FORMER Maroons rugby league coach and renowned educator Sir Graham Lowe is in talks with Queensland authorities about implementing a groundbreaking program aimed at addressing youth crime through education and sport.
Youth crime in the Redlands and Bayside has been a growing concern.
The Queensland Government has enacted the Adult Crime, Adult Time law, holding youth offenders to the same legal standards as adults.
However, the effectiveness of these measures continues to be a topic of debate, with ongoing discussions about the balance between accountability and rehabilitation for young offenders.
Sir Graham, 78, widely recognised for his work in New Zealand’s prison system, has been successfully using the principles of sport and coaching to help prisoners and at-risk youth improve their literacy and numeracy skills.
The program has shown remarkable success, with over 1000 prisoners graduating with foundational qualifications in literacy and numeracy since its rebranding in 2017.
Now, Sir Graham is eager to bring the initiative to Queensland, where he believes it can help reduce youth crime and offer a positive alternative to incarceration.
He emphasised the program’s use of sport as a language for learning, which he believes resonates with young people, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
By integrating sport’s principles with essential life skills, Sir Graham has seen transformative results in New Zealand, and he is optimistic about the program’s potential to make a difference in Queensland.
“It’s all about using the language of sport to engage kids and help them develop essential academic skills, like literacy and numeracy,” he said.
“The results in New Zealand have been incredible, and I believe it could be equally successful in Queensland.
“I’ve seen firsthand how effective this approach can be, and I’m excited to explore how it might help address the challenges we face with youth crime here.”
The program, which combines classroom learning with sporting principles, has already been expanded to various parts of New Zealand, including prisons and community centres.
New courses are being rolled out in prisons across the country.
The only non-Australian to coach a State of Origin side, Sir Graham also shared that Queensland Premier David Crisafulli had expressed interest in the program when he was Opposition Leader.
Sir Graham plans to travel to Queensland soon to present the program and discuss how it could be
implemented as a pilot project.
“We’re just at the beginning stages of talking with the Queensland Government, but the potential is there,” he said.
“It’s all about providing an opportunity for young people to learn and grow through something they’re passionate about.”
The program’s success in New Zealand, where a graduation rate of 86 per cent has been achieved, demonstrates its potential to make a tangible impact.
Sir Graham believes that by focusing on education and personal development through sport, young people will gain the skills and confidence they need to turn their lives around.
The program could serve as a model for other regions looking to combat youth crime, and provide better opportunities for young people to succeed.
A government spokesperson said that years of weak laws and a lack of adequate police resources had contributed to the state’s youth crime crisis.
“Early intervention, diverting youth from crime, and rehabilitation are all part of the Crisafulli Government’s plan to begin delivering the fresh start Queenslanders voted for,” the spokesperson said.
State Member for Capalaba Russell Field said he supported programs that sought to rehabilitate and educate young offenders and would assess any program on its merits.
