Kokoda Youth Foundation Leads Gold Coast Reset Program

Key Facts:

Like all of Kokoda Youth Foundation's life-changing programs, the Isurava Regional Reset program is grounded in the values of Courage, Endurance, Mateship, and Sacrifice and this program is being delivered through six key phases:

• Planning: Individual goal-setting with a focus on cultural identity and trauma-informed care.
• Foundation Camp: A 7-day circuit-breaker experience at Kokoda Park to establish trust, stability, and personal responsibility.
• Intensive Mentoring: Group and one-on-one mentoring, physical activities, cultural learning, and community service.
• Growth Camp: A 5-day expedition designed to build resilience and team trust.
• Transition Phase: A 10-week guided reconnection to school, training, or employment pathways.
• Aftercare: A final 4-day leadership expedition followed by six months of continued support and case management.

Kokoda Youth Foundation (KYF) has been selected by the Queensland Government to deliver its Isurava Regional Reset Program across the Gold Coast region. This represents an important step forward in youth crime prevention and will support up to 600 at-risk youth over the next four years.

The State-wide Regional Reset Program is an early intervention initiative and a core part of the Government's Making Our Community Safer plan. It provides an important opportunity to change the lives of young people who are showing signs of disengagement, or antisocial behaviour.

Backed by more than two decades of success, the Kokoda Youth Foundation is uniquely positioned to deliver its Isurava Regional Rest Program on the Gold Coast. The program is founded on the Kokoda values of Courage, Endurance, Mateship, and Sacrifice, and addresses key drivers of disengagement including trauma, disrupted relationships, low self-regulation, and lack of identity, while equipping participants with the tools to make better choices.

Detective Acting Inspector, Nathan Boddy, of the Gold Coast District Vulnerable Persons Group endorsed the importance of the initiative:

The QPS is very excited about the commencement of Kokoda Youth Foundation's Isurava Program on the Gold Coast. With a focus on resilience, personal growth, and tailored one-on-one mentoring over 12 months, it represents a valuable program for any young person at risk and in need of support."

KYF's Isurava Regional Reset Program provides a structured 12-month journey with wilderness-based camps, intensive mentoring, family engagement, and a guided transition phase to support re-engagement in education, employment, and community life. KYF's model is backed by leading research, including a KPMG analysis recognising the organisation's approach as best practice for shaping positive behavioural change in young people.

KYF Chief Executive Officer, Angie Debnam, welcomed the announcement: We are incredibly proud to have been selected to deliver this transformative program in both the Gold Coast and Ipswich regions. We look forward to helping hundreds of young people in our region to reset their lives and build a positive future. This is more than a program - it's a pathway to purpose, positive impact and possibility."

This is the reset that's needed for young lives - giving them the tools they need to make better choices and stop the cycle of crime," said Minister for Youth Justice and Victim Support, Laura Gerber. "By turning kids' lives around early, we will have fewer youth offenders, fewer victims of crime, and safer communities."

About the Isurava Regional Reset Program

Isurava was a pivotal battle site in Papua New Guinea, during the gruelling 1942 Kokoda Campaign. Like all of Kokoda Youth Foundation's life-changing programs, Isurava is grounded in the values of Courage, Endurance, Mateship, and Sacrifice and this program is being delivered through six key phases:

• Planning: Individual goal-setting with a focus on cultural identity and trauma-informed care.
• Foundation Camp: A 7-day circuit-breaker experience at Kokoda Park to establish trust, stability, and personal responsibility.
• Intensive Mentoring: Group and one-on-one mentoring, physical activities, cultural learning, and community service.
• Growth Camp: A 5-day expedition designed to build resilience and team trust.
• Transition Phase: A 10-week guided reconnection to school, training, or employment pathways.
• Aftercare: A final 4-day leadership expedition followed by six months of continued support and case management.

The first Regional Reset Program will be starting on 5 December, 2025.

About us:

KYF's programs have consistently demonstrated reduced youth justice involvement, improved school engagement, and strengthened emotional resilience since 2004. With a philosophy centred on identity-building, positive role modelling, and purposeful challenge, KYF is nationally recognised as a leader in youth development.