as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and our targeted services reach around 38 First Nations communities, the majority in rural and remote areas.
The launch of our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), the opening of the new Logan facility, launch of Little n Active and continued improvement to our Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) are just some of many highlights from this year.
The ongoing impact of COVID and widespread flooding and storms throughout the year have tested our resilience, but I’m pleased to say as an organisation we once again continue to rise to the challenge and work to support the young people and communities we serve.
Furthering our organisational mission through the provision of more time for our Queensland Police Service (QPS) officers to deliver youth programs and enabling continued growth through financial sustainability has been at the forefront for myself and my team this year and we have worked with our partner QPS to develop a plan to progress into the 2022/23 financial year.
Embedding the Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) into our business-as-usual practices is an accomplishment that will have a lasting impact across PCYC Queensland and for the communities and young people we serve.
The RAP was considered a core responsibility for an organisation like ours, which has a significant presence in First Nations’ communities across Queensland. Around 6% of our workforce identifies
The suite of cultural protocols developed under the RAP will give our entire workforce a better understanding of the rich history of Indigenous Australia and help employees identify opportunities to further support First Nations business.
The official opening of PCYC Logan at Slacks Creek in November was the culmination of years of planning and collaboration with the community, Logan City Council and the Queensland Government.
The $14 million facility is not only a modern fitness and recreation centre that supports our innovative activities, programs and Outside School Hours Care, it’s a crucial piece of community infrastructure that will contribute to the social growth and wellbeing of the city for years to come.
The launch of Little n Active saw five existing physical literacy programs rolled into one groundbreaking product for our youngest members.
Little n Active focuses on fundamental movement skills, helping children under 5 to develop their physical literacy and social skills through a fun introduction to physical activity.
Our OSHC teams opened an additional 12 services and continue to build our reputation as a leading provider of Before School, After School and Vacation Care.
The introduction of a Behaviour Support Officer, who provides mentoring and training to key staff on how to identify, implement and facilitate positive
As we recover from the ongoing impact of COVID and flooding we have continued to work through the challenges to experience growth in delivery for our Queensland communities.
behaviour strategies, has seen a vast improvement in behaviour outcomes.
Our other youth focused programs continue to bring about positive change in the lives of young people. Whether it’s Braking the Cycle, Emergency Service Cadets, Indigenous Programs, the State Youth Leadership Program, The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award- Australia, Deep Blue Line, Skilling Queenslanders for Work, Safer Communities or the many other program offerings, PCYC Queensland can take great pride in developing the potential of our next generation.
Of course, none of this would have been possible without the funding and support we have once again received from the Queensland Government, local councils, our commercial partners and our valued
donors. Whether it’s to continue existing programs or explore new opportunities for youth development, our funding partners are crucial to our continued success as an organisation.
The Board is another indispensable ingredient in our success. I’d like to thank all the Board members for their stewardship during such a busy year. I’d also like to pay tribute to Board members whose terms have expired and welcome new members.
Finally I have to thank our staff, members and volunteers for their efforts in working toward PCYC Queensland’s ultimate goal of building safer, healthier communities through youth development.
Phil Schultz Chief Executive Officer
This year has been one of growth and development across many areas of our organisation. I have been honoured to see the hard work of our teams bring our strategic plan to life.
Despite the challenges bought about by the ongoing impact of COVID 19 and severe weather events, we have seen major investments delivered and many key projects gain traction. This continues to be a testament to the tenacity and passion of our people.
In December 2021 we saw our newest club, PCYC Logan, open. It’s been inspiring to witness first-hand the difference a facility like this makes to the local community offering not only increased opportunity through sport and recreation, but also providing a vital link for many young people to referral services through our club-based QPS officers and youth team. It’s so much more than just a building – it’s a place to gather and build strong, healthy relationships, We have also seen an investment into some of our youngest members of PCYC with major upgrades to a number of our OSHC services and the introduction of new software to improve the communication offered by our services. As well as further investment into behaviour support, these investments have been rewarded with new OSHC services being welcomed on board this year.
PCYC Queensland works closely with Indigenous Communities throughout the state. I am incredibly proud of the work that has been done to achieve the Reconciliation Action Plan. I look forward to continuing our work in partnership with communities to achieve our vision of an empowered First Nations Peoples who have equitable access to youth development opportunities.
The work completed this year has been thanks to our agile team of staff and volunteers. Their work continues to change the lives of the people within the communities we serve around the state. On behalf of the Board I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the contribution each member of our team and all our valued volunteers have made.
The work we have done this year positions us strongly for the future as we continue to grow and adapt, creating more impact in our communities and changing outcomes for our young Queenslanders. It is an exciting vision of a future in which our young people have access to vital development opportunities – which I look forward to seeing accomplished.
Associate Professor Cassandra Cross Board Chair
Commissioner Katarina Carroll APM President
Neil Scales OBE Board Director
Associate Professor Cassandra Cross Board Chair
Christopher Emzin Board Director Scott Richardson Board Director
Eva Ford-Murphy Board Director
Paul Taylor Board Director
Sandie Angus Deputy Chair
Domenico Licastro Board Director
Graham White Board Director
Phil Schultz Chief Executive Officer Andrew Barnfield Chief Risk and Safety Officer Bev Book General Manager Outside School Hours Care
Mitch Ryder Chief Operating Officer Kel Clarke General Manager Operations Steve Tillston General Manager Youth Programs
Megan Bishop EA to the CEO / Board & Assistant Company Secretary
As we continue to work with our longstanding partner QPS we have this year commenced the process of working together on a new plan for our business to support increased delivery of our Mission and Vision.
This will focus on increased time for the delivery of social outcomes, increased opportunity for engagement with QPS districts and better alignment and coordination of programs, as well as ensuring financial stability though improved commercial return.
75 4
Police Officers Police Liason Officers
QUEENSLAND
Working together in the community
Michelle Tayler Executive Director Communications, Culture & Engagement Division Steve Collins Acting Superintendent Community Engagement & Internal Support Brett Barber Inspector State Coordinator PCYCMornington Island
Napranum
Aurukun
98,000 Clubs
Mareeba Edmonton Innisfail
Palm Island Townsville Upper RossBurdekin
Mt Isa
Whitsundays (Airlie Beach) Charters Towers
Far North Queensland
North Queensland
Central Queensland
38
56 Indigenous locations
Sunshine Coast Caboolture Deception Bay Redcliffe Pine Rivers Hills District Sandgate
Cloncurry Zillmere Redlands Logan
Capricorn Coast Rockhampton Emerald Woorabinda Gladstone Blackwater
Mt Gravatt
Fortitude Valley BaysideCarindale Lang Park Fernvale Ipswich Crestmead Inala
Beenleigh Ashmore Gold Coast Nerang
South East Queensland
South West Queensland
North Brisbane Indigenous communities
PCYC Queensland supports almost 100,000 members in cities and towns, rural and remote areas stretching from the Torres Strait to the Gold Coast. With our partners QPS, we are proud to be a leading provider of youth and community programs and sport and recreation.
This year our work continued to play a vital role in changing the story of young Queenslanders. Many of whom are at-risk, disadvantaged or disengaged. More than 50,000 young Queenslanders engaged through PCYC clubs, programs and activities gaining new experiences, learning from mentors and community leaders and developing social and practical skills which help to build confidence, life skills, employability and help to shape the leaders of tomorrow.
Every day we work to support our vision of building safer, healthier communities through youth development.
The scale of PCYC Queensland services requires a diverse range of skills and leadership. We are proud to have a staff team containing industry leaders, each of whom are supported by a dedicated team. This year we have welcomed our first General Manager of Outside School Hours Care Bev Book, who brings an extensive knowledge of Early Childhood Education and work with a wide range of community-based organisations. We have also welcomed Andrew Barnfield as Chief Risk and Safety Officer, Andrew and his team have focused on the review of our Safety Management System with deployment of a revised system to be completed in the next financial year.
Following the effects of COVID on mental health and physical wellbeing, PCYC Queensland has also undertaken a review of its health and wellbeing offerings and organisational development opportunities with the development of plans to increase health and wellbeing education, activities and opportunities for professional development underway.
As we have continued to build on our engagement and COVID restrictions continued to lift, we have seen a significant growth in support for local clubs and communities particularly from our volunteers under 18 who have committed to a 41% increase in volunteer hours. This increase in volunteering has been reflected across the board with an overall increase in volunteer hours of almost 26% from last year.
We thank our supportive volunteers who have been generous with their time and experience this year and celebrate our employees and volunteers who’s dedication and long service has been recognised through Life memberships.
1529
2700
employees volunteers
Life members awarded
12-year-old Amalie is one of a growing number of young volunteers putting their hand up to help at their local PCYC club. Amalie is heavily into gymnastics at PCYC Caboolture and is now a volunteer for the program. Her mum, Marie, says Amalie’s confidence and self-esteem has blossomed since she began volunteering and can’t speak highly enough of her coaches Collette Watmough and Ryan McCarthy who have encouraged and mentored her on her journey.
Amalie is now working towards her coaching qualification when she is eligible next year.
volunteering hours
571 volunteering net worth $5.8m
volunteers under 18
41% 131,927
increase in under 18’s volunteer hours
Almost 90% of our work is funded through donations provided by our generous supporters, our fee for services and grants with the remaining 10% provided from various levels of government. The success of our appeals and Art Union are important to maintaining the services PCYC Queensland provides.
Our operations continue to be bolstered by the kind response to our fundraising efforts and the generosity of legacy supporters, regular supporters and new supporters who join us in making a difference to the lives of young people.
Our regular appeals have continued to see unwavering support from our valued donors in the face of economic pressures that might otherwise affect their ability to give.
As we continue to increase the ways our members and supporters can give back to PCYC Queensland, it has been encouraging to see the fundraising efforts of members, parents, local businesses, our sponsors and partners and the communities in which we work as they contribute greatly to supporting our vision.
Thank you to all those who have raised funds for and made in-kind donations to PCYC Queensland this year.
A bequest creates an incredible legacy of impact through ongoing support for a cause close to the hearts of those who have passed. PCYC Queensland is honoured to have received donations from a number of supporters through a gift in their will. We would like to recognise the extraordinary generosity of those supporters as we commit to ensuring their legacy has impact for the young people it will benefit.
The support we receive from QPS members who make donations through Workplace Giving continues to help to power our mission. Whilst COVID disruptions continue to affect our ability to meet and engage new QPS members in donating to PCYC Queensland, we are grateful to the many QPS officers choosing to make a regular donation from their pay to support the vital services we deliver.
Our clubs have deposited over 93,656 eligible containers through the Containers for Change initiative this year, reducing their impact on the environment and raising much needed funds. The initiative was also recently introduced to our OSHC services where students and families can contribute their own eligible containers to support their service’s fundraising goals. This expansion adds 103 new recycling sites to the 47 clubs already participating in the container deposit scheme.
At 14 years of age, Kiarra found herself homeless. A difficult home life and no family support had left Kiarra with no choice but to go it alone.
Kiarra learnt to support herself while trying to finish school, a balancing act that no teenager should have to go through.
School helped keep her on track but once it finished her support group of friends and teachers fell away and she was once again alone.
That was until she wandered into PCYC Sunshine Coast one day and was taken under the wing of PCYC Sunshine Coast Youth Club Manager Sergeant Mick Hughes.
Sergeant Hughes referred Kiarra to Team Up, a hands-on social skills program that helps young people focus on leadership qualities, emotional
intelligence, resilience and communication skills. From there Kiarra hopes to participate in the State Youth Leadership Program, which develops the skills of the leaders of tomorrow.
Another PCYC Queensland program, Braking the Cycle, helped her obtain her driver’s license.
Talking about Kiarra’s journey so far, Sergeant Hughes said the change has been heartwarming to see. “She’s been a shining light, a really happy person everyday with a healthy attitude to life which is inspiring,” he said.
Kiarra said for some young people PCYC is one of the few places they can turn to if they’re in need.
“It gives someone a safe place to go when they have nowhere else to go.”
A majority of PCYC Queensland clubs are based in low-socio economic areas, each with their own challenges. The PCYC Queensland teams uses close community links to select programs and activities developed to address the specific social and recreational needs of each community
PCYC Queensland’s approach continues to have real impact on the lives of young Queenslanders and their communities.
Each PCYC club is supported by a serving QPS Officer offering unique mentoring opportunities alongside programs for wider skill development and opportunity to improve health and wellbeing through sport and recreation activity.
Braking the Cycle (BTC) program was proud to average more than 200 hours of driving in the Cairns region with over 20 participants gaining their licence. Funding was secured to improve the club Gym and Fitness offering creating improved surroundings to encourage members to continue their fitness journey.
PCYC Cloncurry’s Basketball program continued to gain popularity, entering its own team into a local basketball competition. The club also added three new under 13s teams and an under 15s team to their roster and local players benefited from the Basketball Queensland Indigenous Pathways program clinics delivered locally.
PCYC Cooktown’s Eat, Cook, Live program has successfully taught Grade 5 and 7 students the art of cooking a nutritious meal while giving them the understanding of the social benefits of dining with others. Each week the students prepare, cook and eat different recipes such as Spaghetti Bolognese or Chicken Curry. The program teaches practical life skills and also breaks down any perceived barriers between local youth and the police. Last October, PCYC Cooktown in conjunction with the Gungarde Community Centre Aboriginal Corporation hosted a two day workshop for scooter riding, Hip Hop dance and rap song creation.
PCYC Edmonton welcomed members from the Department of Youth Justice and Multicultural Affairs into the facility. The members now have an office space based on the southside of Cairns. Services provided by the Youth Justice staff align with one of PCYC’s core values, crime prevention. ‘Drop in’ sporting activities commenced every Tuesday and Thursday and through a collaboration with Centacare, a Boxing program is now offered on Monday and Wednesday.
PCYC Innisfail’s BTC program clocked up more than 20,000km among 33 participants, with 11 gaining their full licence which has contributed to all being able to gain employment. 400 members of the community have now joined PCYC Innisfail’s gym with fees continuing to help sustain the delivery of PCYC programs. The club fitness community also celebrated the launch of a new functional training space.
PCYC Mount Isa welcomed a Social Impact Officer. The successful applicant has made a significant difference engaging with young people and the wider Mt Isa community. The club engaged in a number of fundraising and community activities including entering a float in the Mt Isa City Council Street Parade, hosting the Chillin’ in the Park NAIDOC week event and some of the team travelled into the Northern Territory wilderness to raise funds for the club.
PCYC Bowen now engages five out of seven schools and two out of four kindergartens in the Bowen region to attend club programs. The Youth Leadership Team saw an increase in membership and delivery of organised community events with a record 27 events delivered this year. The club was also successful in securing grant funding, receiving support to run a pilot program called Peer up @ PCYC, a peer leadership program that taught the Youth Leadership Team valuable mentoring and leadership skills. Another round of funding contributed to the operation of the bus and support of the Community Development Officer.
PCYC Mackay was successful in securing grant funding and sponsorship to support the Bike Education Program for the purchase of 40 new bikes and helmets. Year 4 students from across Mackay District attend the program on a weekly basis, engaging in one and two-day clinics.
PCYC Townsville held a special Queensland Road Safety Week event. Bringing together participants from Project Booyah, Get Set for Work and Braking the Cycle to underline the importance of safe driving. Beer googles were used to simulate the effect of drink driving and they were also given a lesson on how to change a tyre. PCYC Townsville was awarded a grant to assist young people taking part in the Braking the Cycle program. In partnership with the Smith Family, PCYC Townsville helped to improve the physical health and wellbeing for Prep and Grade 1 students through the delivery of gymnastics program across five state schools. The club also created a new space for the Little n Active program.
Funded Fighting Fit Boxing program commenced and it has generated great results by engaging with primary and secondary students.
PCYC Whitsunday, in partnership with Whitsunday Plaza hosted Coffee with a Cop for the third year running. Braking the Cycle kicked off at the club in June thanks to the efforts of the local coordinator who was able to recruit five volunteers. Sergeant Billy Li started the RESPECT program in Proserpine State High School in the Term 1, 2022 which saw nine Year 9 boys graduate in the following term.
PCYC Blackwater was proud to launch Braking the Cycle and began a refurbishment of the boxing room. The Country Club in Blackwater donated $7,500 to allow the purchase of new sporting equipment which paves the way for future activities to be added.
PCYC Bundaberg was excited to recruit 20 new mentors for Braking the Cycle, providing increased opportunity for young people in the community to learn to drive with 56 participants now able to take part. Thirty-five participants now have their licence, a major win for the region. Six gymnasts were selected to take part in a Queensland Academy of Sport talent search for the 2032 Olympics.
PCYC Capricorn Coast received a new bore pump, this will help to keep the facility nice and green making it a great place for schools and the community using the facility. More safety equipment was also purchased for the rock climbing and high ropes course.
PCYC Emerald supported eight woman who participated in the Rise up and Be Yourself (RUBY) program and continued to support a number of them through their own fitness journeys. The club also held an open day for men’s health to show support for the males in the community.
The PCYC Gladstone redevelopment began thanks to a $2.5m Australian Government funding grant. Work should be completed in early 2023 and will benefit the community through delivery of a new gymnastics activity space, a commercial 24-hour gym and fitness space and improved and expanded OSHC activity areas as well as dedicated youth and activity program spaces
PCYC Hervey Bay gymnastics facility was opened with a new fit out, complete with a sprung floor
PCYC Rockhampton continues to deliver youth programs for those young people that need support and guidance through our Youth Support Services, Braking the Cycle and Safer Communities programs.
PCYC South Burnett saw RUBY return to the club after six years. A grant allowed the club to conduct five colour runs at five regional schools.
PCYC Dalby’s RUBY program re-commenced with the help of Senior Constable Vanessa Firman and Police Liaison Officer Jenny Thomas. A RUBY fundraiser was held with 100 attending to have breakfast and make donations. Gym and Fitness members benefited from a major makeover at the start of the new year which included air conditioning in both rooms, new flooring in the gym and fitness room and a sled track. A grant was used to purchase new gym equipment. The Fight Night tournament saw boxers come from all over South-East Queensland to take on challengers in Boxing Queensland sanctioned fights in front of 400 spectators.
PCYC Fernvale welcomed Acting Sergeant Teegan Masters. More than 1,000 people came through the doors for the club open day and programs such as Basketball After Dark and Blue Edge continue to engage young people and lead them towards healthier choices in life. A school holiday program began which included sports, craft activities and a movie night. The gymnastics program exceeded the expected number of participants with more than 200 people now taking part.
PCYC Fortitude Valley’s Sergeant Jeremy Arato ventured to the University of Queensland to take part in National Student Volunteer Week. It was a good opportunity to promote the benefits of volunteering for students in order for them to give back to their communities and gain work experience.
PCYC Goondiwindi saw the first Blue Edge Program in partnership with the Queensland Police Service, Goondiwindi High School and community agencies which had a 100% graduation rate. An upgrade of the gymnasium, which included new equipment saw an increase in young people in the community joining PCYC Goondiwindi to participate in gymnastics. The boxing room was also refurbished and received new equipment.
PCYC Inala welcomed Project Booyah into its community hub and saw the creation of the Booyah Program for the South Brisbane District as part of the Community Hub model. The $100,000 carpark and drainage upgrade greatly improved member and community hub experience and the Basketball After Dark program and basketball holiday competitions continued to prove popular.
PCYC Ipswich was nominated by The Order of the Eastern Star for a fundraising donation for youth programs. River 949 broadcast from the National Tree Planting Day event, which was a great opportunity to promote PCYC Ipswich and add a bit of greenery to the front of the club. Llewellyn Toyota sponsored the event.
PCYC Lang Park began a drop-in for young people aged between 14 and 21 on Tuesdays. It has proved to be a fun opportunity to shoot a few hoops with QPS officers and bridge the gap between generations.
PCYC Maranoa continues to work with Surat Aboriginal Corporation who run a free weekly basketball clinic every Wednesday afternoon, providing an opportunity to be active and enjoy a healthy afternoon tea.
PCYC Toowoomba gratefully received a funding injection which allowed the Oakey Connect Project to continue. The project in the small town just outside Toowoomba helps young people aged between 12 and 24 develop the skills, habits and resilience needed in life through a range of initiatives, including training and upskilling programs, exercise and nutrition classes, youth mentoring, school outreach programs, social sport competitions and employment pathways. PCYC Toowoomba’s boxing program also came of age with Zoe Christodoulou trialling for a spot at the Commonwealth Games. The refurbishment of the club was also completed after a severe weather event in early 2021.
PCYC Bayside OSHC students experienced the joys of a community garden thanks to a State Government Community Sustainability Action Grant. Apart from the fun jobs of checking for eggs each morning, the OSHC children have taken charge of ensuring the animals are properly fed and watered and have a clean place to live.
PCYC Caboolture achieved record enrolments in the Get Set For Work program, engaging local young people interested in taking the next step into employment. The gymnastics program continued to be popular with the local community engaging members of all ages and skill-levels. The club also hosted two successful showcases and one Interclub competition. A junior gymnastics and trampoline coaching program began and the club continued to offer community engagement activities with two well received discos.
PCYC Deception Bay youth drop-in centre has been a total success with the number of participants increasing from 12 to 39.
PCYC Pine Rivers RYDA Road Safety Education program continues to help learner drivers make good decisions. The launch of Get Set for Work at the club has presented local young people with pathways to finding secure, meaningful work.
PCYC Redcliffe was excited to launch the new gymnastics space and stage one club renovations. The club also saw the launch of Little n Active, providing new opportunities for engagement with the youngest members of the Redcliffe community. Bike Ed and Project Booyah also continued to engage schools and young people in the community.
PCYC Hills District saw major renovations providing opportunity for increased engagement with the launch of the boxing space and boxing program, Little and Active and Braking the Cycle.
PCYC Sandgate has bounced back after a flood event caused major disruption with the gymnastic halls supporting more than 700 students put out of action. The club worked hard to maintain classes at alternative venues and was rewarded with the continued attendance of a majority of members. Work has now been completed and the gymnastics halls are once again operational.
PCYC Sunshine Coast gymnastics program enjoyed 115% membership growth in the second half of the year thanks to the immense work of coaches and staff and continues to work to maintain this level despite ongoing impact from a severe weather event. Project Booyah Program delivered its first ‘all girls’ cohort at the club. The girls in this group had experienced higher than normal levels of victimisation than most Booyah participants. They were initially taken through the Team Up program to give extra support before commencing Booyah.
PCYC Zillmere’s social programs Girls United, a football program for women and girls from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, enjoyed great success and the Blue Edge program continued to turn around the lives of the young people through mentorship and physical activity. Club members benefited from a fresh look in the Gym with a new paint job in thanks to a partnership between the club, Bunnings and Aussie Painters. The new look was the perfect complement to the launch of the 24-hour gym.
PCYC Logan was officially opened in December 2021 to the delight of the local community
PCYC Queensland worked closely with Logan City Council and the Queensland Government to develop a new, greenfield site at Slacks Creek. The facility holds a dedicated youth space and Youth Hub providing services from the PCYC Youth Programs team, Braking the Cycle and external provider, Alive.
The club boasts the largest gymnastics hall in the City of Logan supporting gymnasts of all ages and abilities through recreational, rhythmic, competitive and gym sports programs. For the younger members of the community, PCYC Logan has also launched PCYC’s popular new Little n Active program and a state-of-the-art Before School, After School and Vacation Care service for up to 105 students. Space for sports and recreation also includes a 24-hour gym with group fitness, boxing gym and ring and multi-purpose spaces.
PCYC Ashmore showcased the club at several local events and markets on the Gold Coast. During term two PCYC Ashmore teamed up with local schools to deliver Channelling Healthy Aggression Mentoring Project (CHAMP). Using boxing as a vehicle, PCYC staff, volunteers, and police mentors worked closely with at-risk youth, to improve their behaviours and outcomes. The program was considered a big success with one local high school reporting 90% improvement in behaviour scores for the students that participated.
PCYC Beenleigh have seen police from Logan spending their Friday nights connecting with young people through Boxing After Dark providing mentoring through physical fitness and diet. The drop-in program also included referral agents including Youth Justice, QPS and other welfare organisations. Over 500 attendances of local young people were recorded for the year.
PCYC Carindale gymnastics program continued to attract more enrolments and PCYC Carindale had the honour of seeing five members attend the Queensland and National Championships, with three athletes receiving medals.
PCYC Gold Coast were excited to launch Little n Active program welcoming new members to the club. The Girls United and Team Up programs continued to inspire young women to realise their potential.
PCYC Nerang gymnastics has consolidated its growth post COVID, with classes full and a waiting list of members to join.
PCYC Redlands continues to offer youth and community programs including RUBY, Basketball after Dark and Blue Edge. The club is particularly proud to now have added Braking the Cycle and Community Work Skills programs to its roster offering participants the chance to gain hours needed to gain a driver’s licence and obtain a Certificate II in Retail.
10,321
Locations 37 Gym+Fitness members
Our Sport and Recreation activities provide not only the opportunity for community fitness, wellbeing and skill development, they are also a valuable revenue stream for PCYC Queensland, helping to secure our financial sustainability and contributing to the funding of our mission.
This year our focus has been on providing improved experience to encourage growth and retention of our members through changes to our customer experience offering and quality standards.
Our aim is to provide safe and welcoming community gyms. Improvements have been made through equipment upgrades and renovation of existing clubs including Gold Coast, Dalby, Beenleigh, Townsville and Upper Ross also enjoying significant upgrades.
Improving the experience for our members has also included developing a customer experience map to ensure our members have a number of opportunities to stay engaged in their fitness journey and a positive experience in our gym and fitness centres. As part of the improved experience offering, Activ8 Fundamentals has been developed and implemented across all our clubs. This successful program was created as a result of customer feedback and research by our Sport and Recreation team.
Both feedback and industry research showed an inhibitor to members maintaining their fitness journey and gym attendance is understanding how to use the equipment. As a result, the Activ8 Fundamentals program was introduced to support members in their fitness and wellbeing journey.
The program is offered at three levels which can be treated individually or progressively. Members taking part in Activ8 Fundamentals are offered free sessions demonstrating correct equipment use, as well as a full body program card for each level to guide their workouts.
Sessions are facilitated by the Fitness Team or Fitness Staff at all PCYC Queensland Gym+Fitness clubs and encourage engagement, safety and community.
RUBY is a free physical exercise program for women who have experienced or are at risk of domestic violence. Twenty-one clubs now offer sessions, which are led by female police officers.
After working to overcome many challenges to secure full-time work, study a business course and take driving lessons a Gladstone participant said:
“I feel like I have been born out of PCYC to a new life... They cannot change the whole world - but they changed someone’s world”.
1104
7%
Gymnastics members both young and old enjoyed returning to regular classes and competition after two years of COVID disruptions.
Our core recreational gymnastics Pathways Program continued to evolve, this year offering improved entry-level classes for younger members and honing the skills of more advanced athletes.
The severe weather in early 2022 has seen Sandgate, Toowoomba and Sunshine Coast clubs suffer substantial damage and each of these clubs has had to operate at reduced capacity.
Our first in-house interclub competition got off to a successful start at PCYC Logan with 180 PCYC Queensland Gymnasts from Sandgate,Toowoomba, Logan, Caboolture and Deception Bay taking part in the 2022 WAG level 3-9 Winter Carnival in June.
10,702
Gymnasts
9,122
Recreational gymnasts
1,056
Members at our largest gymnastics club
Nineteen sites across the state offer the program with more than 700 young participants now enjoying a creative and fun approach to physical activity.
Little n Active is designed specifically to meet the developmental needs of pre-school children, targeting fundamental movement and building confidence in physical ability.
The program explores a different colourful and child-centred theme each week using Active, the little blue dog, to create interest and engagement.
Each class is delivered in a welcoming community environment and provides positive first steps to an active and healthy future.
Little n Active members Sites 704 19
PCYC Queensland continued to enhance its reputation as a leading provider of Before School, After School and Vacation Care in this state.
The Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) community welcomed 12 new services and enrolment numbers remained strong statewide. PCYC OSHC also continued to receive high satisfaction ratings from children and their families as well as the schools and clubs they support.
A survey of stakeholders reported high satisfaction rating among school principals, which is reflective of a strong push to build upon relationships with schools.
PCYC Queensland Safer Communities and PCYC Queensland Outside School Hours Care collaborated to develop and implement Trauma Informed Practice training to address the social and
emotional needs of children attending our OSHC services.
The project focused on the Cairns geographical area and took place in a series of three workshops which provided the understanding, tools and skills needed to work in an effective and trauma-informed way to support children.
The next phase of the project will involve ongoing coaching and support for Educators to reinforce the learnings of the workshops as well as the development of online resources to support OSHC Educators.
The project has demonstrated encouraging results with a decrease in incidents involving physical aggression.
PCYC OSHC is an immense draw card for our school. The [staff] are amazing and so obliging and helpful. Their communication is spot on.
The PCYC OHSC Service is doing well in catering for our school’s growth. Your service is excellent, clean and welcoming. Thank you!
Our PCYC team are very involved in all school activities, often volunteering time to assist in school events.
Individual bookings
of children reported a positive relationship with educators
Sites
1.97m 90%
23,341 86%
Children enrolled of families satisfied or very satisfied
453,780 1,187,732
of families believe their child benefits from attending PCYC OSHC services
of schools believe their OSHC service is meeting community needs
101 93% 35
- Alligator Creek State School
- Hamilton State School - Oxley State School
Our youth development programs continue to inspire young people to make positive life choices.
PCYC’s programs support youth development, crime prevention and community engagement through positive engagement and early intervention. Our programs reduce barriers between police, young people and communities whilst offering opportunities for new experiences and skill building.
200,000 30+ 63,965 35% 8%
Participant engagements Programs Hours of program delivery First Nations participation Culturally and linguistically diverse participation
It was another year of accomplishment and accolades for the learner-driver mentor program.
Changing Gears, a First Nations-specific pilot Braking the Cycle program stemming from Napranum was awarded the Australasian Road Safety Award for best indigenous Road Safety Program.
The Napranum program saw five students gain a licence thanks to a wide-ranging collaboration between PCYC Napranum, the local community and various stakeholders including Rio Tinto.
Despite challenges such as a significant spike in the cost of petrol, Braking the Cycle recorded 1.3 million kilometres driven with more than 861 students gaining a licence!
Rose graduated from the Braking the Cycle program at PCYC Caboolture, recording 88 hours in her logbook and now has her Provisional licence.
Rose showed determination to succeed and was referred to the PCYC Get Set for Work program. As part of this program, Rose successfully completed the course and gained her Certificate II in Work Skills and Vocational Pathways.
Rose is also now an active member of the Youth Leadership Team at PCYC Caboolture, and her continued growth throughout her journey at PCYC has been incredible.
Max lacked confidence in his driving ability and did not make learning to drive a priority during his teens and 20’s until his mother was diagnosed with cancer and needed help with getting around.
Max found Braking the Cycle in May and has since obtained a Provisional licence which allows him to help his mother with the driving load and is also able to drive himself to all of his appointments.
What I came to enjoy most was the social aspect, getting to meet different mentors and get to know them, forming connections with them. The highlight of my weeks was always going for my BTC session with my primary mentor Amy. I started the program an anxious driver and Amy helped me build my confidence and was always friendly, encouraging, and supportive.
PCYC’s Healthy Lifestyle programs aim to increase health outcomes through physical activity for people with a mental illness or addiction.
Healthy Lifestyles consists of two main programs: Health and Wellbeing and the exercise circuit add-on for the Drug and Alcohol Residential Rehabilitation (DARR) service, which is administered by St Vincent De Paul.
Programs are delivered in PCYC Clubs in Cairns, Edmonton, and Mareeba. Of the participants who fully completed two survey assessments, the majority saw improvements in their psychological and physical wellbeing.
Without a doubt, I have benefitted enormously from the PCYC Healthy Lifestyle programs. I have been able to get out and meet people and have started using the gym regularly. I was near suicidal when I began this program, and now I have purpose in life..
- Healthy Lifestyles participantPCYC Queensland’s support of the Queensland Government’s Skilling Queenslanders for Work (SQW) initiative has helped 180 young people secure ongoing employment, take on further study or re-engage with school. SQW is delivered through the Community Foundation Skills, Community Work Skills, Get Set for Work, and Ready for Work programs across 14 locations.
279 66.5% 38% 4% 7%
Jye joined the SQW program, keen to gain work in the Mount Isa Mines.
Jye showed great determination and worked to complete the long list of requirements needed to work underground including a number of strenuous inductions and physical checks. His employer says his wide smile and eager attitude helped him greatly and he’s now one of the work family. The SQW team worked to gain support for Jye through other agencies who could provide funding to book and pay for the inductions needed.
Jye has now successfully gained employment with a mining contractor which is giving him income and the experience needed to take the next step towards his goals. To take the next step Jye will need to gain his driving licence and is now able to support himself with paid lessons and support from the BTC program to gain his 100 hours.
Living alone with his mother gaining employment has greatly helped to support family life and widened Jye’s support network, he was moved to see his new employer attend his program graduation saying “you’re a part of our family now”.
Participants of graduates entered employment or training First Nations Participation CALD participants participants with a disabilityDaniel was able to overcome social barriers to get a job at KFC. With the help of Get Set for Work and Andrew Sherrington from PCYC Burdekin, he has also started driving lessons and gained the confidence he needed to apply for work.
Coming from a big mob, Danielle’s dreams of working full time in childcare needed her to fine tune her resume and learn some interview skills. Through Get Set for Work at PCYC Mount Isa, Danielle was able to land a job at Red Oasis Childcare and is on her way to completing a Certificate III in Child Care.
Daniel – Burdekin Get Set for Work Danielle – Mount Isa Get Set for WorkTEAM UP is an eight-week hands-on social skills program that aims to help young people focus on leadership qualities, emotional intelligence, resilience and communication skills.
It can be delivered at clubs or at school and has evolved from helping disengaged youth to include students with leadership qualities, students who are at risk of falling through the cracks and young people with low self-esteem.
A great example of its benefits came from a state high school that enrolled Grade 8 students to spend Monday mornings participating in whole-of-class sessions to bring them closer together as a unit.
The feedback from the school was that infighting reduced dramatically and the participating students were more inclined to support one another.
13 470 31% 9% 3811
The Emergency Service Cadets (ESC) welcomed three new units Beaudesert, Emerald and Woodford to bring the statewide number of units to 24.
The eighth annual Brisbane Cadets Games were held at PCYC Sandgate. Teams competed in six Squad Challenge events and three Mixed Teams Challenge events that tested their leadership, teamwork and emergency response skills.
The Emergency Services Cadets, Australian Army Cadets, Australian Navy Cadets, Australian Air Force Cadets, Rural Fire Service Cadets and Surf Life Saving Queensland all took part.
A team from the Australian Air Force Cadets took out first prize while the Wolffdene Emergency Services Cadets received the Medal of Allegiance award.
Townsville hosted the northern Cadet Games in July with 12 teams participating in an action packed day of challenges and camaraderie. Away from the fun and games 11 Cadets graduated with a Certificate II in Public Safety (SES), providing the service with more essential, qualified volunteers.
Our Youth Support Service (YSS) teamwork across 11 locations throughout the state re-engaged more than 1000 young people aged 12-18. Support has focused on working to gain skills which build resilience, help to gain employment and maintain positive relationships.
Winter was referred to PCYC Youth Support Service by Headspace who identified that she had minimal supports since disengaging with her family and moving to local crisis accommodation.
The PCYC Aurukun Youth Leadership Team have been identified by the YSS as potential leaders.
Working together with local YSS leader Norma and Club Manager Steve they have been planning a calendar of events that make a positive impact on the community.
Events have run throughout the year providing a great opportunity for the team to have a say in what happens in their community through the support of PCYC Aurukun
This has involved planning activities, organising catering, creating running orders, gathering prizes and creating risk assessments.
The Youth Leadership Team have gained many learnings and some great new experiences and plan to put this into action creating bigger and better events next year!
The move to an unstable housing situation had caused Winter to have feelings of uncertainty about her future and had impacted her schooling due to the travel required to attend.
Headspace believed that PCYC Youth Support Service staff would be able to provide her with the guidance and support needed. The YSS support worker worked with Winter to obtaining necessities such as food, school items, medication and basic identification while advocating for Winter’s financial independence through Centrelink, which was successfully achieved.
Winter was able to finish Year 12 and attended her formal. Through PCYC’s continued advocacy for more permanent accommodation Winter is now due to move to transitional accommodation.
PCYC will continue to work with Winter to meet her goals of gaining employment and a drivers licence.
Over the past five years, Safer Communities continues to work directly with young people, the police and other place-based agencies to directly target criminal and anti-social behaviours in young people.
The Safer Communities program delivered 833 bespoke crime prevention initiatives in eight PCYC locations. Across Cairns South, Townsville city, Palm Island, Rockhampton and Yeppoon, Deception Bay, Inala, Logan and Toowoomba there were more than 12,000 individual attendances by young people.
Safer Communities Coordinators maintained relationships with young people throughout COVID, and the pilot Leading the Way program, a group approach to semi-structured mentoring and engagement for up to a year, which showed improvements in life trajectories for a number of young people.
Safer Communities continued to implement trauma-informed resilience principles in our approach to working with young people who have experienced adverse life events.
833
12,000 Locations 8 Crime prevention initiatives
individual attendances
The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award - Australia is now in its 60th year and to celebrate a Gold Award ceremony was held at Brisbane City Hall. Eighteen young people overcame COVID disruptions and a rigorous selection process to receive the highest honour in the award cannon. Two volunteers also received their 10-year service award.
The State Youth Leadership Program (SYLP) again shaped another generation of potential leaders at the PCYC Bornhoffen Leadership Development Centre.
15 cadets from 9 Emergency Services Cadets units completed SYLP I program. Nine of those Cadets were then invited to take part in SYLP II. Program Coordinator, Sue Bernard, attended the Graduation Ceremony and awarded Cadets a SYLP II star.
PCYC Queensland’s long-standing partnerships with First Nations people and their communities allows us to deliver physical, social and wellbeing activities that build sustainable outcomes across Queensland.
Over the last 13 years, the Indigenous Community Sport and Recreation Program (ICSRP) has allowed our sport and recreation staff to work with community to design and deliver their own active sport, recreation and cultural activities. The people, places and experiences shared have been the hallmark of the program.
Due to a change in the Queensland Government funding model, this year was the last year PCYC Queensland was able to deliver ICSRP. The ICSRP has recorded more than 2.3 million participation episodes across its footprint of 38 locations over the past 13 years.
During its operation it allowed strong partnerships to develop between PCYC and the recipient communities. This program has also been instrumental in providing employment for numerous First Nations people within their own community.
They were supported to develop their skills, knowledge and abilities which equipped them to move into other employment pathways outside of the ICSRP.
The impact of the ICSRP has been profound, providing a platform for structured program delivery across metropolitan, regional and remote First Nations communities.
I have seen firsthand the growth from my child’s involvement over the past year, how confident and proud of his culture and where he has really connected to his identity through the Indigenous Community Sport and Recreation Program, and really found his passion.
- Parent of a program participant
2,304,255
95,453 38
PCYC Queensland’s first Reconciliation Action Plan, has been officially accredited by Reconciliation Australia. For more than 20 years PCYC Queensland has actively engaged with First Nations Peoples, to establish community-based services and activities to support young people.
Our Indigenous Programs Development Unit was established in 2013, and the team continues to drive targeted services for First Nations Peoples to provide access to a range of sporting, recreational, and cultural activities that encourage physical, social, and emotional wellbeing - as well as delivering responsive community-led programs and services to support and build capacity throughout Queensland’s most disadvantaged areas in the country - such as Woorabinda, Yarrabah, Napranum and Palm Island.
In the development of our RAP, PCYC Queensland engaged in state-wide community consultations to better understand how we can show leadership in our communities, and what our communities expect from us as partners in Reconciliation.
Through this consultation, we were able to capture our intentions and the communities’ expectations, helping us to form the basis of our Reconciliation Action Plan.
Through the development of our RAP, PCYC Queensland is committed to strengthening and growing our Indigenous Programs Development Unit who will continue to work to deliver responsive community-based programs and develop mutually beneficial relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stakeholders.
This work has already begun with an exciting partnership with the Alive Project to deliver a mental fitness and resilience program to PCYC staff from Rockhampton and Woorabinda.
The project will also include Alive’s Train the Trainer program, which provides extra capacity building support to the community by educating staff how to continue mental health support and suicide prevention.
As a celebration of PCYCs commitment to a reconciliation journey a RAP artwork was commissioned by Queensland Artist Chern’ee Sutton.
PCYC Queensland has a long history of working together to create pathways for young people in community. The large community symbol in the centre represents the organisation’s holistic approach of working closely with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to achieve physical (strong woman), social (two people communicating) and emotional (thought bubble) wellbeing outcomes and create opportunities for young people.
The white silhouettes around the community symbol represent some of the organisation’s sports and recreational activities such as gymnastics, martial arts, boxing, basketball, gyms and more. The large yellow circle surrounding this is the sun, highlighting the opportunities created for young people as well as the brighter future that PCYC Queensland creates for youth and community members from all regions and walks of life in remote, regional, and urban communities.
The footprints leading from the centre show the organisation’s history of walking together side by side with community. The blue travelling lines surrounded by brown dots and white people symbols illustrate PCYC Queensland travelling around the state to ensure that community is cared for.
The three interlocked community symbols portray the mutual trust created between PCYC Queensland, QPS and the community, with the handprint and
ear representing listening to community. The puzzle pieces, heart and people represent the organisation’s vision of building safer, healthier communities through youth development, and the matching squares in the top right corner tie into the organisation’s foundation asset, showing diversity and inclusiveness, and a visual connection to QPS.
The kangaroo and emu footprints represent the Indigenous programs, which like the animals are always moving forwards and never backwards. The five stars symbolise PCYC Queensland’s values of Respect, Leadership, Commitment, Passion and Teamwork. The handprints around the edge show the support that staff, volunteers, and police officers provide for the community, and the white and yellow dotted circles in the background represent the three pillars of youth development, crime prevention and community engagement.
The boomerang in the bottom left corner highlights the returning volunteers, staff and community members who have been working with the QPS since 1948. The rainbow serpent and Dhari represents Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, history and connection to country, which has been a part of our lands for over 65,000 years. And the community symbols represent the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities which PCYC Queensland works with across many diverse landscapes and environments from the coast, bush and rainforests, desert and outback and beyond.
PCYC Queensland marked National Reconciliation Week with the annual PCYC Wariganda Reconciliation Golf Tournament.
Now in its fifth year, the event welcomed 128 players on what was the 55th anniversary of the 1967 Referendum and the 30th anniversary of the Mabo High Court decision.
Wariganda is the name given to this area by the Wulgurukaba people.
This year, players were joined by PCYC Queensland Board members Graham White and Chris Emzin, Queensland Police Service and Police and Cross Cultural Liaison Officers, Townsville Aboriginal and Islander Health Service (TAIHS), YALGA Cultural Mentoring Group, Wulgurukaba Walkabouts, Baywatch – Burdekin, Girudala Community Co-operative Society Bowen, Department of Seniors, Disability Services and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships, Elders from Townsville
regions, Stars Foundation, Garbutt Magpies Sporting and Cultural Association and Indigenous business owners who together formed 32 teams.
The event also acts as the culmination of a fiveweek youth golf clinic for 16 young boys and girls, who competed in a nine-hole tournament. This year, two of the young girls from the Stars Foundation took out second and third place. The young people were given an opportunity to share their stories with the playing group during the presentation, allowing them a vital connection to the Elders within their community.
Congratulations to YALGA who took out the title for first place this year competing in the nine-hole competition.
PCYC Queensland thanks all our supporters and funders.
Brisbane City Council
Charters Towers Regional Council
Cloncurry Shire Council
Fraser Coast Regional Council
Ipswich City Council
Mackay Regional Council
Moreton Bay Regional Council
Mount Isa City Council
Redland City Council
Woorabinda Aboriginal Shire Council
Child Protection Week.org.au
CS Energy Ltd
Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award - Australia
Glencore
Greenbank Services Club
Hervey Bay RSL
Kestrel Coal
Matana Foundation for Young People
Perpetual
QCoal Foundation
Queensland Community Foundation
Santos GLNG
The Smith Family
Waanyi Downer Joint Venture
Smart Salary
Queensland Reds
Woolworths
Coles
SciFleet
Senex Energy
Domino’s Give for Good
Community Based Crime Action Committee
Department of Children, Youth Justice and Multicultural Affairs
Department of Education and Training (DEDU)
Department of Employment, Small Business and Training (DESBT)
Department of Justice and Attorney-General
Department of Seniors, Disability Services & Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander P’shipss
Department of Tourism, Innovation and Sport (DTIS)
Department of Transport and Main Roads
NQPHN
Queensland Police Service
Queensland Rural and Industry Development Authority (QRIDA)
Townsville Hospital and Health Service
Motor Accident Insurance Commission
Queensland Fire and Emergency Services
Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development & Communications
Department of Social Services
NIAA
Police-Citizens Youth Clubs (PCYC) Queensland
PO Box 985 Slacks Creek QLD 4127
P 07 3909 9555
W pcyc.org.au
