Approximately 60–70% of youth in detention are Aboriginal, highlighting the urgent need for culturally grounded, community-based programs. In response, the Tarragal Outrigger Canoe Club formed a partnership with the Frank Baxter Youth Justice Centre at Kariong to deliver a paddling program designed to support these young people. Sessions are held up to four times a month—and at times, three times a week—depending on the boys’ commitments at the Centre. When the program began, many of the boys, along with their Carers, had no ocean skills; some couldn’t swim and most were withdrawn, avoiding eye contact and carrying a deep sense of fear.

Through consistent coaching, connection to culture, and genuine care, these young men have undergone a profound transformation. Today, they greet the Tarragal members with hugs, help prepare the canoes, and take up leadership roles within the team. In March 2024, several of the boys were granted day release by the Department of Justice to compete in the Outrigger State Titles at Shoal Bay in the Novice Men’s division—and they won.

The Frank Baxter Centre has acknowledged the program’s remarkable impact, stating they are “delighted with the growth seen in these boys under the coaching and mentoring of Tarragal Outriggers.” They noted how the boys are “responding to the challenge of the ocean and, importantly, to the members of the Club.” According to the Centre, the program has provided the boys with connection to land and ocean, to the community, and to each other as teammates. It has also fostered personal growth, water safety knowledge, and respect for women, learned through observing how Tarragal’s male members respectfully engage with their female teammates. The Centre described the mentorship by Tarragal men as both “meaningful and impacting”—a testament to what is possible when sport, culture, and community come together to support rehabilitation and reintegration.