Senior Constable Greg Curry is the youth case manager for the shire’s Police Citizens Youth Club (PCYC).

He said the closure of the Youth Connections program on December 31 would leave “a massive hole”.

The Campbell Page program helped young people aged from 11 to 19 to reconnect with schooling, training or employment, but federal government funding for the nation-wide scheme was axed this year.

Constable Curry said the decision had “shocked and saddened” him.

“It will leave a massive hole in the community that I cannot see any other organisation filling,” he said yesterday.

He particularly regretted the loss of learning coach Debbie Grant, who accompanied police officers on Street Beat, driving the streets at night to connect with troubled youths.

“A lot are coming from disadvantaged backgrounds,” Constable Curry said.

“Whether they were being suspended from school or just needed assistance, Debbie was helping them. 

“A lot of children depended on the service and now they will be out on the street. There is a real need for the service.”

Echoing his sentiment was grandfather Danny Chapman.

“Youth Connections saved my grandson,” Mr Chapman said yesterday.

“He got disconnected from school and became introverted and this program saved him. 

“He is going back to school and has got himself a job. 

“This program picked up all the problem children who get washed aside by society. Where will they go?”

Mr Chapman described the pain of watching his grandson become estranged from his family.

“I was devastated,” he said.

“I thought he could end up without a life.”

Campbell Page chief operations officer Dale Cleaver said the service had helped 1100 young people in the region since 2010.

“We are extremely sad to see program funding cease at the end of this year,” he said.

“Our learning coaches have accomplished great things with the young people, helping them find their way and finish their education.

“We will keep the informal networks going, while trying to find other ways to help young people in the area.”

Ms Grant said she would miss getting text messages from young people telling her of their successes. 

She said the Street Beat program had picked up “lost souls” who would otherwise have never joined Youth Connections.