Armidale youth support organisation BackTrack Youth Works has been awarded a $20,000 grant from the CommBank Staff Foundation, bolstering its longstanding mission to help vulnerable young people across regional New South Wales re-engage with education, employment and community life.
BackTrack is one of 86 organisations in NSW, and 180 nationally, to receive the funding as part of the CommBank Community Grants program, which is distributing $4.2 million to grassroots organisations across the country in 2025.
Founded nearly 20 years ago by Bernie Shakeshaft, BackTrack began operations out of a council shed in Armidale. It has since grown into a nationally recognised model for youth transformation, combining hands-on education, social enterprise employment, and therapeutic programs, including its acclaimed dog therapy initiative to help young people reconnect and build better futures.
The funding will support a new role within BackTrack’s Wellbeing and Paws Up programs, with a focus on engaging young people through lived experience and mentorship.
“The CommBank Community Grant will be used to help us to employ one of our former BackTrack kids to be part of our wellbeing team – working with other staff and the newer crop of young people coming through,” a BackTrack spokesperson said.
“That kind of role modelling and lived experience is just gold and part of what makes things hum at the BackTrack Shed. After almost 20 years working in this town, we are always beyond proud to see our former participants out working and being involved in the community.”
The organisation currently supports young people through a mix of education, accommodation, employment and outreach services. Over the past financial year, more than 60 participants were engaged through BackTrack’s Core Education program, with around 35 employed through its social enterprise arm, BackTrack Works. Many former participants also now contribute as staff across the organisation.
“The kinds of support we offer depends on the particular needs of each young person,” the spokesperson said.
“Some require full time accommodation at Warrah, others might have left our programs some years back but still need a hand every now and then with moving house or getting a bit of counselling or extra casual work in the social enterprise. We really are here for whatever it takes for as long as it takes.”
BackTrack’s Paws Up program, which involves participants and trained dogs visiting remote schools and aged care facilities, continues to serve as both outreach and therapeutic support.
Reflecting on the year, the organisation noted several milestones, including the success of its Night Crew project, which sees former program participants now employed to work with young people on the streets of Armidale after dark.
“It always feels like a big year at BackTrack! But it really does feel like we’ve taken some leaps in 2025. Particularly with those older crew who have been through our programs and are now giving back,” the spokesperson said.
“It’s a real full circle moment for us as we’re seeing these young people stepping up to support the next generation – particularly through the Night Crew project they devised and started delivering in Armidale back in Feb. We now employ these emerging leaders to reach out to kids on the street at night and help support and engage them in more positive pathways. It’s attracted the attention of a lot of decision makers.”
Looking ahead, BackTrack is continuing development on its Cubba Cubbah farm, just outside Armidale, with plans to launch a long-term vision for its future impact in 2026, which will also mark the organisation’s 20th anniversary.
“We’re always 80 per cent out in front at BackTrack and boy do we believe in dreaming big,” the spokesperson said.
“We’ve done a lot of work on our farm, Cubba Cubbah over the last year or two and we are right now working on our 100-year vision to see what we might be able to do there for the very long term. We should be ready to talk a bit more about that in 2026 – when BackTrack turns 20!”
Finally, the team expressed gratitude for the ongoing support of the Armidale community.
“We’d just really like to thank our whole community for getting behind the young people in our town and supporting us as we walk beside them. We’ve always said it takes a village, and we’ve always had one here in Armidale, with support from right across the community.”
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