Reformed criminal Caine Richardson will be sharing his story at The BEAST Gala

JCP Youth's BEAST Program works with some of Launceston's most vulnerable and at-risk youth and wants the wider community to better understand their work.

JCP Youth founder and former-police officer Will Smith said the program engaged with 48 young people and filled a gap in the system.

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"We're the only organisation that's doing what we do, we're with kids late at night and early in the morning," Mr Smith said.

"We don't abide by the nine to five mentality because kids who are at-risk, they aren't engaging in these behaviours just during school time."

"A lot of them are tied up in the youth justice system or at-risk of entering the youth justice system, so the aim is to reform their behaviours and positively integrate them back with the community."

Mr Smith said the gala event was intended to shine a light on to the "lives of young people our society has forgotten".

"We're implementing a model that we don't think has ever been done before," he said.

"So, this isn't an opportunity to come and drink and have fun and dance.

"This is an opportunity to come and be confronted and to listen to people who have real and genuine stories.

"They're going to feel uncomfortable, they're going to be confronted by what they see, and the whole purpose is that this isn't occurring outside of Launceston.

"This is here in this community."

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Reformed criminal Caine Richardson will be one of the speakers at the event and said while a troubled childhood had put him on a path of youth offending, he wished the BEAST program had been available to him at the time.

"There was youth justice services and things like that in place when I was that age, but having people like Will on the streets to make sure these kids aren't left to their own device or own demise, is what makes the success rate of this program so high," Mr Richardson said.

Mr Smith said Caine's story was important because it offered a unique perspective and highlighted the need to think "outside the box" when it came to at-risk youth and youth offenders.

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"What's occurring at the moment clearly isn't working, and Caine is prime example of one of few, if any, people that I know who have come through that system and been able to start engaging and reforming their entire life," Mr Smith said.

"So it's important for him to share his story as well, because it showcases there is a gap in our services, and the only person who can provide insight into that gap is someone who's been through it themselves."

Mr Richardson said he was honoured to be given the opportunity to work with JCP Youth and said he had worked hard to change his life and use his experiences to become a positive role-model.

"It took a long time but I'm still young and I think I've got a lot that I can give back for the harm that I have done," he said.

Tickets to the BEAST Gala Night are still available.

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