General News
9 December, 2025
New farm program for at-risk youth
A NEW intensive early intervention program for at-risk youth will be introduced in the new year at a farm near Mareeba.
The Regional Reset program, supported by the State Government, will be delivered by The MaraWay organisation, a First Nations-led social enterprise based in Cairns and Biboohra.
The government said the program would “help restore safety to Far North Queensland” by providing a short-stay “reset”, cultural mentoring, family engagement, education, and vocational skills workshops.
Participants would take part in an intensive one-to-three week camp, at the 38-hectare MaraWay property, where they will contribute to the running of the farm and receive 24/7 support and supervision.
During their reset, 8-17 year-old youths would participate in activities to develop their emotional, social, and physical well-being, including cultural mentoring, agricultural and animal care lessons, education, life and employment skills workshops, and personal development challenges.
The program also included family therapy sessions, mentorship, counselling and at-home support to help re-engage youth with their community and divert them from crime.
Minister for Youth Justice and Victim Support Laura Gerber said early intervention was critical to stopping crime and driving down the number of victims.
“This program is designed to give at-risk youth an opportunity to hit the reset button and be put into a positive, disciplined environment that gives them the tools they need to make better choices,” she said.
“While our strong laws are taking dangerous youth criminals off our streets, we are also turning young lives away from crime with early intervention, to prevent the next generation of youth offenders.”
The MaraWay property was the winning tender for one of nine “reset” locations selected in the $50 million program being rolled out across the state.
The organisation has been providing community and youth support services since 2002, through youth camps, vocational training, on-farm learning, and providing a culturally “therapeutic space”.
In the Djabugay language, Mara means “hands”, and the organisation believes that real change comes from bringing hands together.
The MaraWay chief executive officer Dr Crystal Williams said the program aimed to guide youths to positive futures.
“This is about giving them a place to reset, rebuild and step into a future defined by strength and possibility,” she said.
“Regional Reset gives kids a chance to rise above the labels and step into real opportunity.”
A spokesperson from the minister’s office said the program would begin in the new year and was distinct from youth detention or post-youth detention services, such as the “Staying on Track” program.
“The kids are not youth offenders who have left detention, these are kids that are just starting to go down the wrong path, maybe skipping school, or getting into drugs and alcohol, maybe having a bit of contact with youth justice as well,” the spokesperson said.
“They could be referred to the program by Youth Justice, police, families and schools.”
Another distinguishing feature was that the program combined both the on-site camp - which they must attend - with a much broader support program. It was a “complete follow-through”.
The government’s funding for the program is enabling The MaraWay to develop and update the farm to accommodate the Reset groups, and the varying ages within them, as well as run their other community programs.
During the Reset Program, The MaraWay will provide activities, such as canoeing or even beekeeping, Elder mentorship, and a focus on cultural learning.
“The MaraWay has worked in this space of early intervention and doing lots of different things with these kids,” the spokesperson said.
“Their main goal, once kids complete this program, is that they will then be able to take up a vocation they’ve learned on the farm, or another employment opportunity.
“It’s about getting them away from the environment that is causing the issues.”
