Where there’s a Will there’s a way

By Wendy Shaw

A former St Patrick’s College student who works with disadvantaged young people has received a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to the youth of Tasmania.

Will Smith, 33, who was a Tasmania Police special operations group tactical operator, is the founder and CEO of Launceston-based JCP Youth, which provides support and mentorship to at-risk young people.

Mr Smith said he was appreciative and thankful for the Australia Day honour.

“It was a meaningful reflection not only on the work I have done, but also on the incredible support I have received from my family, friends, colleagues, and the broader community,” he said.

“The recognition really belongs to all of those people who have walked alongside me and supported the journey.”

Mr Smith grew up in Deloraine where he attended Our Lady of Mercy Catholic School and later St Patrick’s College in Launceston where he was college captain in 2010.

“My Catholic education played a significant role in shaping my values, particularly around service to others, compassion, and community responsibility,” he said.

He began volunteering at Edmund Rice Camps when he was 15 and this continued for the next decade. It had a lasting impact.

“The camps involved recreational and mentoring activities designed to give young people positive experiences, confidence, and connection,” he said.

“Although Edmund Rice Camps no longer operate locally, that experience heavily influenced the creation of Kaleido Camps through JCP Youth, which delivers similar recreational-based programs.

“Recently we ran two camps during the school holidays, and it has been exciting to see that model continue in a new form.”

He was a Tasmanian police officer from 2012 to 2021 and became the CEO of JCP Youth in 2019.

“I established JCP Youth to provide a service for young people whose needs were not being met within the existing system, young people who were effectively falling through the gaps,” he said.

“The intention was to create a ‘fit for a gap’ model that could provide intensive, long-term support to those who needed it most. What continues to motivate me is seeing tangible change in young people’s lives and knowing that consistent, genuine support can redirect a young person’s path and give them opportunities they may not otherwise have had.”

Mr Smith has faced his own challenges. He had a heart attack aged 30 and is living with heart failure.

“I am very grateful that I am still able to carry out my work and manage the essential parts of everyday life,” he said. “I try to approach it with appreciation rather than limitation.”

He was the Tasmanian Young Australian of the Year in 2020 and he received a Human Rights Award the same year for advocacy, inclusion and improving outcomes for vulnerable groups.

“The work I am involved in has always been collaborative. While individual recognition is appreciated, meaningful change is always the result of teams, partnerships, and communities working together,” Mr Smith added.