BONUS: Preparing for thriving care leavers

The BackTrack program is for young people who are having a tough time and has helped decrease Armidale’s youth crime rate by more than 38%, keeping children out of correctional systems. 

In this special bonus episode, Adopt Change Ambassador Emily Hikaiti chats to ‘Backtrack Youth Works’ founder Bernie Shakeshaft about the innovative program. Bernie is joined by Zach, who has participated in the program, and 'Trigger' and 'Striker', two of their working dogs. 

This conversation was recorded as part of the Adopt Change Thrive 2021 Virtual National Permanency Conference.  

A small language warning…the ‘sh**’ word is used a bit in this episode, so may not be suitable to listen to with small ears around!  

Help us find #aHomeForEveryChild 

Get in touch: 

Learn more about Bernie and BackTrack here 

You can find out more about us at www.adoptchange.org.au  

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Credits: 

Host: Michelle Stacpoole, Adopt Change 

Guests: Bernie Shakeshaft & Emily Hikaiti 

Audio Producer: Fernanda Dedic, Adopt Change 

Executive Producer: Lily Allsep, Adopt Change  

Adopt Change acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded and edited this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respect to Elders past and present and end that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. 

Bernie Shakeshaft decided to take action after seeing the plight of disadvantaged youth in his community. Starting in 2006 with a shed and an idea, Bernie founded the BackTrack Youth Works Program, turning around the lives of some of Australia’s most vulnerable kids. Using the skills he developed growing up and as a jackaroo in the Northern Territory learning from the Aboriginal trackers, Bernie developed an award-winning program that uses animal-assisted learning, agricultural skills and a residential facility. 

Emily Hikaiti is an Adopt Change Ambassador, Lived Experience Advocate and a valued member of the CREATE community. Emily has been shortlisted for the ACYP Youth Advisory Council three years running and is an esteemed member of her local Youth and well-being Council. She has led our FACS Caseworker training and spoken at our Western NSW OOHC and Mental Health Interagency. Emily has been an MC at CREATE’s National Survey Launch and at the Their Futures Matter 2019 conference.  

She is also an incredible parent and a successful entrepreneur with her two businesses including a photography business. Emily is passionate about reducing youth homelessness by extending the leaving care age in NSW and providing young people in care with better support networks, this has recently been executed through her newest business; providing advocacy and consultation on an individual, group, and systematic level around Australia.