Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Christine Nixon attended the launch of Casey’s Operation New Start program in April. Eight students will graduate from the program during a special ceremony in Narre Warren tomorrow.EIGHT local students will celebrate their achievements tomorrow when they officially graduate from the Operation New Start program.
Students will attend a ceremony in Narre Warren and receive graduation certificates in recognition of their successful completion of an eight-week personal development program.
Participants from Narre Warren South P-12 College, Cranbourne Secondary College, Kambrya College, Eumemmerring College, Berwick Secondary College, Lyndhurst Secondary College and Hampton Park Secondary College took part in the program.
Operation New Start aims to give young people a unique opportunity to develop new skills, attitudes and self-belief and is a joint initiative between Victoria Police and the Department of Education and Training.
It seeks to involve students aged between 14 and 17 in a positive program in a bid to keep them in school or engaged in the education process.
Chief Commissioner Christine Nixon launched the Casey program in Narre Warren in April.
To graduate, students needed to adhere to a strict set of guidelines which basically involve full participation in the course.
The students took part in a range of activities including outdoor adventure activities, work place visits, fitness testing, fire awareness, gaining first aid qualifications, team building and community volunteer work.
They also attended a TAFE Taster Course at Chisholm Institute and student and parent workshops were also an integral part of the program.
Students are followed up with school visits and phone calls over a two-year period.
Narre Warren Leading Senior Constable Chris Atherton has been heavily involved in Operation Newstart Casey.
Sen Const Atherton said: “It has been a huge journey, not just for the students but for me and the other helpers.
“We are very proud of where the students have got themselves to since the beginning of the program, and will now be focusing strongly on students using what they have learned in the school place.”
Ms Atherton said tomorrow’s event would be Casey’s first graduation, so there would be a real buzz around the ceremony.
