Through policing and mentorship, Sgt Chris Davey has made a positive impact on the young people all over Logan.
PCYC Crestmead’s Youth Club Program Manager, Sgt Chris runs youth programs After Dark, Drop In, Cadet Club, Team Up, Youth Leadership Team and CHAMP.
One of the most popular programs is Boxing After Dark, which attracts dozens of young people from across Logan each week.
Chris also leads PCYC Crestmead’s Youth Leadership Team (YLT) who are prolific in the Logan community as they work on developing the three pillars of club, community and self.
Chris said the YLT has formal debates about issues that affect them like e-scooters and the new social media laws, and they also visited state parliament, where they discussed Indigenous representation in Parliament as well as the social media ban.
“They have cleaned graffiti off club walls, helped the homeless, they play dodgeball and cook meals, they play ping pong and pool. We keep activities wide and varied to keep the young people interested,” Chris said.
At the recent ColourXplosion run fun, Jack from the YLT was chatting to some corporate partners in attendance who were so impressed with him they arranged for him to start an apprenticeship.
“It’s great to see a good kid getting an opportunity,” said Chris.
“Hopefully he’ll be a trailblazer who could open up doors for other young people.
“I hope this is the first step into a fulfilling and enriching career for Jack.”
Jack is a great example of YLT’s young people getting exposed to community and the great outcomes which can come from that.
Chris said there are so many reasons he loves his job.
“The kids keep me young! I’m 57, but still 27 at heart. I love watching them grow,” he said.
“Some of the kids spend more time here than at home, and some are here seven days a week so I embrace the opportunity to influence those young people positively.”
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.
