The Andrews Labor Government today announced a $700,000 grant for the Dandenong community to tackle youth crime and repeat offending.

The Dandenong Youth Crime Prevention project is one of 18 projects across Victoria to share in $7.6 million of funding from the Youth Crime Prevention Grants program.

Youth Support and Advocacy Service (YSAS) will lead the project in partnership with 15 locally based partner organisations, including Victoria Police and City of Greater Dandenong.

The community-led program will provide intensive support for young people in Dandenong aged between 15 and 22 years who have been identified as serious or recidivist offenders, to create a pathway away from offending.

It will provide tailored support through individual and group programs, family interventions and after-hours activities to bring about a positive change in the lives of the young people.

The Youth Crime Prevention Grants are part of the government’s ongoing work to address the underlying causes of youth crime and repeat offending.

The grants provide funding for community-led projects that work with young people aged between 10 and 24.

The government has also funded 42 additional police Youth Resource Officers to work in local communities and divert young people from a life of crime.

The additional staff are part of the government’s record $2 billion Community Safety Statement, which includes thousands more police, new powers, equipment and additional measures to hold young offenders to account.

A full list of the youth crime prevention projects can be found at crimeprevention.vic.gov.au