As Youth Volunteer Week shines a spotlight on the invaluable contributions of young volunteers, PCYC Queensland was proud to host its flagship cadet event, the 2026 PCYC Queensland Emergency Services Cadet Games, on 1 August, celebrating the commitment, leadership and community spirit of young people across the state.
A total of 150 cadets from a wide range of organisations participated in the Games at its new location in Redcliffe, with the opportunity to be recognised as the Ultimate Cadet Crew. Emergency Services and Defence personnel volunteered their time to assess teams on their communication, teamwork and practical skills through activities that reflected the training and experiences cadets have undertaken throughout the year.
The honours were as follows:
1st – Wolffdene Emergency Services Cadets
2nd – Toowoomba Emergency Services Cadets
3rd – Childers Emergency Services Cadets
PCYC Queensland Emergency Services Cadets Program Manager Tina Adams said the day was action-packed, busy and fun – and is made possible thanks to the support of many.
“The day was all about the young people getting together with cadets from other organisations, and making connections in a fun way – and, of course, plenty of competitive spirit,” she said.
“It is a real celebration of our remarkable young people, giving them the chance to use skills they have learned and be seen by some leading figures in the emergency service and defence community.”
Volunteering is at the heart of what we do at PCYC, and Adult ESC leaders as well as volunteers from a range of emergency services helped Tina and her ESC team on the day.
PCYC Queensland Acting CEO Mitch Ryder said the games were a highlight of the PCYC calendar each year.
“Seeing these young people excel in what they are doing, work together, make new friendships and, importantly, have fun while doing so is terrific to watch,” he said.
PCYC’s Emergency Services Cadets provides young people with practical life skills and leadership opportunities.
The Cadet Games were supported by Queensland Police Service, Queensland Fire Department, Queensland Ambulance Service, Australian Red Cross, Surf Life Saving Queensland, Australian Army Cadets, Royal Australian Air Force Cadets, Australian Navy Cadets, Australian Volunteer Coast Guard Association and Volunteer Marine Rescue Association Queensland.
PCYC Queensland hosted the flagship event for cadets in Queensland, the 2026 Cadet Games, on 26 June.
A total of 66 cadets participated in the Townsville Cadet Games, with the opportunity to be recognised as the Ultimate Cadet Crew. Emergency Services and Defence personnel volunteered their time to assess teams on their communication, teamwork and practical skills through activities that reflected the training and experiences cadets have undertaken throughout the year.
The honours were as follows:
PCYC Queensland Emergency Services Cadets Program Manager Tina Adams said the day was action-packed, busy and fun – and is made possible thanks to the support of many.
“The day was all about the young people getting together with cadets from other organisations, and making connections in a fun way – and, of course, plenty of competitive spirit,” she said.
“It is a real celebration of our remarkable young people, giving them the chance to use skills they have learned and be seen by some leading figures in the emergency service and defence community.”
Volunteering is at the heart of what we do at PCYC, and 20 Adult ESC leaders as well as 25 volunteers from a range of emergency services helped Tina and her ESC team on the day.
PCYC Queensland Acting CEO Mitch Ryder said the games were a highlight of the PCYC calendar each year.
“Seeing these young people excel in what they are doing, work together, make new friendships and, importantly, have fun while doing so is terrific to watch,” he said.
PCYC’s Emergency Services Cadets provides young people with practical life skills and leadership opportunities.
The Cadet Games were supported by Queensland Police Service, Queensland Fire Department, Queensland Ambulance Service, Australian Red Cross, Surf Life Saving Queensland, Australian Army Cadets, Royal Australian Air Force Cadets, Australian Navy Cadets, Australian Volunteer Coast Guard Association and Volunteer Marine Rescue Association Queensland.
Emergency Services Cadet Unit Leader Izabella Tyrell is an inspiration, taking her team to the Cadet Games two years in a row despite some challenging personal circumstances.
The 16-year-old from Emerald also took part in the Queensland Family and Child Commission’s Youth Summit in Brisbane on 10 April.
Izabella gave a speech at the Youth Summit about her family’s experience of the rural health care system.
Izabella’s mother Kristy is very unwell and being treated as an outpatient of Hervey Bay Hospital, separated from her four children and husband by a seven-hour drive.
Izabella is trying to improve rural healthcare, so that it can better serve families like hers.
“I want to see greater investment in rural healthcare, improved access to specialists, and greater recognition of the impact that health inequity has on young people,” Izabella said.
As well as advocating for better healthcare, Izabella has been active in PCYC’s Emergency Services Cadets since 2022, mentored by Sgt Julia Palmer.
She was one of the first cadets in Emerald and has worked her way up to Unit Leader.
Activities Izabella has participated in at Emergency Services Cadets include first aid, casualty management, search and rescue, swift water theory, road safety, forensics, highway patrol, K9 units, navigation, radio communications, team building and problem solving, as well as attending the Cadet Games for the past two years.
“I have taken my team to the Cadet Games in Townsville twice, placing second both times,” Izabella said.
“I love leading others and all the experiences I have had at Cadets.”
Izabella would like to take what she has learned at Emergency Services Cadets to become a police officer in the future.
Izabella currently goes above and beyond the call of duty to attend school, Emergency Services Cadets, her part time job, and to help her Dad look after the family, all whilst missing her much loved Mum!
Izabella’s father Ben is so proud of his daughter.
“Kristy and I are super proud of Izabella and everything she has achieved and we can’t wait to see what she achieves in the future,” Ben said.
2026 started with some wild weather across Queensland, with Winton being just one of the places heavily affected by rain and flooding. Winton has just one SES member so the community relies on extra support in times of disaster. This time PCYC Emergency Services Cadet Sally was there to help!
Sally worked alongside SES personnel, door-knocking and advising residents to evacuate as flood waters rose. Sally found the experience incredibly meaningful, feeling a strong sense of purpose in supporting a community in need and helping ensure residents’ safety.
Sally says her time in Emergency Services Cadets has helped her feel more knowledgeable and confident when approaching situations like this, particularly in communicating with others and delivering important safety warnings to the community.
Well done Sally!
Our Emergency Services Cadets Youth Psychological First Aid (PFA) pilot has now wrapped up across all participating Units in the Wide Bay-Burnett region, and what a powerful journey it has been.
Across Gin Gin, Biggenden, Hervey Bay and Childers, Cadets and Volunteer Leaders embraced the training with a strong sense of responsibility to their communities. Our young people showed us that they are more than ready to engage in conversations about wellbeing, support, leadership and resilience.
The young people in PCYC Queensland’s Emergency Services Cadets (ESC) program are nothing short of inspiring.
They’re stepping up in big ways, and proof that the future is in good hands: in the past year, they’ve rolled up their sleeves and lent a hand during natural disasters, learned life-saving skills, and taken on leadership roles within their communities.
When ex Cyclone Alfred swept across Southeast Queensland in March, communities prepared for flooding and long nights of hard work.
Among those stepping forward to help were three ESC units, activated to support their local SES teams by filling sandbags and helping prepare their towns for severe weather. The cadets took on tasks usually handled by trained volunteers, freeing SES crews to deal with urgent jobs such as tarping roofs and responding to emergency calls.
The spirit that drove those cadets into action is the same spirit shown by Jack Daw, ESC participant who, with his father, rescued a man from a burning vehicle near Gin Gin, pulling him to safety moments before the car was fully engulfed.
His courage, leadership and calm response reflect the values that sit at the heart of the ESC philosophy.
The ESC program provides young people with a safe, fun and inclusive environment that offers them practical life skills and leadership opportunities. It is delivered in partnership with QPS and QFES and is usually based out of local emergency service facilities. Cadets try everything from first aid and search and rescue to radio comms, K9 demos and team challenges. Led by volunteer Adult Leaders and supported by real emergency services crews, the program helps young people build confidence, make friends and discover what it’s like to be part of the emergency services community, whether as a volunteer or in a future career.
One of the highlights each year is ESCape Week, a hands-on adventure where cadets try marine rescue, water safety challenges, search scenarios, fire equipment training and even sessions with Polair and the bomb squad.
Program Coordinator Kerrieann Ruatoka said her favourite part was watching the students stretch themselves.
“There is such a great sense of connection, energy and growth. It is really rewarding to hear the positive feedback from both students and staff about the impact the program is having,” she said.
That same sense of teamwork is carried into the annual Cadet Games, held in Brisbane and Townsville. Cadets from PCYC Queensland, Surf Life Saving Queensland, Australian Army Cadets, Royal Australian Air Force Cadets and Australian Navy Cadets participate in activities that tested communication, skill and problem solving.
ESC Program Manager Sue Bernard described the event as busy, exciting and full of connection.
“The day is all about the young people getting together with cadets from other organisations and making connections in a fun way, and of course plenty of competitive spirit,” she said.
PCYC Queensland hosted the flagship event for cadets in Queensland, the 2025 Cadet Games in June.
The Games, in their 11th year, saw 180 cadets from PCYC Queensland Emergency Services Cadets, Surf Life Saving Queensland, Australian Army Cadets, Royal Australian Air Force Cadets and Australian Navy Cadets compete in games of skill, problem solving and teamwork.
They vied for the title of Ultimate Cadet Crew and were judged by emergency services and defence personnel who volunteered their time on the day. Judging was based on communication, ability and teamwork and events are chosen based on skills and drills taught to the cadets throughout the year.
PCYC Queensland Emergency Services Cadets Program Manager Sue Bernard said the day was action-packed, busy and fun – and is made possible thanks to the support of many.
“The day is all about the young people getting together with cadets from other organisations, and making connections in a fun way – and, of course, plenty of competitive spirit,” she said.
“It is a real celebration of our remarkable young people, giving them the chance to use skills they have learned and be seen by some leading figures in the emergency service and defence community. We have many cadets who return year after year to reconnect with cadets from other areas and seeing them enjoy the events and keep coming back, making these lasting connections and feeling such pride, is so rewarding for us to see.”
PCYC Queensland CEO Phil Schulz said the games were a highlight of the PCYC calendar each year.
“Seeing these young people excel in what they are doing, work together, make new friendships and, importantly, have fun while doing so is terrific to watch,” he said.
“It really shows what we are all about here at PCYC Queensland. It’s also great to get such firm support for the event from the emergency services, our volunteers and PCYC team members.”
PCYC’s Emergency Services Cadets provides young people with practical life skills and leadership opportunities.
The Cadet Games are supported by Queensland Police Service, Queensland Fire Department, Queensland Ambulance Service, Australian Red Cross, Surf Life Saving Queensland, Australian Volunteer Coast Guard Association and Volunteer Marine Rescue Association Queensland.
