Non-judgmental approach and rural outlook a winning combination for former street kids

A history of juvenile mischief and an early life as a rough and tumble ringer and a wild dog trapper in the Northern Territory gave Mr Shakeshaft an education in realism that he wished to share with fellow youth whose circumstances failed them at the most basic level.

Homes filled with relationship breakdowns and domestic violence tend to scar sensitive young men who subsequently find they have no time for civilised aspects of school, work and recreation.

They turn to the streets and inevitably end up in trouble with the law.

Mr Shakeshaft short-circuited that well trodden path by setting up something of a campus in the old Dumaresq Shire depot in Armidale back in 2006 and since then the facility has swelled to include a community of supporting team players, from teachers and tradies to the young men themselves.

Currently 60 are employed by BackTrack at the depot making cattle grids, providing on-farm labour and running the program's own cattle breeding enterprise about half an hour out of town.

"Most of the kids who come here have been kicked out of home, their school and the footy team," says Mr Shakeshaft. "We bust our asses to keep these boys out of jail."

Federal law stipulates young people must either go to school or at the right age get a job but government policy doesn't think broadly enough to cater for BackTrack's young people.

"We're getting kids as young as 11 and 12 years old. They're not making the transition from primary school to high school," points out Mr Shakeshaft.

At the BackTrack campus there's a full time K-12 teacher who teaches basic literacy.

"Most who come here can't read or write and with no education and no job or training they're doing nothing," Mr Shakeshaft says. And yet the success rate at BackTrack is 87 per cent who go on to school or get a job. "Success has many fathers," he points out. "Failure is an orphan."

The program this year has a budget of $7 million, of which just five per cent is government funded, with the remainder coming from private donations. Last year the program was gifted 600 acres of country on the edge of the escarpment and currently runs 80 head of cattle with plans to grow the enterprise for the long term.

This week the boys sold their first lot of cattle at the Armitage and Buckley weaner sale, with their Angus steers making $1147 for 236kg and the young men learning the practicalities of beef production while inadvertently studying mathematics, science and biology - all aspects of real-life education.

A metal fabrication shop on-site keeps young men occupied building cattle grates, gates and other equipment for sponsors like GrazAg. The hands-on approach works well.

"Pythagorous theorem used to scare me at school but here when the boys are making steel gates and their welding teacher is explaining how to square it up using Pythagorous, then it all makes sense," Mr Shakeshaft says.

As a result of the success at Armidale there are eight sister projects in regional towns throughout the state. Another 100 localities are hoping to become part of this incredible journey but it all takes money.

At the core of this enterprise is an association with working dogs who welcome new kids into the fold with warm acceptance.

"They're a best mate. You can talk to them and they will still be your friend," says Luke, who came to Armidale from Melbourne.

"The best part is that they don't judge you."

Young Luke fell out of school and favour after a break-up in the family home and he reckons he was on a path to nowhere before landing a position in the BackTrack community.

Now he is striving to get his Certificate 3 in rural operations, with an intention to get work on-farm.

Tenterfield straggler Richard came to BackTrack after an early life on the streets.

"I was running amok, and wasn't listening," he said. "People would walk right past me. Here, they took me in. They always talk to me. They believe in me. My head's screwed on now and next month I'm joining the Army."

The basic principals of teaching at Back Track include belonging, owning your own story, independence, love of learning and generosity.

"These were the first fellows to respect us and to take us in," Richard said.

Brenden, originally from Newcastle, came to Armidale to be close to family after a marriage break-up in his own home.

"I was on the wrong track. I couldn't understand school. They told me to try BackTrack one day a week and I liked it. Now I'm doing a traineeship in agriculture. It's hands-on. I love all of it and I love my kelpies.

"My first dog Bernie gave to me and it helped me. It gave me more responsibility. I stopped going out on the streets because I had to go home and feed my dog. I've trained the dog up to work and that has changed my life."

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