Across the state, many young people attending PCYC Queensland’s youth development programs say we’re their only safe space. At PCYC Ashmore, Acting Sergeant Baxter is delivering programs like Drop In, CHAMP, and After Dark, where he met Bailey. When there’s support, young people like Bailey realise their wellbeing comes first and can reclaim their future, not limited by challenges faced beyond the club’s walls.
It can be through the discipline of After Dark boxing that we can redirect those young Queenslanders who need it most. But as Acting Sergeant Baxter, Youth Club Manager at PCYC Ashmore, says, “the actual diversion happens through the conversations that we have afterwards.”
This is why our people design and deliver programs that divert, prevent, and intervene when it matters most.
This year, program engagements have surged by 34% across our 55 clubs. Meaning there could be a young person somewhere in Queensland tonight stepping into their local club seeking support for the first time.
Through this consistency and these conversations, we connect with young people – like Bailey, a young man regularly attending boxing. Bailey says, “My life has changed drastically coming here. The majority of my mates are in prison or doing drugs and all that.”
Bailey credits Acting Sergeant Baxter and PCYC with helping him stay off that trajectory.
As a PCYC Member, you’re already an important part of a community that helps young Queenslanders make good choices by providing opportunities to be healthier and physically active.
With demand increasing, will you ensure we reach every young person when they need us most? Your choice to give could be why another young Queenslander learns, grows, builds the confidence, mental wellbeing, and social skills to make positive choices themselves.
Please help all young Queenslanders find the safe space they need when it matters most. Make a donation today.
