The Something Better Project from the Queensland Citizens Police Youth Club provides a support network for youth in the Cape York communities of Hope Vale, Wujal Wujal, Napranum, Mapoon, Coen, NPA (Bamaga and surrounds), Lockhart River and Kowanyama. The project engages participants between 8 and 16-years-old, providing at-risk youth the opportunity to take part in structured activities including sport, outdoor and indoor recreation and cultural events.

Diversionary activities occupy roughly one half of Something Better*s platform; the other consists of workshops that are ran co-operatively with the Edward Koch Foundation. In April, May and June these workshops will be held in each of the eight Cape York communities and are intended to educate community members and service providers on subjects including risk factors and warning signs and triggers.

Liv Gray, development coordinator, says: *We offer a range of different activities including diversionary activities, which are active supportive programs that provide youth the opportunity to do something new or to build on some skills they might have done previously. We also offer workshops not necessarily for kids that aim to increase awareness of suicide and things people can do to help.*

Recent diversionary activities undertaken by Something Better (held from October 2008 onwards) include mountain biking, bush walking, camping, painting, touch football, sea kayaking, raft building, camp cooking, orienteering, crafts, pancake making, abseiling and tree climbing. After experimenting with the use of key role models at last year*s events, Something Better plans to develop their participation in coming events in 2009. Last year role models included a member of the Cape York Family Violence Prevention Legal Unit and some traditional owners of the Cairns area.

*The kids can interact with these role models and get to know them during the time when they*re out and about,* says Gray. *They can be a familiar face and a familiar person, so that if something does come up in relation to suicide or a challenging thing the kids are experiencing they can actually think hang on a second, there is that person, and they are in my town or community and I can go and talk to them.*

Something Better will run another art and culture event in April in conjunction with the State Library, which will prove an opportunity for local artists to teach youth a range of skills in art, craft and music. It will run over three days and finish with an exhibition located in Injinoo, during which participants will be encouraged to perform music and display the art and crafts they made during the week.