Outcare is proud to share that we have been awarded the largest Telethon grant in the 2026 funding round – an extraordinary commitment from Telethon7 and the generous Western Australian community. This support allows us to continue walking alongside young women who are facing some of the toughest moments of their lives and helping them move toward safety, stability, and opportunity.
Every day, the Arclight Program meets young women and young men aged 12 to 18 in the City of Kwinana who require individualised support to reach their potential. Many are disengaging from school. Many are navigating trauma. Some are already in contact with the justice system. What they all share is potential – untapped, bright, and waiting to be seen.
Arclight exists to shine a light on that potential. The City of Kwinana spearheaded Arclight in partnership with key stakeholders to address criminal and anti-social activity by youth which cost the community several million dollars in 2023. Using a trauma‑informed and strengths‑focused approach, the program wraps around each young person with the support, encouragement, and structure they need to re‑engage with school, reconnect with community, and rebuild belief in themselves. Through close collaboration and partnership with WA Police, Gilmore College, and the City of Kwinana, the program ensures that young people are given the right support in the right ways.
Reflecting on the impact of the Arclight program in the local community, City of Kwinana Mayor Peter Feasey shared:
“Arclight is a transformative program here in Kwinana that not only boosts community safety but changes the trajectory of these children’s lives. We are incredibly grateful for the recognition this program has received from several funding bodies, including this incredible Telethon grant to support Outcare’s delivery of the Arclight program to girls. This funding is providing practical support for young people in our community and changing futures.”
With ‘tough on crime’ approach seeing up to 70 per cent of young people return to detention within a year, and each detention costing more than $1 million per child annually, Arclight offers a targeted alternative model, working intensively with a small group of youth at a time.
Arclight addresses the root causes of disengagement, and creates an individual plan for each participant that also ensures family and community commitment.
The results have been transformative. Youth crime is decreasing, contributing to safer and healthier communities. Engagement with education and employment is rising, giving young people a stronger foundation for long-term security. Participants are stepping into community life with more confidence, improving their financial wellbeing and their sense of place. Services are working together more effectively, helping systems respond better to young people. And perhaps most powerful of all is the ripple effect – positive change that extends beyond each participant, shaping families, siblings, and the next generation.
This is the heart of Arclight: when you change the trajectory of one young person’s life, you change countless others in the process.
Outcare CEO David Cain captured this impact, saying:
“This Telethon grant is a profound investment in the potential of young people. Arclight has already changed lives, families, and communities – and with this funding, we’ll be able to reach even more young women who deserve safety, connection, and opportunity. We are deeply grateful to Telethon7 and the Western Australian community for believing in this work and standing beside us as we continue building pathways for young people to succeed.”
To Telethon7, and to every Western Australian who contributed – thank you. Your generosity ensures that the light continues to shine for the young people who need it most, guiding them toward possibility, hope, and a future they can truly call their own.
