Jo-Nesha’s future just keeps getting brighter!

Last Festive season we shared the story of Jo-Nesha and the positive impact that PCYC Queensland – with your kind support – has had in her life. We had such an overwhelming response to Jo-Nesha’s story we thought, one year later, we would share a recap and update you on her journey…

Jo-Nesha, is now a 15-year-old from Cairns, but she began her journey at PCYC Queensland when she started participating in different sports programs. She was quickly identified by PCYC Queensland as showing leadership potential and was subsequently offered further opportunities at her local club. These included a place in the Participate, Lead, Champion (PLC) program, the opportunity to complete Level 1 of the State Youth Leadership Program (SYLP), and the attainment of her Bronze Duke of Edinburgh International Award.

A highlight for Jo-Nesha was her involvement, with ‘We all dance – 3M project’ that PCYC Queensland and a group of Cairns services implemented to improve engagement within three suburbs of Mooroobool, Mununda and Manoora. As the result of a music video, created with local rap artists Last Kinnection, telling the story of hope these young people have for their community, the Change Starts With Us clip was created.  Jo-Nesha and other 3M dancers were then invited to dance with the Brisbane Ballet when it performed in Cairns

PCYC Community Development Advisor, Rochelle said, “the beauty of PCYC Queensland is that we are able to provide unique experiences and safe spaces to the participants”.

The development of positive life skills for a young person is life-changing and the ripple effect within Jo-Nesha’s community in Cairns is also significant. With leadership skills and strategies, Jo-Nesha now has the confidence to encourage other young members of her community.

“Life can be hard sometimes, but you’ve just got to get through it, so I help the young kids out when they need it”. – Jo-Nesha

Jo-Nesha is just one of the 50,000 young people that PCYC Queensland has been able to support – with your help – over the last year. PCYC Queensland is happy to have helped her continued personal development, with Jo-Nesha attending the SYLP program to complete Level 2 in June this year alongside Holly and the other young people engaged in our clubs around Queensland.

Jo-Nesha has continued to use sport for positive choice and work towards her goal of going to the 2020 Olympics for sprinting. This year Jo-Nesha has gained a part-scholarship to Canberra Girls Grammar in order to attend the Australian Institute of Sport in 2019, and has also been accepted into the Raise the Bar program, a joint initiative between Athletics Australia and Melbourne University Sport that provides Indigenous school students the chance to discover pathways to studying and participation through high performance sport.

We could not have helped Jo-Nesha achieve her dreams without the generous support of people, like you, around Queensland who have donated to enable PCYC Queensland to deliver life-changing programs.

Would you like to help more young Queenslanders, like Jo-Nesha, have a brighter future? Donate now