Rotary Central Melbourne’s 2024 Silk Miller Scholar receives prestigious award

Rotary Central Melbourne’s (RCM) 2024 Silk Miller Scholar, acting Senior Sergeant Steve Turner’s work has been recognised at the National Australian Crime and Violence Prevention Awards. Steve’s project resulted in the team receiving a silver award, one of nine awards presented by Federal-Attorney General, Hon. Mark Dreyfus KC MP, at a ceremony held in Parliament House, Canberra on 12 November 2024.
RCM instigated the Silk Miller Scholarship in 1999, named in memory of the two slain officers, Sergeant Gary Silk and Senior Constable Rodney Miller. The scholarships enable serving Victorian Police members to study the University of Melbourne’s Graduate Diploma in Adolescent Health and Wellbeing. RCM funds 50% of the course fees and the scholar funds the remaining 50%. Scholarships have now been awarded to at least 26 police officers, 19 of whom are still serving. 
 
The citation states:
The Youth Crime Prevention and Early Intervention Project is a joint initiative led by Victoria Police in partnership with West Justice, Victoria Legal Aid, the Youth Support and Advocacy Service, the Centre for Multicultural Youth and Youth Now. It aims to reduce the rate of offending and reoffending among children and young people by diverting them from the criminal justice system, minimising their contact with police and the courts. The project focuses on supporting police to issue warnings, cautions and fast-tracked diversion, and on improving referrals for children and young people to appropriate support services that can help address any underlying causes of offending behaviour.
 
Steve has said: “This study (Graduate Diploma in Adolescent Health and Wellbeing) has absolutely informed my work.”  He acknowledges the benefits of the program in dealing not only directly with youth, in terms of keeping them out of the Justice System, but also the capacity he now has to impact and influence those around him, including his senior management and external agencies.
 
RCM congratulates Steve on his outstanding work and achievement. We also acknowledge the award was only possible in 2024, with the support of The Rotary Foundation.
 
RCM became involved originally when Rotary’s focus on health issues included the issues of youth suicide prevention and youth mental illness, noting the potential of a link with Victoria Police, as one of the relevant agencies involved in youth.  Through better education and trained Youth Resource Officers and other police officers, it was expected to lead to better acceptance by Victoria Police generally of the need to understand how young people “tick” and how Victoria Police could develop better strategies in dealing with them. Acting Senior Sergeant Steve Turner’s award positively illustrates outcomes of Rotary Central Melbourne’s Silk Miller Scholarship.