Sergeant Steve Turner, Leading Senior Constable Julie Woods and Sergeant Ben McWilliam - the Silk Miller Scholarship
Sergeant Turner is the 2024 Silk Miller Scholarship awardee. He will speak on his innovative current role and how he anticipates the course will assist him. Commander Jo Stafford of Victoria Police will present his award.
Steve has spent the last 14 years working in the western suburbs of Melbourne, observing the revolving door of young people in and out of police custody. It has led him to look at what police do, and what can be done differently for better outcomes.
For the last 7 years he has been developing YCEIP (Youth Crime Early Intervention Project) Co-Led with WestJustice and other stakeholders. This project moved to implementation in 2022 and has achieved some very promising results. He oversees all young people in custody – looking for the drivers to crime, and what can be done to stop the young person coming back into police contact. This includes reviewing the young person’s police history, the incident they were arrested for, support service referral and liaising with other services.
Steve completed the Cert IV in Adolescent Health & Wellbeing in 2021 which had a direct influence on his work. He now feels very privileged to have received the Silk Miller Award which is now allowing him to complete year 2 of the graduate diploma.
Also speaking are our two most recent graduates - Leading Senior Constable Julie Woods and Sergeant Ben McWilliam - who will receive their graduation certificates from Dr Ani Wierenga from University of Melbourne. We will hear from Julie and Ben, who will outline the impact their studies have had, and are having, on their very difficult work.
Rotary Central Melbourne instigated the Silk Miller Scholarship in 2000. It is named in memory of two slain Victoria Police Officers, Sergeant Gary Silk and Senior Constable Rodney Miller. Scholarships funded by the Club have now been awarded to 23 police officers. Our Club became involved when Rotary’s focus on health included the issues of youth suicide prevention and youth mental illness. The Club pays 50% of the individual’s course fee and the recipient funds the other 50% personally. This may help explain the commitment and passion these officers have for their roles in improving outcomes for adolescents.