Our clubs and communities

Our clubs & communities

PCYC Queensland clubs provide safe hubs with 95% of clubs based in low socioeconomic areas, including the most disadvantaged areas of Queensland* including Cherbourg, Woorabinda, Aurukun, Yarrabah, Doomadgee, Napranum and Palm Island.

Mornington Island Napranum

Aurukun

Mt Isa Cloncurry

Far North Queensland North Queensland Central Queensland North Brisbane South East Queensland South West Queensland Indigenous communities

Cooktown

Cairns Yarrabah

Mareeba

Edmonton Innisfail

Palm Island

Townsville Upper RossBurdekin Each of our 56 clubs are uniquely managed by serving police sergeants, enabling clubs to directly meet local community and youth needs, with a focus on underprivileged groups.

Through employment, volunteer opportunities, skill development and leadership programs, and sports and recreational opportunities to encourage healthy and active lifestyles, PCYC Queensland is helping to change the stories of young Queenslanders who are at risk, disadvantaged or disengaged.

*Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics

Charters Towers

Bowen Whitsundays (Airlie Beach) Mackay

Sunshine Coast

Capricorn Coast Rockhampton

Emerald

Woorabinda

Blackwater Gladstone

Biloela

Bundaberg Deception Bay

Lang Park Caboolture Redcliffe

Pine Rivers Hills District Zillmere Sandgate Fortitude Valley

Fernvale Mt Gravatt Inala

Ipswich Crestmead

Bayside Redlands Carindale

Maranoa Hervey Bay

South Burnett Beenleigh Ashmore Logan Nerang Gold Coast

Bike maintenance program changing lives of young offenders

PCYC Logan police officers started the Pedalz Up program in October 2020, working alongside youth offenders aged 11 to 14 years to restore and rebuild old bicycles.

PCYC Logan club manager Sergeant Mick Newell said, "These kids are what you call tertiary offenders, so they're in the youth justice system, they have committed offences, they have been through the court system and some of them have been to juvie."

James, 14, has been in and out of youth detention and was one of the first to successfully finish the program.

I found out about Pedalz Up when my carers told me … it was a thing for me to not go back to juvie. I thought it would be kind of weird, whatever, but I did it anyway.”

"It makes travel a lot easier, I can now go see my mates a lot easier, I can do everything," he said.

James said he has been telling his mates to join the program.

"I tell them it's a good opportunity, instead of going to juvie or something like that it's a good opportunity to get your head in the right place."

Sergeant Newell said the program used bike maintenance as a metaphor for improving mental health and changing attitudes more broadly. He said he and fellow PCYC Logan staffer Senior Constable Cherie McLean used Pedalz Up to teach the young participants a few important life skills.

"Each part of the bike is also a stage of life," Sergeant Newell said.

"The frame, for example, is mental health, the frame has to be strong, has to be resilient, it has to be something that would last so you need to work really hard on maintaining the frame."

"The wheels, they make the bike go forward, so they're all about where are you going to go in life.”

"With the steering it's about goals, directions, where do you point yourself."

At the start of the program, the participants set goals — some are big, some are small.

"One of the main goals is, they can't commit offences while they're on the program," said Sergeant Newell.

"They also have simple goals like have a shower each day, do your chores at home, be nice to mum, be nice to your carer, be nice to a teacher … those everyday things."

"Working with Mick changed my perspective on police officers," James said.

"I used to think of Mick as just another cop. I hated him but he's good now, I like him.”

"I look at them now a lot differently than I did before I came here. 17

Far North Queensland

PCYC Cairns

Partnering with Harbrow Mentoring, PCYC Queensland hosted the 2021 Cairns Edor Competition. Welcoming players from Yarrabah, Cairns, Mareeba, Mossman and Kuranda, the teams all competed for the shield, with Yarrabah taking the win for the second year in a row.

PCYC Cloncurry

Key programs at PCYC Cloncurry have been the Wild Women’s Wellness Workout program aimed at improving women’s mental health and wellbeing, Love Bites, Basketball After Dark and Blue Edge. A highlight was the return of the PCYC Cloncurry Fight Night, which saw a record number of participants and spectators, with coach Brad Smith also awarded his Life Membership.

PCYC Cooktown

Using food to bring young people and police officers together PCYC Cooktown’s Eat, Cook, Live program delivered by Sergeant Dave Goode, successfully engaged groups of teenagers to come together to learn life and cooking skills through food preparation and sharing meals. Other achievements include conducting a youth forum, Bicycle Safety sessions, Rock and Water program and a Clean Up Australia Day event.

PCYC Edmonton

This year Braking the Cycle commenced at PCYC Edmonton with the program extending to the deaf community with the help of volunteer mentor and Auslan interpreter, Linda. Through dedication and hard work, Linda has helped seven deaf participants to progress through the program, with one member successfully achieving her licence this year.

PCYC Innisfail

PCYC Innisfail saw some major changes to the gymnastics hall, the creation of a new functional training room, and upgrades to the gym cardio space with the arrival of new equipment. The club continued to engage with local high schools through the Team Up program and delivery of drug and alcohol presentations to students, and Braking the Cycle was also introduced this year.

PCYC Mareeba

PCYC Mareeba held several events to improve road safety awareness during Road Safety Week, including a presentation at Mareeba State Primary. The Ready for Work program improved employment outcomes for young participants. My Space Plus, funded by the Queensland Mental Health Commission, provided young people with life skills to encourage better decision making, engage with others and improve self-confidence and communication.

PCYC Mount Isa

PCYC Mount Isa’s first cohort of Get Set for Work participants graduated this year with four going on to gain immediate employment, plus a special television feature on Studio 10! The club also received the Community Service Event of the Year for Chillin’ in the Park, and also underwent facility upgrades thanks to a $205,000 donation from Glencore’s Community Assistance Program.

North Queensland

PCYC Bowen

PCYC Bowen Family Skate Night continued to see great engagement with more than 100 locals attending each week. The club also received $10,000 in funding to support a Local Drug Action Team in Bowen to prevent and minimise alcohol and other drug related harm in the community.

PCYC Burdekin

PCYC Burdekin secured $15,000 under the Community Road Safety Grants to continue their Lessons for Learners program, supporting up to 30 young drivers to gain their learners’ license. The club also ran its first Blue Edge program in partnership with Ayr State High School; club manager Sergeant Andrew Sherrington said the students’ level of growth in attitude and respect for each other was beyond his imagination.

PCYC Mackay

PCYC Mackay received Rotary’s Pride of Workmanship Award, along with a cash donation to support the delivery of youth programs within the community. The Positive Alternative to School Suspension (PASS) program was implemented at the club to give high school students a chance to learn to manage their behaviour through volunteering, mentoring and educational activities. Great results were also achieved through the Get Set for Work and Bicycle Safety programs.

PCYC Townsville

In collaboration with the Red Rose Foundation Australia, the club launched the Red Bench Project, which in conjunction with the RUBY program, supports victims of domestic and family violence.

PCYC Upper Ross

Over the past year PCYC Upper Ross delivered multiple programs targeting disadvantaged youth, including Blue Edge at Thuringowa State High School, Rise & Shine Breakfast Club, Homework Club and Madcrew Force.

PCYC Whitsunday

After two years of closure and a partial reopening in 2019, PCYC Whitsunday officially re-opened its doors in September 2020. Featuring a brandnew gymnastics space, the club is now welcoming 170 children per week, as well as schools and kindergarten groups.

Remy’s story

After enhancing skills and sportsmanship through PCYC Townsville’s Indigenous Programs, talented young basketballer Remy Tom has been selected in the Townsville Basketball’s Under 18 Boys Heat 2022 Representative Team.

I started with PCYC Queensland in July 2019, after we moved to Townsville from Darwin.

My mum’s friend signed me up for the PCYC Indigenous Programs school holiday program with her son. When basketball was included, I felt comfortable because I was pretty good at football, and basketball was the next best sport for me.

I really enjoyed making and meeting new friends at the school holiday program and having fun with all sorts of sports programs and outings.

Basketball became my favourite sport and I kept talking about it to mum, wanting to sign up for a local basketball competition as I was told I was a good shooter.

Next thing I know, PCYC Townsville Indigenous Community Sport and Recreation Officer Joel got me onto the local team with the Giants Basketball Club. Ever since I joined I have been enjoying every minute of it…..maybe one day I’ll even become a star player!

I can’t thank Joel enough for supporting me with training and my games.

My dream is to become a superstar and make my family proud and travel around and represent Queensland and Australia in tournaments.

I have just been selected in Townsville Basketball’s Under 18 Boys Heat 2022 Representative Team, and I couldn’t be happier!

I am so grateful to PCYC Queensland for providing me with the opportunity to pursue something new.

I would tell anyone to give the Indigenous programs a go, have fun and meet and make friends, and don't be shy to show your skills and what you’re made of!

Central Queensland

PCYC Biloela

PCYC Biloela’s Healthy Body, Healthy Minds small schools program is delivered in conjunction with five schools each term, with students getting involved in breakfast clubs, youth programs, and road/driver safety awareness programs.

PCYC Blackwater

Several new initiatives at PCYC Blackwater such as Youth Drop In’s, 3x3 basketball, Blue Edge, and Kinder activities have driven membership growth this year. Boxing has expanded, and youth fitness programs are driving participation of young members.

PCYC Bundaberg

PCYC Bundaberg’s Youth Development Team were invited by Bundaberg’s sister city Nanning, China, to submit an entry in the Chinese Dragon and Lion Dancing performance, and the team received a certificate of honour and a cash prize! Braking the Cycle has also seen great success in its first year, with 14 participants graduating with their licences so far, through support from 10 volunteer mentors.

PCYC Emerald

Braking the Cycle has commenced at PCYC Emerald, with the first two graduates having already achieved their drivers licence. Partnering with Anglicare, Centacare, and the Central Highlands Regional Council, the club’s Greenspace youth drop-in centre runs weekly with great success.

PCYC Gladstone

Set for a $2.5 million redevelopment through the federal government’s Stronger Places funding, PCYC Gladstone will see major upgrades including a dedicated main hall for gymnastics, 24/7 gym, purpose-built outside school hours care space and multi-purpose youth spaces.

PCYC Hervey Bay

PCYC Hervey Bay’s renovated 24/7 gym now welcomes more than 300 members. Development has also begun on relocating gymnastics to the main hall, with new flooring possible through a $35,000 grant from the Gambling Community Benefit Fund. A youth focused activity space is also being developed and the club will soon offer an extensive ninja gymnastics and FreeG program.

PCYC Rockhampton

Youth programs at PCYC Rockhampton have seen great engagement, through Youth Support Services, Get Set for Work, Braking the Cycle, and Safer Communities initiatives such as Peer Support, Base Camp, C.A.L.M and Eat Well Living Well programs. The club’s ongoing partnership with Distance Education allows young people to successfully navigate to their Senior Certificate or re-entry into the school system. PCYC Capricorn Coast’s outdoor adventure and youth leadership programs have seen great success.

PCYC South Burnett

The club’s inaugural Catch Me If You Can police mentoring program involving six Murgon Primary State School students was hailed a great success. The students completed the four-session program participating in intense discussions about community issues, positives and negatives of school, and discussions about home life.

South West Queensland

PCYC Dalby

PCYC Dalby’s Indigenous Community Sport and Recreation Program activities including Beyond Breakfast and traditional indigenous games continued to create great engagement with young locals. The club’s Youth Management Team (YMT) also maintained positive community partnerships with Dalby Disco, Goondir Big

Buddy Program, Clontarf and other sister community organisations.

PCYC Fernvale

PCYC Fernvale’s youth programs such as Team Up, Girls United, Braking the Cycle and RUBY supported young people in Fernvale and Lowood and the newly formed YMT’s projects included cleaning local waterways. Gym memberships continue to increase and the club’s participation in local events such as the Teddy Bears Picnic and Somerset Fun Run has increased local engagement.

PCYC Fortitude Valley

October 2020 saw the official opening of the brand new multi-storey PCYC Fortitude Valley club, that features a premier 24/7 gym, basketball half court, boxing studio and ring. Braking the Cycle has also commenced this year with great local interest.

PCYC Goondiwindi

PCYC Goondiwindi’s refurbished fitness room resulted in the strongest increase in club membership since 2006. The club also received a $40,000 grant to convert the outside garage into a meeting/training room which has been welcomed and well-utilised by the community.

PCYC Inala

New strength equipment has been a great addition to PCYC Inala’s premier gym, and the business hub continues to provide a steady income from tenancies. The club’s youth development programs continue to see great engagement through Deep Blue Line, Team Up, Blue Edge, Rock and Water, and school holiday and outreach programs.

PCYC Ipswich

PCYC Ipswich continues to support young people to achieve great outcomes through Braking the Cycle, Skilling Queenslanders for Work, Project Booyah, RUBY, Blue Edge, Deep Blue Line, Indigenous programs and more. The club has begun a full renovation of the gymnastics space, which will reopen for members in 2022.

PCYC Lang Park

During the pandemic the club has maintained relationships with Albert Park Flexible Learning Centre and Brisbane State High students to improve attendance through the Boys and Girls Connect programs. Many students have gone onto participate in, and achieve their licences through, Braking the Cycle. Gym members continue to increase with more than 1,000 members and 150 QPS officers using the gym regularly, while junior basketball has also seen spectacular growth.

PCYC Maranoa

Earnings from the Containers for Change Scheme has made PCYC Maranoa the second highest collecting club in Queensland. Three young people have successfully completed SYLP 1, eight drivers have achieved their licence through Braking the Cycle and a partnership with the Surat Aboriginal Corporation provides afternoon activities for at-risk youth. This year’s ColourXplosion was the most successful to date with more than 400 participants involved in the Easter event.

PCYC Toowoomba

PCYC Toowoomba’s outreach day was a great example of teamwork and collaboration, with staff from Youth and Indigenous programs working together with local police and 10 local network partners to deliver activities for more than 200 young people.

North Brisbane

PCYC Bayside

PCYC Bayside celebrated the launch of the brandnew gym and facility upgrades, achieved with more than $550,000 of funding from the Community Development Grants program.

PCYC Caboolture

Celebrating the club’s all-time record for gymnastics members, PCYC Caboolture received a visit from the 7News Sunrise crew who highlighted the wonderful youth programs including Braking the Cycle and Blue Edge.

PCYC Deception Bay

This year PCYC Deception Bay recommenced the Safer Communities program, engaging with local flexi schools to deliver crime prevention initiatives. Sports and activities for seniors now include pickleball and badminton, and the club gratefully received funding from Auto & General to support the delivery of youth programs.

PCYC Hills District

PCYC Hills District is undergoing extensive renovations with support from Moreton Bay Regional Council. This year also saw our Deep Blue Line participants attend a great camp with police mentors and participants from other clubs.

PCYC Pine Rivers

A dedicated multipurpose youth and community space is now complete at PCYC Pine Rivers, providing space for Drop Ins, Bike Education, Youth Management Team activities and other program delivery.

PCYC Redcliffe

PCYC Redcliffe saw young people achieve great outcomes with the commencement of Braking the Cycle and the continuation of RUBY, CHAMP and Bike Education. The club was awarded a $20,000 grant to upgrade the martial arts space, and club renovations are underway thanks to Moreton Bay Regional Council.

PCYC Sandgate

PCYC Sandgate’s gymnastics program has seen amazing growth this year with over 900 members taking part in programs weekly. Once completed, the club’s new main hall building project will allow the delivery of more activities and programs for the wider community.

PCYC Sunshine Coast

The weekly 10,000 Steps active movement program provides young adults with disabilities the opportunity to participate in modified activities such as gymnastics, tennis, indoor soccer and cricket. Developed specifically for the Sunshine Coast Independent Living Service residents, participants come together each week to enjoy activities and morning tea.

PCYC Zillmere

This year PCYC Zillmere celebrated the club’s 20-year anniversary with a fun community day. Youth programs such as Braking the Cycle and RUBY continue to provide positive opportunities and are promoted through monthly Coffee with a Cop sessions.

South East Queensland

PCYC Ashmore

PCYC Ashmore celebrated member Lataisi Mwea attending the 2021 Tokyo Olympics for the 100m sprint.

PCYC Logan

Youth development programs including Catch Me If You Can, Braking the Cycle and Safer Communities continued to run successfully. This year saw the club’s Student Welfare Officer working directly with Berrinba East State School students, supporting those who were disengaged from education to reconnect with mainstream learning.

PCYC Mt Gravatt

Two young men from The Indigenous Youth Mobility Pathways Project (IYMP) with the help of Cairns artist Daniel “Wally” Wallwork, provided the design and leadership to work with Street Art participants over the school holidays to paint four external walls at PCYC Mount Gravatt.

PCYC Beenleigh

Dedicated members and staff from PCYC Beenleigh undertook a mission to walk 50km to raise money for the club’s programs and facilities. The endurance effort took just over six hours, with the massive feat raising $55,000!

PCYC Carindale

Braking the Cycle progressed at PCYC Carindale, with 9,315 kms driven by learner drivers, two road safety education events, and two participants achieving their provisional licences. Successful mentor recruitment has led to 21 current mentors now being available to support young drivers.

PCYC Crestmead

PCYC Crestmead’s Twilight Concert, held in conjunction with Marsden High School to challenge community attitudes towards domestic and family violence, was a great success with a record number of families in attendance.

PCYC Gold Coast

PCYC Gold Coast’s boxing team achieved great success, resulting in five state champions. Congratulations also go to the young participants who attained their Duke of Edinburgh’s International Silver and Bronze Awards.

PCYC Nerang

The relocation of gymnastics to a permanent space resulted in steady growth in participant numbers. Programs such as Braking the Cycle continued to achieve great success, and Deep Blue Line and Basketball After Dark on Friday nights supported at-risk teenagers. The relocation of the outside school hours care service from the club provided the opportunity to repurpose the facility for functional training and group fitness.

PCYC Redlands

The club’s female RUBY participants came together each week to participate in fitness activities, build positive friendships and engage with female police officers. PCYC Redlands and PCYC Mount Gravatt collaborated in a health and wellness morning, offering good food, yoga and painting for all. The club’s Basketball After Dark and Blue Edge programs also ran in conjunction with Capalaba State College.

Two Tribes helps young asylum seekers and refugees to tell their story

Celebrating 10 years of supporting young asylum seekers and refugees that are having difficulty in assimilating to the Australian culture, PCYC Beenleigh’s Two Tribes program (Together We Obtain Trust, Respect, Inspiration, Belief, Enthusiasm and Support) supported a new cohort of vulnerable young people to tell their story. Teaching self-belief through art workshops and encouraging a trusting relationship with the police, PCYC Beenleigh club manager Sergeant Mark Haestier continues to be justifiably proud of the program he started in 2011.

It is incredibly emotional the process these young people go through. Being part of their journeys and seeing them emerge with confidence, ready to engage with their peers and proud of their refugee heritage is so special,” said Sergeant Haestier.

“Senior Constable Bob Caunt and I both feel extremely privileged to deliver this program, and in the current circumstances couldn’t have selected a more deserving cohort of young people.”

PCYC Beenleigh’s six-week Two Tribes program begins with a team building exercise to build trust between students and police, as for many of these young people, police and uniforms are identified with corruption. The following six sessions involve art therapy, where each person creates a torso which resembles themselves, upon which they illustrate their journey from country of origin to Australia.

Sergeant Haestier said, “These torsos are used to visually articulate and describe their emotion, distress, heartbreak, and the sense of freedom felt on their arrival in this country. The process is designed to help participants express who they are, break down their fears and their struggles, and to help them see clearly who they are and to build a sense of pride and confidence.”

Lastly, the program concludes with an excursion to QPS Headquarters and State Parliament, to further illustrate that Australia is a democratic nation, where police are trusted, and government representatives are elected by the people.

Macey participated in Two Tribes in 2012 cannot speak highly enough of PCYC Queensland.

“When I came here, the culture was so different. Everything was literally different to how I was brought up in the Philippines. So, when I started the Two Tribes program I started being a bit more comfortable and a bit more outgoing,” she said.

Through her journey with PCYC Queensland, Macey became a valued member of the Youth Management Team, completing her Bronze and Silver Duke of Edinburgh’s International Awards, all three levels of the PCYC State Youth Leadership Program (SYLP) and achieving her licence through Braking the Cycle.

“Two Tribes enables young people to tell their own individual stories within a supportive, positive environment. I felt I could share my experiences without being judged.”

Now a fully qualified nurse and midwife, Macey says, “PCYC has just given me so much experience and so much opportunity that no one can get in their lifetime. For me, PCYC feels like home.