April 29, 2026 • 10 mins
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
You're an avid listener to the show, you'd know that
(00:02):
crime and youth justice have been a big topic on
three point sixty over the years, especially given the issues
that the Northern territories faced. Now, part of that discussion
has been the need for new initiatives, extra support and
community led initiatives to really drive change and get people
on a better path. And well, a conference is being
(00:22):
held in just a couple of weeks on May thirteen
to discuss all of those things. And joining us on
the line now is the founder of the Balance Choice Program,
which is holding the one day conference, Adam Drake. Good
morning to you, Adam.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
How are you, Katie?
Speaker 1 (00:38):
You're really good, lovely to have you on this show. Now. Firstly,
tell me a little bit about the Balanced Choice Program
and why you established this organization in the first place.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
It's interesting it first started getting back to thirteen years
ago now and we started in don Dale and we
went through the dark old days of the Royal Commission
and I just remember the space, feeling hope at times,
and then you know, we've got a change of governments,
change of people in the department. We've seen some shifts
and I think we're almost just trying to work out
(01:10):
is there a recipe to help people change and see
people get better and get well instead of get locked up.
And I know I've sort of been in contact with
you over the years and we're just trialing to make
it happen. So first when we went into Dondell, it
was just fitness theater and hope theory. Then I got
told hope view is flawed. So we did learned optimism
(01:32):
and then we went straight to values and now we
do work around the ropes of discipline in your life.
And I think we're just experimenting, trying to find an
answer to see if we can help some of these
young people turn their lives around.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
You've dedicated, as you know, like a huge amount of
your time and a huge portion of your life and
effort towards balanced choice. Tell me what, like, what are
some of the you know, the really great things that
you've seen over the year that give you that hope
that you can take some change in a young person's life.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
That's funny. We actually just got asked to present it
the Corrections Conference that was on the last two days,
And that's full circle for me because when we first
turned up, just a guy with dreadlocks, training kids to
supposedly get him fit to do crime. With some of
the things I heard, and I was like, Ah, that's
not it, because I think when people really lean in
to try to understand, they'll work out that it's actually
(02:24):
we're trying to get inside fit. How do we get
the heart fit and the headfit. So I've been lucky
enough over the years to hear the kids when they
get out of prison, and hear the stories of the
ones that didn't get locked up again. I've got a
young fellow coming to the conference who's now working in
Sydney and doing amazing things of his life. A kid
who was caught up in a ride at Dondale and
(02:45):
said he wanted to go back in his cell because
he doesn't want to do this anymore. Like there's so
many stories of kids whose lives have changed, but there's
just as many kids that have passed away. That just
breaks my heart and you go, well, how can we
try to prevent some of this stuff happening?
Speaker 1 (03:02):
Yeah, And Adam, we hear a lot, you know, about
people that reaffect, and we hear a lot about those
that you know that don't get on the right path.
But we don't hear a lot about those that do.
And you know, it's like it's tough, I suppose because
for a lot of us in the media, we sort
of don't know about those kids that have gotten on
(03:22):
the right track. And you know, it's heartwarming to me
to hear that there are some that have you know,
that have completed programs and gone on to a better life.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
Yeah, and you know, their change happens when they're ready
for change, and I think we'd like to nudge them
towards it, but it's only when they start to know
their worth. And a lot of the kids we work
with have you know, had lives that I can't even
comprehend and think, how can we even that ledger? So
they've had some days of hope and positivity and kindness,
(03:53):
and then we might shift it. One of my favorite
quotes is, you know, the child that doesn't feel the
warmth of the community, or burn the community down to
feel its warmth, And I feel that that sums up
a lot of what we try to do. Is if
you haven't had the love, you haven't had the kindness,
you haven't had an environment that has actually pointed you
in the right direction. Then you're kind of going to
(04:15):
burn everything down so everyone notices you if that's the
only notice you'll get. So how do we shift that?
Because it's not okay that they're doing it. I don't
like it, but I want to see this community in
du and thriving. So I want to be a part
of that change. And I've been trying for thirteen years
with the team, and I've got twenty people working for
us now and they do great far out.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
So mate, did it start with just you? Was it
just you on your own to begin with? And now
you've got that many people working with you? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (04:42):
And like I was literally a drunk under a tree
Katie thirteen years ago in Columbai. I bought a house
two hundred meters away from that tree, you know, which
is like full circle again. But I had to get
well and I realized the kids just wanted an adult
to get well, and then I needed help and I
had these beautiful people turn up into my life at
(05:03):
the right time. It just seems to happen that way,
and they're now doing the work. I haven't been in
to what don Dale Flash Halts for over three years
because it's now being run by a lot of the
younger people who connect with these kids better than I do.
And that's a huge thing to be able to do
yourself out of a job. But we're doing some work
(05:23):
in Tenant Creek that I think is ahead of the game,
and it's like trying to point kids towards employment. But first,
let's look at your values. So you're going to turn
up for work every day rather than sort of do
it for a week and then drop off.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
Yeah, you're spot on. Hey tell me obviously you are.
You're holding this conference as well, the Anchor conference on
May thirteen. What are you hoping to achieve through that?
Speaker 2 (05:48):
I'm literally just bringing the minds that have helped shape
us along the way. And so father Greg Boyle, who
comes from America, who won the President's Award when Biden
was in power for the work he's done for los
Ane by setting up a gang intervention program that's the
biggest in the world. I reached out to him by email.
He said, come to la and come and see it.
(06:09):
I came and did some stuff with those guys over there,
and we've got to get him to Australia. He's bringing
two homeboys, one who served thirty five years in prison.
He's now the security guard of that Homeboy Industries. And
the other guy, he took me on a tour and
I think he was shot like nine times, passed away
three times and got brought back and he's just turned
(06:29):
his life around. So they are beacons of hope that
you can change. And we're going to be taking them
into the center at Holts and then we're going to
run the conference. And the other people I've chosen are
just people who've inspired me to guide Balanced Choice the
way we have. So I think if people can come
along and they work in this space, or they just
(06:50):
want to get back closer to their values, then it's
a good place to turn up and just listen to
some people who might have some gold for you so
you can get on track with your life or start doing.
Speaker 1 (06:59):
That for other So can anyone attend and how do
they go about booking? Or you know, how can they
get involved?
Speaker 2 (07:05):
Yeah, there's a humantic site where you can just click on.
If you jump on any of the Balanced Choice pages
or you just write Balance Choice Program into your search engines,
you'll find the website. There's links there, there's links on LinkedIn, Facebook,
all those social medias but the Humantics site is where
you can book your ticket. And if money's a problem
for people, because you know, I learned years ago if
(07:26):
you don't value yourself, no one else will. And we've
got to pay for these people to come from LA
and all sorts of stuff, So how can we sort
of recoup that, And so people just reach out to
me and I'll find a way to try to either
pay for the ticket myself, but we just want to
hopefully break even on it or give the money to
the crew who are coming from LA and ultimately have
people discussing things in the territory of how this youth
(07:51):
crime can start to change. And I know Steve Edgington
is going to do a little bit at the start
because we always talked about a hub down there and
Tenant Creek, about a place where people wouldn't get well
instead of getting locked up.
Speaker 1 (08:02):
That's good, I mean, I think it's good as well
that you've got Steve Edgington there. You know, Adam, I
was just lamenting like a little bit earlier this morning.
There's a ten year old kid got arrested earlier in
the week, you know, in the car park of a
shopping center. He's involved, he was involved in reports. You
know that this seventy two year old female was driving
out of the car park there when she was approached
(08:23):
by these offenders at five point thirty in the afternoon.
You know, like it breaks my heart and I think
to myself, I'd think, you know, I can't imagine if
somebody treated my mum, who's you know, who's around that
age in the same way. You know, like I just it.
I don't know why, but it just continues to astonish
me over the years that you know, it's like that
(08:44):
a little fella ten years old could be involved in
such a horrendous, horrendous situation.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
Yeah, And I was, Okay, no one well does that? Yeah,
no one, well does that? And so how do we
get people back to being well? And sometimes we've had
adults around us that just have not guided us, or
the kids are now taking control of the situation and
they're trying to sort of be the adult, and I
just go, we need as a group. You know, it's
(09:13):
the old thing people say, you need a village to
raise a child, and it is true, but we've got
to point them in another direction. And I love the
quote that says lighthouses don't go running around try to
save people. They stand there and they shine. So how
can we all shine as a community and really show
these kids that that's not a way to be. And
how can we keep our older people safe because they're
(09:35):
our libraries of knowledge? You know?
Speaker 1 (09:36):
Yeah, you're spot on. Well, Adam, I've already got made
of mind messaging me wanting to get in contact with you.
I know there'll be others. Look, I really appreciate you
having a chat with us this morning, and I think
the work that you do is really really important. So
I thank you and ow incredible mate, Like thirteen years,
it's a long time. I know you've dedicated your life
(09:58):
to helping others. I think that's really admirable thing to do.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
And Katie, you have two and I think there always
has to be you that chance to have conversations where
we don't take offense from what we're saying about this stuff.
We're growing together by going teach me about what it
must be like to be that older person, teach me
what it's like to be the kids. So there is
understanding and I reckon when we do that, and it's
so important the information you put out on are because
(10:23):
we need to hear that, and these kids need to
know it's not okay what they're doing, but we also
need to give them a better option and a better pathway.
Speaker 1 (10:31):
Yes, spot on, mate, Thank you so much for your
time this morning. Let us know how it all goes
as well on the thirteenth, I reckon it sounds like
it's going to be a really fantastic event.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
Yeah. Thanks, It's a great PD for my staff if
nothing else. But I think that's the fair few people coming,
which is cool.
Speaker 1 (10:46):
It's awesome. Good Yeah, mate, thank you. I appreciate it,
really appreciate your time this morning.
You're an avid listener to the show, you'd know that
(00:02):
crime and youth justice have been a big topic on
three point sixty over the years, especially given the issues
that the Northern territories faced. Now, part of that discussion
has been the need for new initiatives, extra support and
community led initiatives to really drive change and get people
on a better path. And well, a conference is being
(00:22):
held in just a couple of weeks on May thirteen
to discuss all of those things. And joining us on
the line now is the founder of the Balance Choice Program,
which is holding the one day conference, Adam Drake. Good
morning to you, Adam.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
How are you, Katie?
Speaker 1 (00:38):
You're really good, lovely to have you on this show. Now. Firstly,
tell me a little bit about the Balanced Choice Program
and why you established this organization in the first place.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
It's interesting it first started getting back to thirteen years
ago now and we started in don Dale and we
went through the dark old days of the Royal Commission
and I just remember the space, feeling hope at times,
and then you know, we've got a change of governments,
change of people in the department. We've seen some shifts
and I think we're almost just trying to work out
(01:10):
is there a recipe to help people change and see
people get better and get well instead of get locked up.
And I know I've sort of been in contact with
you over the years and we're just trialing to make
it happen. So first when we went into Dondell, it
was just fitness theater and hope theory. Then I got
told hope view is flawed. So we did learned optimism
(01:32):
and then we went straight to values and now we
do work around the ropes of discipline in your life.
And I think we're just experimenting, trying to find an
answer to see if we can help some of these
young people turn their lives around.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
You've dedicated, as you know, like a huge amount of
your time and a huge portion of your life and
effort towards balanced choice. Tell me what, like, what are
some of the you know, the really great things that
you've seen over the year that give you that hope
that you can take some change in a young person's life.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
That's funny. We actually just got asked to present it
the Corrections Conference that was on the last two days,
And that's full circle for me because when we first
turned up, just a guy with dreadlocks, training kids to
supposedly get him fit to do crime. With some of
the things I heard, and I was like, Ah, that's
not it, because I think when people really lean in
to try to understand, they'll work out that it's actually
(02:24):
we're trying to get inside fit. How do we get
the heart fit and the headfit. So I've been lucky
enough over the years to hear the kids when they
get out of prison, and hear the stories of the
ones that didn't get locked up again. I've got a
young fellow coming to the conference who's now working in
Sydney and doing amazing things of his life. A kid
who was caught up in a ride at Dondale and
(02:45):
said he wanted to go back in his cell because
he doesn't want to do this anymore. Like there's so
many stories of kids whose lives have changed, but there's
just as many kids that have passed away. That just
breaks my heart and you go, well, how can we
try to prevent some of this stuff happening?
Speaker 1 (03:02):
Yeah, And Adam, we hear a lot, you know, about
people that reaffect, and we hear a lot about those
that you know that don't get on the right path.
But we don't hear a lot about those that do.
And you know, it's like it's tough, I suppose because
for a lot of us in the media, we sort
of don't know about those kids that have gotten on
(03:22):
the right track. And you know, it's heartwarming to me
to hear that there are some that have you know,
that have completed programs and gone on to a better life.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
Yeah, and you know, their change happens when they're ready
for change, and I think we'd like to nudge them
towards it, but it's only when they start to know
their worth. And a lot of the kids we work
with have you know, had lives that I can't even
comprehend and think, how can we even that ledger? So
they've had some days of hope and positivity and kindness,
(03:53):
and then we might shift it. One of my favorite
quotes is, you know, the child that doesn't feel the
warmth of the community, or burn the community down to
feel its warmth, And I feel that that sums up
a lot of what we try to do. Is if
you haven't had the love, you haven't had the kindness,
you haven't had an environment that has actually pointed you
in the right direction. Then you're kind of going to
(04:15):
burn everything down so everyone notices you if that's the
only notice you'll get. So how do we shift that?
Because it's not okay that they're doing it. I don't
like it, but I want to see this community in
du and thriving. So I want to be a part
of that change. And I've been trying for thirteen years
with the team, and I've got twenty people working for
us now and they do great far out.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
So mate, did it start with just you? Was it
just you on your own to begin with? And now
you've got that many people working with you? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (04:42):
And like I was literally a drunk under a tree
Katie thirteen years ago in Columbai. I bought a house
two hundred meters away from that tree, you know, which
is like full circle again. But I had to get
well and I realized the kids just wanted an adult
to get well, and then I needed help and I
had these beautiful people turn up into my life at
(05:03):
the right time. It just seems to happen that way,
and they're now doing the work. I haven't been in
to what don Dale Flash Halts for over three years
because it's now being run by a lot of the
younger people who connect with these kids better than I do.
And that's a huge thing to be able to do
yourself out of a job. But we're doing some work
(05:23):
in Tenant Creek that I think is ahead of the game,
and it's like trying to point kids towards employment. But first,
let's look at your values. So you're going to turn
up for work every day rather than sort of do
it for a week and then drop off.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
Yeah, you're spot on. Hey tell me obviously you are.
You're holding this conference as well, the Anchor conference on
May thirteen. What are you hoping to achieve through that?
Speaker 2 (05:48):
I'm literally just bringing the minds that have helped shape
us along the way. And so father Greg Boyle, who
comes from America, who won the President's Award when Biden
was in power for the work he's done for los
Ane by setting up a gang intervention program that's the
biggest in the world. I reached out to him by email.
He said, come to la and come and see it.
(06:09):
I came and did some stuff with those guys over there,
and we've got to get him to Australia. He's bringing
two homeboys, one who served thirty five years in prison.
He's now the security guard of that Homeboy Industries. And
the other guy, he took me on a tour and
I think he was shot like nine times, passed away
three times and got brought back and he's just turned
(06:29):
his life around. So they are beacons of hope that
you can change. And we're going to be taking them
into the center at Holts and then we're going to
run the conference. And the other people I've chosen are
just people who've inspired me to guide Balanced Choice the
way we have. So I think if people can come
along and they work in this space, or they just
(06:50):
want to get back closer to their values, then it's
a good place to turn up and just listen to
some people who might have some gold for you so
you can get on track with your life or start doing.
Speaker 1 (06:59):
That for other So can anyone attend and how do
they go about booking? Or you know, how can they
get involved?
Speaker 2 (07:05):
Yeah, there's a humantic site where you can just click on.
If you jump on any of the Balanced Choice pages
or you just write Balance Choice Program into your search engines,
you'll find the website. There's links there, there's links on LinkedIn, Facebook,
all those social medias but the Humantics site is where
you can book your ticket. And if money's a problem
for people, because you know, I learned years ago if
(07:26):
you don't value yourself, no one else will. And we've
got to pay for these people to come from LA
and all sorts of stuff, So how can we sort
of recoup that, And so people just reach out to
me and I'll find a way to try to either
pay for the ticket myself, but we just want to
hopefully break even on it or give the money to
the crew who are coming from LA and ultimately have
people discussing things in the territory of how this youth
(07:51):
crime can start to change. And I know Steve Edgington
is going to do a little bit at the start
because we always talked about a hub down there and
Tenant Creek, about a place where people wouldn't get well
instead of getting locked up.
Speaker 1 (08:02):
That's good, I mean, I think it's good as well
that you've got Steve Edgington there. You know, Adam, I
was just lamenting like a little bit earlier this morning.
There's a ten year old kid got arrested earlier in
the week, you know, in the car park of a
shopping center. He's involved, he was involved in reports. You
know that this seventy two year old female was driving
out of the car park there when she was approached
(08:23):
by these offenders at five point thirty in the afternoon.
You know, like it breaks my heart and I think
to myself, I'd think, you know, I can't imagine if
somebody treated my mum, who's you know, who's around that
age in the same way. You know, like I just it.
I don't know why, but it just continues to astonish
me over the years that you know, it's like that
(08:44):
a little fella ten years old could be involved in
such a horrendous, horrendous situation.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
Yeah, And I was, Okay, no one well does that? Yeah,
no one, well does that? And so how do we
get people back to being well? And sometimes we've had
adults around us that just have not guided us, or
the kids are now taking control of the situation and
they're trying to sort of be the adult, and I
just go, we need as a group. You know, it's
(09:13):
the old thing people say, you need a village to
raise a child, and it is true, but we've got
to point them in another direction. And I love the
quote that says lighthouses don't go running around try to
save people. They stand there and they shine. So how
can we all shine as a community and really show
these kids that that's not a way to be. And
how can we keep our older people safe because they're
(09:35):
our libraries of knowledge? You know?
Speaker 1 (09:36):
Yeah, you're spot on. Well, Adam, I've already got made
of mind messaging me wanting to get in contact with you.
I know there'll be others. Look, I really appreciate you
having a chat with us this morning, and I think
the work that you do is really really important. So
I thank you and ow incredible mate, Like thirteen years,
it's a long time. I know you've dedicated your life
(09:58):
to helping others. I think that's really admirable thing to do.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
And Katie, you have two and I think there always
has to be you that chance to have conversations where
we don't take offense from what we're saying about this stuff.
We're growing together by going teach me about what it
must be like to be that older person, teach me
what it's like to be the kids. So there is
understanding and I reckon when we do that, and it's
so important the information you put out on are because
(10:23):
we need to hear that, and these kids need to
know it's not okay what they're doing, but we also
need to give them a better option and a better pathway.
Speaker 1 (10:31):
Yes, spot on, mate, Thank you so much for your
time this morning. Let us know how it all goes
as well on the thirteenth, I reckon it sounds like
it's going to be a really fantastic event.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
Yeah. Thanks, It's a great PD for my staff if
nothing else. But I think that's the fair few people coming,
which is cool.
Speaker 1 (10:46):
It's awesome. Good Yeah, mate, thank you. I appreciate it,
really appreciate your time this morning.
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