From the producer: Bernie Shakeshaft on more kids, more towns, more empathy

With all the news of late about youth crime, gendered violence, and incarceration rates, we have found ourselves asking - I wonder what Bernie thinks? Bernie Shakeshaft is the 2020 Australian Local Hero of the Year recipient and the founder of Backtrack. It's a community-led organisation for young people who are having a tough time. In this chat, he delves into what helping those kids who need it most means and why it makes a big difference. Club Picks: This piece on the ABC looks at the data around youth offender rates and the various solutions being offered.  This Moree report, written by Adam Harvey in March, paints a picture of what it is like to live with the issue of youth crime on your doorstep. We interviewed Adam Harvey previously on News Club about reporting on conflict zones. This is the documentary made in 2018 about BackTrack and a recent update to it. You can also watch the trailer here. This is Bernie featured in the AFR’s Philanthropy edition. If you don’t have time for the doco or our News Club interview, this is an easy way to get across what he has built/is building.   Find out more about BackTrack here Host: Kate Watson Producer: Annelise Taylor