$15.6 million PCYC partnership

The NSW Government and the Police Citizens Youth Club (PCYC) are investing $15.6 million to deliver life-changing opportunities for young people living in regional and remote NSW, said a media statement released by Police Minister Yasmin Catley and Minister for Regional NSW Tara Moriarty.

This funding commitment will provide young people experiencing the pressures of societal challenges and disadvantage access to PCYC’s youth programs.

PCYC currently delivers different programs into 22 locations including Walgett, Kempsey, Bourke, Broken Hill, Moree and Lismore, based on community need, BOSCAR data, local police information, and experience from PCYC’s Youth Programs team.

Over the four-year partnership, PCYC NSW will deliver 278 life-changing programs across regional NSW.

The NSW Government is contributing $10 million to the partnership while PCYC will co-contribute $5.66 million. Flexibility will be built into this model, allowing PCYC’s Youth Programs to transition to alternative locations as circumstances change and needs are evaluated. The PCYC Youth Programs to be delivered under the partnership are:

Employability

Fit for Work, Stepping Up and Job Ready – to prepare young people experiencing disadvantage or disengagement, capacity building for long-term, meaningful employment.

Wellbeing & Leadership

Growth-mindset Resilience Intervention for Teenagers (GRIT) – designed to build in young people resilience, independent decision making, and confidence.

Culture & Community

U-Nites, Fit for Life, Nations of Origin, and Indigenous All-Stars Sporting Pathways – focused on bringing young people together and encouraging them to understand and embrace culture and community, and connect them with their community with a sense of belonging.

Addressing youth crime by breaking the cycle of reoffending and preventing at-risk youth from entering the justice system in the first place are key priorities for the Minns Labor Government, said the statement.