention of the parents and grandparents and we are getting referrals when they see the benefits".

"One child might be in the program and they'll ask 'can we get the young one in?'. If we show up at court and we have our shirts on we will get a tap on the shoulder 'can we get into Old Ways, New Ways?'," he said.

"I had one child ask me 'how come we can't do Old Ways New Ways every day?'."

Senior Program Manager Liam Anthony said noted self-referrals are now the second highest source of participants for the program, rounding out a top three alongside the Departments of Justice (1st) and Education (3rd), with many of the children referred by families at risk but not yet in contact with the justice system.

Ms Williams said participants range from "kids who have never been in trouble, kids who have been picked up by police but not charged with anything" through to "low level offending kids, kids who have been in Banksia Hill (Detention Centre) and come out again".

"I have never seen self-referrals so high for a program. Even within Banksia Hill there's word of mouth about the program," she said.

Funding and the resources are needed to expand the program. In its first 13.5 months, there have been 282 children referred to the program. There are currently 105 children active in the program, with a waitlist of 24 kids.

Culture 'embedded in every part of every aspect'

Ms Williams said culture is "embedded" in the program.

"Kids are learning it, they are learning about their mob, they are realty engaged with it," she said.

"And the kids are loving it. I can see that from the surveys and from the feedback I get from staff that they are learning about their mob.

"Another key difference is we're bringing these kids together... We're creating a group of kids that are connected to the staff, to community... learning to exist with each other in a positive way."

Support needed to meet growing demand

Old Ways, New Ways is currently funded under the Federal National Justice Reinvestment Program until 30 June, 2026. Courses including leadership skills, respect, teamwork, life skills and culture are held in two site - Balga and Armadale - with separate weekly sessions for young males and females.

At this stage there is no state funding for Old Ways, New Ways from the WA government.

A spokesperson for WA Attorney General Dr Tony Buti told National Indigenous Times the state government "continues to explore ways to develop and support culturally safe initiatives and responses to assist young people, such as the Old Ways, New Ways program".

"There are a number of important initiatives undertaken by the Aboriginal Legal Service that already receive State Government funding, including the recently expanded Youth Engagement Program to support young people," they said.

"There are ongoing discussions with the ALS on funding support for their various initiatives and programs and these are subject to the budget process."

'This is really different and it's really special'

Ms Michael, who is 21 and has worked for the program since it started, said "four or five years ago, being a teenager, there was never anything like this around".

"You couldn't go down to your local youth centre and find a program where you can get education, you can get culture, you can be connected to sports, engagement with other kids your own age," she said.

"This is really different and it's really special and it's something that these kids actually enjoy... Our team always shows up and goes an extra mile for these kids and that's what you need. That's all these kids want is just someone to care. I love this job."

Mr Jackson said another big advantage of OWNW is "you have local people working with local young people, so they have an idea of the space we are working in, they know the area, and have a good idea of what they are experiencing".

Janelle Wallace, Youth Coordinator at The Y School in Mirrabooka, praised the program's engagement with students.

"Without Old Ways, New Ways, our job is 10 times harder because they have the trust, they have the relationship, they have that cultural connection that we, despite all best intentions, don't have with the young people," she said.

"We've had some really fantastic results working in collaboration with Old Ways, New Ways, and that is purely because of how amazing a job they do with these young people and without them we wouldn't have engaged as many people as we have.

"They are young people who have been hurt, they distrust the system, and if you give them the opportunity and the space to rise... they absolutely will."

Ms Wallace described the Old Ways, New Ways camps as a "one of the shining lights" of the program.

"A number of our students have attended their camps and they have come back absolutely filled to the brim with joy. They walk with confidence. They walk with their heads up. They come back from stories about all the wonderful things that they did. And you can see there's a genuine engagement there and a genuine appreciation and connection that they've had at those camps. And it is absolutely beautiful to see," she said.

"The Old Ways, New Ways staff are fantastic. There's no two ways about it. They are passionate. They are dedicated. They put everything into their work with young people and it shows through their relationships and the trust that they gain from the young people.... The way they can build a relationship and trust with these young people is nothing I've seen before."

Program 'could be a game changer' nationwide

Children's Court of WA magistrate, Alana Padmanabam, said: "We really owe it to the young people themselves as well as the community to make sure that we're getting rehabilitation right. That we are identifying young people who are in a need of intervention as early as possible and we are guiding them out of the justice system."

In terms of Old Ways, New Ways as a model for other parts of the country, Ms Williams said its adaptability is one of its many great strengths.

"I think this program could be a game changer. Whether it is Old Ways New Ways in New South Wales or in the Kimberley, they would all look different - they'd all be different people and different organisations that would be running it, but it actually could change the system completely - absolutely."