After 10 months of building work, Grafton’s multi-million-dollar Police Citizens Youth Clubs NSW (PCYC) officially opened its doors on Monday this week.
The media joined invited guests to take a tour inside the newly completed state-of-the-art club facilities last Friday, with PCYC Grafton Club Manager, Tyson Donohoe.
Coffs/Clarence Police District, Chief Inspector Joanne Reid said that the new PCYC facility was a game changer for Grafton and all the Clarence Valley.
“It’s an opportunity for us to get structured, co-ordinated, engagement and program support for young children so that they can make better choices and have better outcomes in life,” Chief Inspector Reid said.
“Going back a couple of years, the commissioner of police had what’s called a ‘RISEUP’ strategy, which was a suite of programs (which operate state-wide in partnership with PCYC) targeted at young people to deter them from crime and to create positive engagement, and break down barriers with NSW Police.
“We’ve been running those RISEUP and Fit for Life (early intervention for 10–17 year-old youth) programs here for two years, before we even had a wonderful facility to run them out of, and we have one of the highest engagement rates in the State for young people participating in those programs.
“So if you think about the fact that we have been able to do all that without even having a club, the fact that the club opens this week, means that all the other Rise-Up programs can be rolled out as well such as Fit for Work, Fit for Service – they’re all aimed at setting young people up to have better outcomes in life and to work and have those great relationships with the police as well, so it’s not an adversarial relationship, it’s a positive relationship, so we can support them on their journey.
“This facility is state-of-the-art. The local police will be working closely with the two youth case managers that will be permanently based here, so whilst we will be able to do all the activities that are associated with PCYC, it also means we can work in the community as well and do some outreach programs down river in Maclean and Yamba – we’re not going to forget our community down there.
“Also being out and about in the community in general operations making sure that the youth on our streets are safe and that they are not committing offences or engaging in anti-social behaviour, with the aim being that the youth will know our police so well and know the local PCYC staff as well, so that we’ll be able to engage better and hopefully steer them away from making bad choices.
“This club is not just for the vulnerable or at-risk kids; this club is for everybody.
“Come and enjoy the space and wonderful activities and attractions that it provides.
“Parents as well can come down and while your kids are playing sport or getting involved, you can work out in the gym or have a coffee. The kids can hang out here – it’s a safe, inclusive place for our young people to spend their time.
“It’s all about youth. If we can get into the minds of youth now and steer them in the right direction, it’s got to help and create better chances for future success in whatever they choose to do and it’s really exciting to be a part of that,” she said.
For more information: Email: grafton@pcycnsw.org.au or phone: 02 5622 4020
PCYC Grafton is located at 300 Powell Street, GRAFTON