PCYC Kempsey transforms into safe evening youth hub for the U-Nites program

PCYC Kempsey is transforming into an evening youth hub on Fridays from 4pm to 9pm, for the U-Nites program which offers eight to 14 year olds an array of sporting, cultural, and educational activities, with supervision and mentorship from PCYC staff and NSW Police.

The initiative is funded by The Benevolent Society, designed to divert Kempsey youth from antisocial behaviour or crime, by providing a safe space for young people to hang out after hours.

13-year-old participant, Mara Little shared “PCYC staff make me feel safe and welcomed. U-Nites has taught me how to do boxing, we also do gymnastics, soccer, and basketball.

“It gets me out of the house and doing fitness, and I have made a lot of friends by being at the Kempsey Club. It’s a good place to be.”

U-Nites encourages young people off the streets at night, and takes the pressure off local parents, with a nutritious dinner served and a PCYC bus offering transportation to and from the Club.

There have been more than 1,100 attendances over the last 12 months, and demand for the service is only growing.

NSW Police Youth Engagement Officer, Bruce Browning notes “some of the young people we work with come from challenging backgrounds, PCYC Youth Programs provide inspiration, and the participants see that they can achieve things they never thought they could.”

Club Manager, Keith Robinson added “we work together with community groups like Burrun Dalai Aboriginal Corporation, The Buttery Rehab, Pathfinders, and the Kinchela Boys Home, to help young people make better choices for themselves and their families.”

PCYC Kempsey is one of 67 clubs across New South Wales, with 691 active members and more than 7,000 people using the facilities each year.

U-Nites is one of many PCYC Youth Programs offered at the Bloomfield Street facility. Young people also benefit from before-school fitness and mentoring through 'Fit for Life', and 'Fit for Change' prevents re-offending in at-risk teenagers.