We began in 2011 as a coalition of more than 20 organisations and strategic initiative of the Aboriginal Legal Service NSW/ACT. Our small team are guided by an Executive of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people and supported by a network of champions, youth ambassadors and supporters across the corporate, government and for-purpose sectors. To meet the people and organisations that make Just Reinvest NSW possible, please follow the links below:
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Executive Committee
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Jack Beetson
Co-Chair Professor Beetson is a Ngemba man with extensive experience in adult education, community development and Indigenous and human rights education. He is an adjunct Professor at the University of New England and in 2017 was awarded an Honorary Doctorate. He is one of only 12 people worldwide to have received a United Nations Unsung Hero Award. Beetson is Chair of the NSW Aboriginal Land Council Economic Development Advisory Committee, Board member of Social Enterprise Finance Australia, Executive Director of Beetson & Associates and Executive Director of Literacy for Life Foundation. Professor Beetson was most recently honoured by being the first Indigenous Australian to be inducted into the International Hall of Fame of Adult and Continuing Education. |
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Sarah Hopkins
Co-Chair Sarah Hopkins is Co-Chair of Just Reinvest NSW and the Managing Solicitor of Justice Projects at the Aboriginal Legal Service ACT/NSW. She is an accredited specialist in criminal law and has lectured in criminal law at the University of NSW. Sarah has been working alongside the Bourke community since 2012 in support of the Maranguka Justice Reinvestment Project in Bourke, which was the recipient of the 2015 National Rural Law and Justice Award. In 2019 Just Reinvest NSW was the recipient of both the HESTA Community Organisation Award and the Australian Human Rights Commission Community Organisation Award. Sarah is a member of the NSW Bar Association’s Joint Working Party on the Over-representation of Indigenous People in the NSW Criminal Justice System. Throughout her career Sarah has served on numerous committees including the Criminal Law Committee of the Law Society of NSW, the Steering Committee for the Red Cross Vulnerability Report 2015, and as Vice President of the NSW Council for Civil Liberties. In 2017 Sarah was named the Community Lawyer of the Year by the Women Lawyers’ Association of NSW. |
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Gino Vumbaca
Treasurer Gino Vumbaca is a member of the Executive Committee, Just Reinvest NSW. He has extensive experience in the HIV/ AIDS and drug and alcohol fields both in Australia and internationally. He is a Churchill Fellow, has completed a Social Work degree and a Master of Business Administration at the University of Sydney and is a qualified Company Director. Gino has worked as the Manager of HIV/AIDS and related services with the NSW Department of Corrective Services, in a variety of drug and alcohol centres as a counsellor and was responsible for coordinating the establishment of the NSW network of needle and syringe exchange programs for the NSW Health Department. Gino also continues to provide advice on prisons, HIV and drug issues for international organisations such as the United Nations and the World Health Organisation. Gino Vumbaca is the Principal of 3V Consulting Services and President and Co-Founder of Harm Reduction Australia. |
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Mark Riboldi
Secretary Mark Riboldi has been volunteering with Just Reinvest NSW since 2017 and an Executive Committee member since 2018. He supports the team around facilitation, advocacy and strategic communications. Mark has worked as the Advocacy & Communications Manager at Community Legal Centres NSW, as a political media and policy adviser in NSW Parliament to David Shoebridge and Jenny Leong, and as an English language teacher in Australia and abroad. He is currently working at the Sydney Policy Lab at the University of Sydney on collaborative research and policy projects. Mark’s various writings can be found here, and he lurks on twitter here. |
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Daniel Daylight
Executive Committee Member Daniel is a proud Gamilaraay (NSW) man who has family ties to the Gubi Gubi nation (QLD). Daniel has a passion for helping Aboriginal children and youth caught in the criminal justice system and has spent his working life in the justice sector. He worked on the development of the Youth Koori Court (YKC) including consultation with community and development of the program with other stakeholders. He believes if the appropriate support mechanisms are placed around our young Aboriginal people in the Justice system and we can empower them, then they can and will be among our leaders in the future. He is currently the Managing Director of Infinite Hope Aboriginal Corporation, an organisation that has been set up to work with Aboriginal young people involved in both the criminal justice and the out of home care systems. Daniel is also a Director of the Redfern Aboriginal Medical Service board and lifelong member of the organisation. He is honoured to be on the Just Reinvest NSW Executive Committee. |
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Kristy Masella
Executive Committee Member Kristy Masella is a Murri from Rockhampton, Dharumbal country in Central Queensland who has dedicated her life to empowering Aboriginal communities. She has worked in Aboriginal Affairs for more than 25 years across many portfolios in both NSW, Queensland and the Northern Territory. Kristy is the CEO and Executive Director of the national Indigenous recruitment and training company, AES, who empowers Aboriginal people through employment and community development. Prior to this role she was the head of Social Justice for Aboriginal Affairs NSW and led a major review of the NSW Aboriginal Land Rights Act. Kristy has been named one of Australia’s Top 100 Most Influencial Woman by the Australian Financial Review and Westpac. She also went on to be awarded one of the Top 10 Category winners as Diversity Winner. Kristy studied Journalism at the University of Queensland and has been presented with a number of prestigious awards in her career such as the National Trust Print Media Commendation Award and the Australian Society of Archivists Mander Jones Award for her work as co-author of Connecting Kin. Kristy holds a Masters in Human Rights Law and Policy at the University of NSW specialising in Indigenous rights. Kristy is the Chairperson of Tranby Aboriginal College. She has been an active member of the Tranby Board of Directors since in 2009. Kristy is also the Deputy Chairperson of Wunanbiri Incorporated, one of the most successful independent Aboriginal community preschools in NSW whichshe has been committed to supporting for 15 years. She was a member of the inaugural Committee of Sydney University’s National Centre of Cultural Competencies to establish the Community Council, is a former co-chair of the NSW Reconciliation Council, and was nominated for the NSW Justice Award in 2014. Kristy is a mother of two daughters. |
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Paul Wright
Executive Committee Member Paul Wright is the National Director of ANTaR. He has nearly two decades of experience working in both Government and non-government sectors – covering Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander affairs, health, immigration and social services.Most recently, Paul was the Executive Officer for the Close the Gap Campaign Secretariat and the National Health Leadership Forum at the Australian Human Rights Commission. He continues to sit on the Steering Committees for the Close the Gap and Change the Record campaigns and is also proud to be a member of the Just Reinvest NSW Executive Committee. Paul studied politics and international relations at the University of Canberra and has a Masters of Strategic Studies from the Australian National University. |
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Ashlee Kearney
Executive Committee Member A proud Ngiyampaa, Wiradjuri and Ngemba woman from far west New South Wales, Ashlee was born and spent most of her life on Dharug country in Auburn, NSW. She studied a Bachelor of Educational Studies and an Associate Degree in Indigenous Education at the Australian Catholic University, Strathfield, NSW. Ashlee has also completed postgraduate studies in Public Policy at the Australian National University, Acton, ACT. Her professional background spans across the education, social and community work sectors and in the political and policy fields. Ashlee is the Disability Royal Commission Project Manager at the First Peoples Disability Network. She is committed to making a difference for all Australians, especially the First Nations peoples and women through education. Ashlee is extremely passionate in policy and politics and was until recently a Policy advisor for both Senator Patrick Dodson and the Honourable Linda Burney MP. Ashlee aims to demonstrate her skills and lived experiences to improve the lives and well-being, especially to empower and support women, children and First Nations communities. |
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Karlie Stewart
Executive Committee Member Karlie Stewart is a Wandi Wandian Woman from Yuin Country on the South Coast of New South Wales. She lived in Nowra throughout her childhood and spent time around the Nowra, Wreck Bay and Jerrinja Aboriginal communities with her family. Since 10 years old, Karlie has lived on Bidjigal land and has strong connections to the La Perouse Aboriginal community. In early 2019, Karlie graduated with an Honours in Social Work from the University of New South Wales and has since worked as a Child, Youth and Family caseworker at Weave Youth and Community Services. She is passionate about healing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities, particularly from intergenerational trauma as a result of historic and current government interventions. |
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Trent Wallace
Executive Committee Member Trent is a proud First Nations man who grew up on Darkinjung Country. Trent is the First Nations Advisor and Lawyer at Ashurst, which is the first and only role of its kind within a global law firm. Prior to joining Ashurst, Trent has held roles with Australian Government Solicitor and the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability where Trent was the first Aboriginal lawyer on staff. After noticing a gap in legal knowledge for young lawyers, Trent developed course content for the University Of New South Wales Practical Legal Training Program, which looks at ways to work most effectively with First Nations clients. Trent is involved with New South Wales Young Lawyers, is on the Indigenous Issues Committee of the Law Society of New South Wales and is Co-Chair of the Legal Profession Reconciliation Network. Trent looks forward to promoting and advancing the voices of First Nations Peoples through JR NSW, noting that First Nations Peoples must be the first voices listened to. |
Our Staff
Sydney Team
Maranguka Team
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Samara Milgate
Executive Assistant & Project Officer Samara’s role at Maranguka is to provide assistance to the Executive Director and to provide office management and information co-ordination. |
Moree Team
Mt Druitt Team
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Isaiah Sines
Mt Druitt Youth Engagement Consultant Isaiah Sines is a proud Dhungatti man from Kempsey and also has ties to the Wiradjuri people. After moving around a lot early in his life he is now settled in Mt Druitt. “I have experienced a lot in my life and that is why I wanted to become a youth ambassador with Just Reinvest. I hope to be able to use this position to advocate for other Koori kids who are going through what I went through and hopefully prevent the future generations from being affected by the same systems I grew up in. I like the concept behind Just Reinvest and how the organisation understands that Aboriginal people have the solutions to the issues that affect us and that we just need to support communities to heal themselves.” Some Isaiah’s work includes:
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Terleaha Williams
Mt Druitt Youth Engagement Consultant Terleaha is a proud Kamilaroi and Yuin woman. She is a Just Reinvest Youth Ambassador and a project lead on Mounty Yarns – The lived experiences of Aboriginal young people in Mt Druitt. Terleaha is also assisting and coordinating a community-led OzTag team. “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time.” – Barack Obama. “Young people now in Mt Druitt are making change. We are putting as many things in place to help, support and guide change. And we will not stop.” |
Youth Ambassadors
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Isaiah Sines
Isaiah Sines is a proud Dhungatti man from Kempsey and also has ties to the Wiradjuri people. After moving around a lot early in his life he is now settled in Mt Druitt. “I have experienced a lot in my life and that is why I wanted to become a youth ambassador with Just Reinvest. I hope to be able to use this position to advocate for other Koori kids who are going through what I went through and hopefully prevent the future generations from being affected by the same systems I grew up in. I like the concept behind Just Reinvest and how the organisation understands that Aboriginal people have the solutions to the issues that affect us and that we just need to support communities to heal themselves.” Some Isaiah’s work includes:
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Terleaha Williams
Terleaha is a proud Kamilaroi and Yuin woman. She is a Just Reinvest Youth Ambassador and a project lead on Mounty Yarns – The lived experiences of Aboriginal young people in Mt Druitt. Terleaha is also assisting and coordinating a community-led OzTag team. “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time.” – Barack Obama. “Young people now in Mt Druitt are making change. We are putting as many things in place to help, support and guide change. And we will not stop.” |
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Kobie Duncan
Kobie is 23 years old and was born and raised in Maroubra, Sydney. Kobie’s mob is the Yuin Nation from the South coast and Gamilaroi people from Moree. He has been involved with Weave Youth and Community Services through the Kool Kids Club Program since he was in primary school. Kobie believes that justice reinvestment is important to provide both services that guide young people and opportunities for them to reach their goals. As a talented musician, Kobie has written and performed original rap songs, including songs about justice reinvestment and the impact of incarceration on families and communities. In addition to rap, Kobie is a committed and successful boxer and held the NSW Featherweight title. He has presented at conferences and told his story at Change the Record forums, through media and in schools. He is a mentor for children and young people in his community. Kobie has recently signed with Bad Apples Record label. |
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Trei Stewart
Trei is 21 years old and grew up in Nowra and the La Perouse community. He is from the Yuin nation that surrounds Wreck bay on the NSW South coast. Trei had a difficult childhood being removed from his family and separated from his siblings at a young age. He first got involved with Weave Youth and Community Service’s Kool Kids Club program in 2005 when he was 7 years old. Kool Kids Club is a prevention and early intervention initiative providing free after school and holiday activity programs in La Perouse and the surrounding areas. The program supports the development of well being, resilience and life skills for children and young people, fostering protective factors by building on young people’s strengths and enhancing their connections with community and family. The programs are designed to challenge and enhance children’s abilities and life skills. Trei understands first hand the importance of justice reinvestment and knows that without access to programs and support through Weave he may have ended up in the criminal justice system himself. It’s that passion that moved Trei to continue his time at Weave and become a Weave Youth Advocate and mentor. Trei has been an ambassador for Just Reinvest NSW since the launch at Government House in 2012. He has presented at national and state conferences, spoken with the media, supported young people in school and traveled to Uluru to participate in a leadership course. He believes that justice reinvestment is important to give young Aboriginal people support and positive mentors so they do not go down the wrong path. |
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Beau Foster
Beau Foster is 22 years old originally from the South coast in New South Wales. He was raised in Sydney and his mob is the Yuin nation from the South coast and the Dharawal people from the La Perouse community. He has been involved with Weave Youth and Community Service’s Kool Kids Club program since primary school. He knows first hand the difference it makes to have the support you need growing up in tough circumstances and is passionate about making sure other Aboriginal children and young people have the opportunities he had so they can have the best chance in life. Beau is a great mentor for younger kids in his community and has stepped up on many occasions to speak and perform at conferences, in the media and events to raise awareness of the importance of reducing the rates of incarceration for Aboriginal people. Beau believes that justice reinvestment is important because it offers young people an alternative to detention and focuses on the positive skills and strengths that they already have. Beau now works at the Kool Kids Club as an Activity worker supporting young people and their families. He remains committed to making positive, sustainable changes to strengthen community capacity and reduce incarceration rates. |
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Mi-kaisha Masella
Dharumbal Murri, Mi-kaisha, has fought for social justice her entire life. The 17 year old’s passion for sharing people’s experiences and stories has driven her to share her own story through music and take a stand. Mi-kaisha believes it is important that young people, and all people, find their voice anduse it to work on issues that affect them and are important to them. Mi-kaisha is President of the United Nation’s empowerment program, Girl Up, at her school. This is a group of young women who advocate for girl’s rights, educate others about the issues affecting girls in developing countries and in local communities in the hope of making positive change. Mi-kaisha is also Head Girl at International Grammar School, House Captain and actively volunteers for Aboriginal community organisations and children’s charities. She is an inaugural member of the Youth Advisory Group of the Western Sydney Centre for Indigenous Excellence and works after school for AIME. Mi-kaisha uses music to challenge stereotypes, provoke debate and tell stories of strength. “I feel that because I have been equipped with the life tools I need to succeed, a great education and have always had an amazing support system of people backing me, I need to show the world what a young Indigenous person can achieve when given a chance, and a level playing field.” “The power that lies in our community, hasn’t been recognised by those outside of our world experience. Our people have endured so much and have so much resilience and I think it’s important to show the world that power.” |
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Temeka Leonard
Temeka is 18 years old and was born in Blacktown. She is the second youngest of 5 children but has an enormous extended family that she grew up with. She has spent her whole life in the Mt Druitt area of Sydney but has family connections to both the Wongkumara and Kamilaroi nations. Through her first 18 years of life she has seen first hand the effects that both the out-of-home-care and criminal justice system have had on her mob. Temeka and her siblings were removed from their parents and placed into multiple foster care homes. They were eventually placed back into the care of their loving mother and father but during her time in care, Temeka went through a lot of tough times and circumstances. She has also spent time in police custody and juvenile detention. Despite all of this, Temeka has come out the other side a real leader. She is extremely passionate about helping her community and is currently enrolled to study Community Services at TAFE while looking for work in the hospitality industry. She is also looking to be a mentor for some of the younger girls in the Mt Druitt area. She is excited to be a Youth Ambassador for Just Reinvest as she sees it as a much better way to deal with the problem of overrepresentation of our people. She wonders how different both her life and the lives of many of her family and friends would have been if the money spent on locking her mob up was spent on helping them to break the cycle. She is also very passionate about the expansion of other diversionary programs such as the Youth Koori Court. |
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Killara Ebsworth
Killara Ebsworth was born in Broken Hill and is one of ten, having three sisters and six brothers. Her family is descended from the Wongkamara people of North Western NSW on her fathers side and the Dhungatti people of the Kempsey region on her mothers side. She lived in multiple locations growing up but Western Sydney has been the area she has spent most of her time. She has had to face a lot of issues in her short life but has come out of it extraordinarily resilient and loving. She is always up for a yarn and a laugh and has the potential to be a leader for young people in the community. She is extremely passionate about the concept of justice reinvestment and wants to see more done to engage the young people in our communities. |
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Kaleesha Morris
Kaleesha Morris is a proud Gumbaynggirr and Kulkalgal woman who was born and raised on her mother’s country in the Clarence Valley by the Northern Rivers of NSW. Kalessha is a Youth Ambassador for Just Reinvest NSW. “I often try to raise special awareness of the tragic Aboriginal suicide rates in Australia,” says Kaleesha, “as well as the increasing incarceration rates of our people, both realities of which are unacceptable in Australia. I am a youth ambassador for Just Reinvest NSW, an organisation which lobbies for various reforms in the criminal justice system and most importantly, stands for reducing Aboriginal incarceration rates and building Aboriginal community empowerment and self-determination.” |
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Nahdia Noter
I grew up in Dalby for my younger years, a beautiful country town located in QLD then moved back to Tweed Heads during my teenage years. I’ve grown up in a system that hasn’t been very favourable towards me, simply because of the colour of my skin. Institutions operate on a deeply entrenched racist system, ultimately this affects us all as we are one race, the human race and we must come together to support one another rather than allow ourselves to be divided. My dad taught me, “Black, White or Brindle, doesn’t matter what colour you are, when you walk in the street you say Hello to them.” Because of what he taught me, it bothers me so much that hatred of differences, that are actually beautiful, exist. It’s important to me to change the system because of what my family and ancestors have been through, what they have survived. I know what they’ve gone through, I know I’ve carried the Trauma from that. I’m reaching out to places that I can heal myself. I don’t want my daughter to be effected by that, the next generation. Just Reinvest is a powerful mechanism for change as it is a community of people and organisations who believe that holistic approaches are the only way to make significant generational change through justice reinvestment. I want other young people to know that there is always hope and there is always people that care. There are solutions, and you can make change, people can work together to make these big problems, not too big to be solved. I want young people to not stop believing in themselves and not compromise on what they inherently know to be right. We all have an inner voice that guides us. Listen to it and trust in it. |
The JRNSW Network
Sponsors
We are very grateful to the following sponsors
Champions
Our champions help spread the word about justice reinvestment
Supporters
Our supporters help quietly in the background
Adam Goodes | Alan Cameron AM | Chris Sarra |
Claerwen Little | Garner Clancey | Graham West |
Jack Thompson | Lindon Coombes | Peter Stapleton |
Vice Regal Patrons
Our vice regal patrons helps to spread the word about justice reinvestment
Our members
Our members help shape the strategic direction of our organisation
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Aboriginal Child, Family and Community Care State Secretariat (NSW) |
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Aboriginal Education Council (NSW) Inc |
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Aboriginal Medical Service Cooperative Limited |
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Amnesty International |
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ANTaR |
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Ashurst |
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Australian Indigenous Alpine Sports Foundation |
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Australian Red Cross |
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Community Legal Centres NSW |
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First Hand Solutions |
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Gilbert + Tobin |
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Herbert Smith Freehills |
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Kingsford Legal Centre |
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Legal Aid NSW |
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Lifestyle Solutions |
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Network of Alcohol and other Drug Agencies |
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Oxfam |
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Public Interest Advocacy Centre |
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Reconciliation NSW |
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Save the Children |
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Shopfront Youth Legal Service |
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Show Me the Way |
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Uniting Care NSW ACT |
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Weave |
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Whitelion |
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Youth Action |
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Youth Justice Coalition |
Want to get involved?
We are very grateful to the JRNSW network. See our get involved page to learn more about how you can help support justice reinvestment in NSW.