The BackTrack progam is an initiative of Jobs Australia Armidale and has been running for seven years, providing disadvantaged youth with access to a range of training programs and qualifications including welding, dog training, rural contract labour skills and school-based traineeships.

About 200 students, many of them indigenous, have received nationally accredited training through the program, with eight boys from the original crew now qualified tradesmen.

Federal Member for New England Tony Windsor visited the BackTrack shed on Monday afternoon to make the announcement and share a celebratory barbecue with the program’s participants.

Founder and manager Bernie Shakeshaft said the initiative had previously operated on small amounts of funding and was at risk of

closing later in the year.

“It’s awesome seeing the Federal Government actually getting behind it now after it’s been a long haul,” Mr Shakeshaft said.

“They’ve acknowledged the success of the program and come out in support of it. This is a pretty unique and different way to go about youth work but it’s a model that actually works.”

Mr Shakeshaft said BackTrack was a community initiative and had received support from local businesses, the State Government and Council.

“It’s a credit to the whole Armidale community that they’ve hung in there for so long and just kept backing it, and backing it, and backing it,” he said. “This will put us on the map.”

Mr Windsor said he had been aware of the organisation’s efforts for some time and was delighted they had secured the major funding.

“I’ve always had it in my mind that because of the uniqueness of the program and the way it actually works, and the way it delivers outcomes, it’s important to get that sort of message into Canberra,” he said.

One BackTrack program, Paws Up, sees participants train working dogs and travel to local shows.

In a major recognition of it, Prime Minister Julia Gillard has requested to see the team perform at Parliament House in Canberra on May 31.

Mr Windsor also announced a $100,000 funding boost for Open Door Youth Centre, which is run by Armidale-based organisation Pathfinders.

It has operated for two years but was at risk of closing because of a lack of ongoing funding.

Pathfinders’ projects also include The Armidale Youth Refuge and Outreach Housing Service, and Pathways.