Lead Good turns its focus to employment, asking a question at the heart of youth crime reform: can a job change a life?

In this episode of Lead Good, Lewis Martin and Judo are joined by Sally Curtin, CEO of the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Mike Schneider, CEO of Bunnings Australia, bringing together lived experience and business leadership to explore the role employers can play in redirecting young people away from crime.

The episode unpacks the barriers between a reformed offender and a fresh start, chief among them the criminal history check, which too often ends a conversation before it begins. Both guests challenge business to look beyond the record toward the person, arguing that context and advocacy can change hiring decisions in ways paperwork alone never could.

Judo reflects on navigating the workforce post-incarceration and on the seven young people he mentors, none of whom have reoffended. His lived experience connects personal transformation to systemic change.

The conversation also covers prison preparation for employment, the power of workplace peer groups, entrepreneurship pathways for young people with records, and what genuine rehabilitation looks like when business, government, and community align.

Make sure you follow and subscribe to keep up to date with future Lead Good episodes and season 2.

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Lead Good is produced by Good One Creative with support from Youth Activating Youth.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does the legal system really look like for a young person caught up in it? And what role do culture, lived experience, and community play in changing their path?

In this episode of Lead Good, Judo and Lewis are joined by Daniel Ajak and Amgad Ajak two South Sudanese Australian lawyers practising criminal defence. They unpack the realities of youth crime and what it takes to pull a young person away from the system.

Daniel and Amgad share their journeys from Sudan to Australia, the people who shaped them, and what drove them to law. They break down what actually happens when a young person is arrested, the cultural understanding they bring to the courtroom, and what Victoria's new "adult crime, adult time" laws mean for kids as young as fourteen.

A grounded conversation about culture, the courtroom, and the people who quietly change a young person's path before the system ever gets to them.

Make sure you follow and subscribe to keep up to date with future Lead Good episodes and season 2.

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Lead Good is produced by Good One Creative with support from Youth Activating Youth.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Can youth crime actually be reduced? And what does it take to create real change, beyond headlines and political debate?

In this episode of Lead Good, Judo and Lewis are joined by Mike Bush, Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police, bringing together lived experience and law enforcement to unpack one of the most talked-about issues in Victoria.

The conversation explores the tension between punishment and prevention, and whether tougher laws alone can solve the problem. Mike shares his perspective from decades in policing, emphasising the importance of consequences, but also the need to intervene earlier and address the root causes of offending.

Judo reflects on his own experience, acknowledging that as a young person, he didn’t fully understand the impact of his actions, either on victims or on his own future. He speaks about the influence of peer groups, the search for belonging, and how easily young people can be pulled in the wrong direction.

The episode also highlights the role of positive intervention. From mentors to coaches, it looks at what actually makes a difference before someone reaches the point of no return.

Now working directly with young people at risk, Judo shares what he’s seeing on the ground, the challenges they face, and the importance of meeting them where they are, with people they can relate to.

It’s a grounded conversation about what works, what doesn’t, and what it will take to create safer communities.

Make sure you follow and subscribe to keep up to date with future Lead Good episodes and season 2.

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Lead Good is produced by Good One Creative with support from Youth Activating Youth.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.