A New South Wales Police programme known as Project Murra aims to put Indigenous youths on the fast track to becoming police officers, by reaching out to Year 11 and 12 students.

Students who join the programme work one day a week at local police stations in the Illawarra region, near Sydney.

Chief Inspector Bob Noble of the lake Illawarra command says the project is about building trust with local Indigenous communities.

" ... I guess more black faces in the blue suit as it were is one way to do it," he told Living Black. "People can start to place a bit more trust and can identify with the people who are in the blue suit."

Watch the video

KG: History has shown that the relationship between the police and the Aboriginal community has not always been a happy one. However, a project based on the South Coast of NSW aims to change that by not only improving relationships but to assist Aboriginal people to become part of the police force. Here's video journalist Kris Flanders with the story.

Reporter: It's an unlikely team - teenagers and police on the same side. Project Murra is doing just that, giving students in Years 11 and 12 the chance to work one day a week at local police stations in the Lake Illawarra region.

Bob Noble, Lake Illawarra Police: It's about building trust with the communities we serve. We're always looking for ways to increase the trust they have in us and I think having more, you know, I guess, more black faces in the blue suit, as it were, is one way to do it.

Reporter: Project Murra is the brainchild of several organisations, including TAFE, the Department of Education and Warrigal Employment. The Federal Government has funded wages for the Project Murra trainees. Without that money the project may not have gone ahead.

Annelies Voorhuis, Warrigal Employment: For us it's about school retention, keeping Aboriginal students at school to complete their HSC, it's about careers, it's about helping Aboriginal students move from school into a career and it's also about building linkages between the police and the Aboriginal community.

Reporter: The trainees, from local schools, had to pass a stringent interview process and background checks.

Matthew Hughes, Project Murra Trainee: We're the test pilots for this program, it's the first time it's ever been done. We want to show that we can get to the police force and show the koori kids that we're going to be there and so like they can follow us as well.

Harley Carlson, Project Murra Trainees: When this popped up I thought yeah, that would be a good career for me, a good future.

Reporter: When the idea was raised, Illawarra Sports High teacher Simon King didn't hesitate to lend a hand.

Simon King, Illawarra Sports High School: Often you see programs which are here today, gone tomorrow. We wanted to make sure that there was a long-term outcome for the students and so that was paramount.

Reporter: One of his students, Megan Birschkat, has convinced her teachers she'll succeed in Project Murra and beyond.

Simon King: Megan no doubt now has a more powerful direction in which to go. She understands the relationship between school and the vocational outcome, which will hopefully be a full-time position with the police.

Reporter: Peter Jones believes that Project Murra has already had a positive influence on his students.

Peter Jones, Principal Kanahooka High: It's just been tremendous. I can see just how much it's lifted their self-esteem, particularly not only for themselves but also for their schooling, so they're very keen to participate, be successful in this program.

Reporter: Project Murra gives the trainees the chance to experience police work and are assigned a police officer to be their mentor. NSW Police hope some of the course graduates will eventually join the force.

Ben Walsh, Police Youth Liaison Officer: The best advice is obviously to just treat every person out there like as if that was your parents reporting it, family, friends, you know what I mean? Treat every matter as important, because to that person at that time that is the most important thing happening in their life.

Bob Noble: At the completion of the traineeship the trainees will have gained their Higher School Certificate and in some cases, should they choose to pursue it, a UAI, they'll have a Certificate 3 in vocational and study pathways and they'll also have obtained obviously 100 days paid employment with us over the two years.

Reporter: The Aboriginal community are right behind Project Murra in the hope that it will bridge the gap between police and Indigenous youth.

Richard Davis, Illawarra Aboriginal Corporation: If we had more Aboriginal police it would just benefit the community in general, it'd just get Aboriginal people to have that self belief. And the police itself, I think they'll get a great deal out of it, understanding Aboriginal culture, understanding Aboriginal people and getting a little bit of an understanding of where we've come from.

Reporter: Though Project Murra is in its infancy, police say it's already achieving results.

Harley Carlson: I've felt a lot prouder of myself, felt like I've been - yeah, done something with my life, getting there, get along with it, yeah, gonna have a good future.

Matthew Hughes: Like with this opportunity it's a career path, like it's gonna take me - and hopefully I'll get there - to the police force and it'll take me a long way in my life and should set me up for my life.

Bob Noble: I really do see that they've got the right stuff as far as what we're looking for for police. So we're hoping to build on that and at the end of it have some really good-quality young cops coming into the NSW Police Force.