Kate Bjur

Kate Bjur believes with the right support, young people involved in the justice system can be empowered to make positive change. She is passionate about intervening early when young people join gangs because youth gang involvement is a strong predictor for adult gang involvement and adult incarceration. Kate’s Churchill Fellowship project explores how secure settings around the world safely manage youth gangs, and how they support young people who are ready to leave gangs. It also describes the features of youth detention models that have been shown to support young people to stop offending.

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Kate has worked with children and young people in Japan, Canada, England and Australia. Her work with young people includes restorative justice, youth and family work and inspecting Queensland’s youth detention centres. Kate has also been an educator, policy writer and an organisational change manager, and she has volunteered in a variety of roles with Queensland’s refugee community.

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​Kate is Assistant Director of the West Moreton Youth Detention Centre in Wacol, Queensland In this role, Kate leads a multidisciplinary team, including restorative practice, culture, casework, psychology and programs. Kate has led the centre’s local approach to gang reduction and gang exit strategies in collaboration with the local community, government and non-government partners.

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In 2022 and 2023, Kate was awarded AfriQueensland Awards from the Queensland African Communities Council for her multicultural connection and outreach work with the African community of Queensland.

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Kate holds a Bachelor of Arts in Japanese language and literature from the University of Queensland as well as post-graduate qualifications in the fields of Organisational Change Management, Community Services Work, Business, Early Childhood Education and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages.