PCYC Queensland Team Connect March/April 2021

Team Connect

Message from CEO Welcome I am thrilled to congratulate all our wonderful staff and volunteers across the organisation who have recently been awarded their 20-year Diamond Life Membership (10 staff and volunteers) and 10-year Life Membership (98 staff and volunteers), for their ongoing dedication to PCYC Queensland. This wonderful achievement illustrates the amazing loyalty shown to our organisation and our purpose, and highlights the enormous depth of knowledge and experience our people possess across all areas of the business.

We have had some great events across the state including the PCYC Deception Bay Gymnastics Competition and Deadly 3s Indigenous Basketball Tournament on 27 March, PCYC Maranoa Colour Xplosion on 4 April and ESCape Week from 11-16 April.

We look forward to the PCYC Cloncurry Fight Night on 22 May.

Team Newsletter March/April 2021

PCYC Queensland Member Services Team Leader Conference 2021 It was wonderful to bring 50 of our state’s leaders together in March for a 3-day Member Services Team Leader (MSTL) Conference at PCYC Beenleigh. MSTLs came together to collaborate and discuss future plans and processes.

Far North Queensland PCYC Mt Isa supports Uniforms 4 Kids PCYC Mt Isa members have started sewing to help Uniforms 4 Kids, a volunteer charity that takes old emergency services uniforms and remodels them into beautiful clothing for disadvantaged primary school aged children.

This volunteer sewing program is contributing to a great cause as well as providing an opportunity to build connections and friendships.

Phil Schultz Chief Executive Officer

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Team Newsletter March/April 2021

Far North Queensland continued...

PCYC Cairns members from ARC Disability Services visit Green Island Four young PCYC Cairns members from ARC Disability Services recently visited Green Island off the Great Barrier Reef, as part of their Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Bridge Level 1 Adventurous Journey.

The group enjoyed a day on the island seeing the Crocodile Exhibit, Turtle Exhibit, and fish feeding on the glass bottom boat tour. A great day was had by all!

PCYC Napranum receives donation from Rio Tinto PCYC Napranum gratefully received a generous donation from Rio Tinto to buy chairs for the club’s mobility and balance program, which is delivered to community in partnership with James Cook University Centre for Rural and Remote Health (CRRH) for bariatric, senior and disabled clients.

Presented by Maree Baldwin of Rio Tinto, this is another great partnership delivering outcomes to assist with community engagement, promote health and wellbeing and provide better lifestyle outcomes.

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Team Connect North Queensland

PCYC Bowen Gymnasts of the Week Congratulations to PCYC Bowen gymnasts Molly, Koha and Sarah for being chosen as recent Gymnasts of the Week! Their determination, effort, and willingness to give everything a go has earned these young members this well-deserved accolade!

Team Newsletter March/April 2021

PCYC Upper Ross runs Qld Blue Light’s Blue EDGE program PCYC Upper Ross Club Manager Acting Sergeant Melissa Scott and a team of volunteers have kicked off Qld Blue Light’s Blue EDGE (Educate, Develop, Grow, Empower) program, which will see local students engage with physical training designed to extend a young person’s mind and physical capability. The program also includes career education, motivational speakers, and mentoring with a view to having young people actualise their full potential.

PCYC Whitsundays YMT 'Clean Up Australia' Well done to the PCYC Whitsunday Youth Management Team (YMT) who did a great job on Clean Up Australia Day, with the group removing more than 50kgs of rubbish from the streets of Cannonvale, Airlie Beach and Jubilee Pocket.

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Team Newsletter March/April 2021

Central Queensland PCYC Hervey Bay staff Life Members

Congratulations to PCYC Hervey Bay staff Stacey Van Der Wegen and Kristie Archbold who recently received their Life Membership badges!

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Team Newsletter March/April 2021

North Brisbane

PCYC Bayside gym opens!

Featuring Cybex and Hammer Strength equipment, our brand new Gym+Fitness centre at PCYC Bayside is now open!!

PCYC Caboolture RUBY donation We are grateful to Zonta Club of Caboolture for supporting our PCYC Caboolture Rise Up Be Yourself (RUBY) program.

Their generous $3,000 donation was presented to Acting Sergeant Kris Parker and will help PCYC Caboolture deliver RUBY to support women who are experiencing or have experienced domestic and family violence.

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Team Newsletter March/April 2021

Brisbane / South West Queensland

PCYC Goondiwindi member receives Life Membership Congratulations to Grant Frost on receiving his PCYC Queensland Life Membership badge in recognition of 10 years of service at PCYC Goondiwindi.

General Manager of Operations Kel Clarke was happy to present the badge to Grant during a recent club visit. Well done Grant!

Meet PCYC Fortitude Valley Gym+Fitness Manager Kate Stower Kate started as the Gym+Fitness Manager at PCYC Fortitude Valley in October 2020.

"Coming from a corporate background, I have first hand experienced health problems in day to day life both myself and watching close friends and colleagues struggle as a result from sedentary lifestyles.

By working hard to ensure that I was in control of my personal health, fitness, lifestyle and mindset for the demands of everyday living in a corporate world, I learned to combat a sedentary lifestyle through a commitment to consistent functional training and unrefined eating, and inspired those around me to find their own individual healthy track.

This quickly turned into my primary motivation each day and has never left me. Eight years later, I am still waking up with a focus to continue to improve the health of not only myself but assisting to improve the quality of the lives of those around me."

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Team Newsletter March/April 2021

Gold Coast / South East Queensland PCYC Beenleigh youth programs helping young people to succeed PCYC Beenleigh recently had a lovely visit from previous program participant, Coby. Assistant Club Manager Sergeant Bob Caunt said he was thrilled to see Coby and hear of his achievements.

“I first met Coby on 'Beating the Odds' at Pimpama State High School in 2017. From there, he was chosen for Deep Blue Line in 2018 to assist with responsible behaviours and external mentoring to provide additional assistance to his mum and dad.”

It was obvious that pathway would be a perfect fit and he gained workplace experience in marine repairs.”

“We were all stoked when Coby dropped in to say G’day (with oily hands!!) to tell us he was about to enter his third year of a marine tech apprenticeship.”

“Coby is a great reflection of our successful PCYC Beenleigh youth programs and supporting staff!”

“School was never a great fit with Coby, despite being a bright young lad, so he came to us on the Get Set For Work program the following year, where he excelled under the guidance of Rob Workman and Tegan Donnelly, our GSFW coordinators.”

“Coby was always mad keen on fishing and boating and would often talk about being out on his small tinny dropping crab pots. It was his place to escape and reflect.

PCYC Gold Coast DoE awards presentation Congratulations to all the Awardees who were presented with their Award at our PCYC Gold Coast Presentation night!

Once again it was a very special occasion acknowledging the hard work and commitment shown by so many Awardees in attaining their Awards, and it was wonderful to hear so much about their Award experiences and their plans for the future.

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Team Newsletter March/April 2021

Other News

ESC nominated for their work in building opportunities for young people

The Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) Volunteer Capability and Sustainability Unit nominated the PCYC Emergency Services Cadets (ESC) Program for their outstanding work in building opportunities for the economic participation of young people - especially opportunities for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people through the Torres Shire Emergency Services Cadets Unit.

Closing the Gap is a strategy that aims to reduce Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander disadvantage with respect to life expectancy, child mortality, access to early childhood education, educational achievement and employment outcomes.

QFES Close the Gap Awards recognise and celebrate the significant contributions QFES has made towards closing the gap.

PCYC Ashmore OSHC students celebrate World Health Day In celebration of World Health Day our PCYC Ashmore OSHC children connected with students from the Dental programme at the local university.

They learnt all about oral health and were even given little gift bags including toothpaste, toothbrushes, and dental mirrors, and got to dress up as dentists with individual costumes!

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Team Newsletter March/April 2021

Health and Wellbeing Corner

Autumn is here and winter isn’t far behind. You may have noticed the days are getting shorter and the evenings cooler so these tips can help you stay on top of your health before winter arrives.

Boost your immunity: Ensure your diet is loaded with fruits and vegetables, and essential nutrients before the cold and flu season hits. For instance, sweet potatoes, carrots, and pumpkin are packed with goodness as are white produce so choose onions, pears, root veggies, garlic, tofu, cauliflower, and white beans. If you need some extra support book an appointment with your doctor to discuss a health care plan option to suit your needs.

Keep moving: It’s tempting to skip activities and curl up on the couch but if you feel the cold try some indoor activities like gentle yoga, a heated swimming pools, or a gym class. Check your local PCYC club for their timetable and sign up for Activ8 to get a routine in place before winter hits.

Focus on self-care: Summer is usually very social but as the cooler, darker months set in we tend to stay at home more. Use this time to look after yourself.

Cook up healthy meals, read, reflect, spend time with family, learn a new hobby, or get some spoiling with a day spa or massage.

Flu shots: Receiving a vaccination from April provides ideal protection from influenza ahead of the peak period from June to September. If you have a flu shot PCYC Queensland will reimburse staff to the value of $20. You need to claim the reimbursement as a personal expense through Pro Master.

Be sun smart: The sun might be hiding but we all know it can still damage our skin so remember to slip, slop, slap to prevent premature ageing, skin cancer, and other damage.

Activ8 28 Day Kickstart Challenge!

Well done to all the staff and members who successfully nailed the Activ8 28 Day Kickstart Challenge across the state!

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Team Newsletter March/April 2021

Profiles Board Director Chris Emzin Board Member

What attracted you to the PCYC Queensland Board, and how does your background contribute to your position?

From my own experiences I have seen the value of the organisation from both personal and professional perspectives. I also appreciate the energy and passion of the PCYC Queensland club managers and their teams.

They are all great people.

How long have you been on the PCYC Queensland Board?

I joined the PCYC Queensland board in 2019. It has been quite a journey because not long after joining the board, COVID-19 hit.

Have you had any previous association with PCYC Queensland?

I was sworn into the Queensland Police Service (QPS) in 1986 and I have worked closely with PCYC Queensland during my 35 years with the QPS. I have been a member of PCYC Nerang from the late 1980s so I have seen that club particularly grow over that time. I was the roster clerk at Broadbeach Police Station and recommended Scott Muldoon to take on the role of Manager at PCYC Nerang…where he has been ever since!

I recall my first association with PCYC Queensland was in the 1970’s when I attended St Vincent’s Primary School in Surfers Paradise and our Principal Mr Dunlea would take the class to PCYC Gold Coast for boxing lessons.

Interestingly, two others in my class also went on to become police officers.

Please tell us a little about your previous career experience I am currently a Senior Lecturer with Queensland University of Technology (QUT) School of Justice. I am on a career break from the QPS where I am Inspector of Police with 35 years policing experience as a criminal investigator, prosecutor, and legal advisor.

It is clear the organisation has matured and is a very professional organisation that is highly regarded in the Queensland community. This is my first board tenure, and I am fortunate to have the opportunity to work with other experienced board members.

What are you excited about for the future of PCYC Queensland?

Working with CEO Phil Schultz and the Executive Leadership Team (ELT), it is clear that we are taking PCYC Queensland to the next stage of growth.

I am excited to be involved with PCYC Queensland from a different perspective to my previous policing experiences. I have recently witnessed some of the programs across the state including Deadly 3s at PCYC Edmonton. As an Aboriginal person, it was fantastic to see people of all ages involved in this excellent event and meet participants from so many communities. I was even lucky enough to have a run with Marc Harbrow’s Cairns team and got a singlet as souvenir. Again, it was a great opportunity to see first-hand the hard work achieved by Andy Cassidy and her team.

I was also excited to visit Indigenous clubs PCYC Mareeba and PCYC Yarrabah, not only to see the programs, but to see the potential for growth and further contributions we can make for young people and communities in general.

I was particularly impressed by PCYC Mareeba’s Ready to Work Program run by Sergeant Mary-Anne West, and the success she has achieved and the impact the program is having in the community. Mary-Anne’s enthusiasm is truly infectious, and I also really enjoyed the home-made relish and chilli gifts we got!

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Team Newsletter March/April 2021

Staff Karen Sanewski PCYC South Burnett Member Services Team Leader (MSTL) When did you start working at PCYC Queensland?

I have been working with PCYC South Burnett for 11 years this year, and for two years prior to that I worked in this same building when it was run by South Burnett Regional Council.

I recently received my PCYC Queensland Life Membership (10 years) badge, which was very special.

What do you enjoy most about working at PCYC Queensland?

I enjoy meeting the customers and I love the multiple jobs I have. It gives me something new to experience each day; from being a gymnastic coach, to cleaning, to doing administrative work.

I also love seeing the young people we support grow up and achieve their goals.

What are you most excited about for the future of PCYC Queensland?

I am excited about being able to step up as a leader and see the direction the new roles will take us.

Tell us a little about yourself!

I love going to the Bunya Mountains, but I don’t get up there as much as I’d like. I love peanut butter and honey on toast, I can watch any type of movie from horror to romance and I love to relax by playing games on my phone…it’s a great way to calm your nerves.

I would love to travel to Tasmania as I haven’t been there before and it is home to the Cadbury Chocolate Factory; and this year my goal is to get back into fitness!

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Team Newsletter March/April 2021

Profiles What has been the highlights over your length of service?

When on Mornington Island we conducted a program to tackle youth crime, called Gone Bush – this was later developed into a Junior Rangers program.

The idea was to target the young people who were involved in minor offending behaviours and get them out on country; fishing, hunting, bush tucker, making spears etc.

It was very successful. The youth knew if the local police pointed the finger at them as a suspect, they could say they were out bush with PCYC and had the photos to prove it. Win Win! What are you most excited about for the future of PCYC Queensland?

I’m looking forward to the expansion of PCYC Queensland, ideally with new clubs popping up, bringing in new ideas and new people to expand on the great programs and successes that we already achieved.

Club Manager Sergeant TJ Baker PCYC Napranum When did you start working at PCYC Queensland?

I commenced at PCYC Mornington Island 1 April, 2017.

I had been relieving in that role from February of the same year. In November 2019, my PCYC adventure had me move to PCYC Napranum where I still am now. Prior to obtaining a permanent position with PCYC Queensland as a Sergeant, I relieved at both PCYC Ashmore and PCYC Gold Coast clubs.

I would also encourage anyone that has not had the chance to visit any of our Indigenous clubs (PCYC Aurukun, PCYC Mornington Island, PCYC Napranum, PCYC Palm Island, PCYC Yarrabah and PCYC Woorabinda) to give it a go.

Whether you are a Youth Club Manager interested in relieving, or any other staff member keen on a road trip or bringing your local Youth Management Team (YMT) for a cultural immersion – drop in and see how things are different, but just get involved.

What do you enjoy most about working at PCYC Queensland?

For me it’s all about the youth and staff development.

I really enjoy being involved with the youth of the community and walking around town where everyone yells out your name.

There is nowhere to hide in these remote locations!

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Team Newsletter March/April 2021

Profiles I have been driving the same car for years so it has been interesting to try some different ones, and it teaches students to familiarise themselves with different cars and features.

Some students I have met only once or twice and others I have spent 40 or 50 hours with. I find the time passes more easily with a bit of conversation; some students respond to questions but don’t talk a lot. Others (mainly the girls talk non-stop. As their confidence increases they communicate more. I have found that if you’re willing to listen, you can learn a lot.

The volunteering experience has been wonderful for me, and the diversity of the young people I have supported.

The young people I’ve met may be dealing with year 12 studies, first year at uni, unemployment, exams, problems at home, family members in jail, part-time jobs and in 2020 – a global pandemic and on-line learning. They may have one parent or two. Or none and living with a grandparent. Everyone’s situation is different.

Volunteer Anne Hammond Braking the Cycle mentor PCYC Hervey Bay “When I retired I wanted something useful to do. So, when I spotted a flyer seeking volunteers to help young people complete the 100 hours necessary for their driving test, it looked like a good idea. The only requirements seemed to be a clean licence (tick) and patience (dubious looks from my daughters).

Initially, I joined the school-based program and later I moved to the program for 19-25 year-olds, which is more flexible and runs all year. Over the first few months, I got us lost several times! But it turns out that getting lost is a good ice-breaker.

One lad arrived in a refugee boat and spent his first Australian years in various detention centres, including Christmas Island. Next year he’s off to university. One girl will be the first in her family ever to hold a licence.

Another drove unlicensed for years before starting the program and getting his first learner’s permit. They are all polite. They all listen. They all say thank you.

It’s a great volunteer ‘job’. I pick my own hours. If I want time off, I make myself unavailable. I get to meet young people from different backgrounds who I would never meet otherwise and listen to their experiences, which are very different to those of my own children.

I like to think I’m assisting young people not to pass a driving test, but to develop safe driving habits for life.

Having said that, it feels great to know that all our students so far have passed their test and I played a part in that.

As a side benefit - my own driving has improved, although my husband complains that I now criticise his driving!”

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Team Newsletter March/April 2021

PCYC Queensland in the community Huge Senior Fit group class at PCYC Gladstone!

Congratulations to Rachel Ngabunga from Braking the Cycle at PCYC Carindale for obtaining her Provisional licence recently. This is the first licence of 2021 for Carindale. Well done, Rachel and the Braking the Cycle team!

Our new PCYC OSHC display boards being used in our OSHC services, making it easier for families to see all the service and program information!

A normal day at PCYC Sandgate with 19 classes being run each Monday afternoon!!

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Team Newsletter March/April 2021

It was great to get some of our members in the Coen community to serve breakfast for our elders. Look at Aunty Ivy’s face. She is so happy! You could see how much joy it brought by their faces seeing young people helping them.

Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner recently visited PCYC Mt Gravatt to celebrate the club’s ongoing funding of the Brisbane City Council’s GOLD (Growing Older Living Dangerously) Program.

Mark Haestier and Bob Caunt from PCYC Beenleigh took to their wheels and rode to Eagleby State School with about 35 young people for National Ride to School day!

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Team Newsletter March/April 2021

PCYC Queensland Diamond Life Members and Life Members Congratulations to all our wonderful staff across the organisation who have recently been awarded their Diamond and Life Memberships for their ongoing dedication to PCYC Queensland! Some of the staff are pictured here.

Building safer, healthier communities through youth development

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