Senior Sgt Tony Unicomb and Youth Support Officer Sam Collins from the Queensland Police Service and Project Booyah, conducted by the Nerang PCYC. What's in a name? Simple: Booyah is a word used for Triumph and Excitement.Tony and Sam run a 17 week program for disadvantaged boys. The main problem is that they are from areas where they are subjected to extreme cases of Domestic Violence. The main problem is the lack of trust and their self esteem needs to be restored. The boys come with aggressive attitudes. Various schools send worse affected lads to the program and there is also a web site that advises boys whom to contact. The classes are run out of PCYC clubs at Nerang and Ormeau with the head office at Logan Home. The boys attend for 5 to 6 hours a day but are then taken home. Some of them don't wont to go home so they couch surf at some ones place. They are taught life skills and their main message is that change will only happen if they really want to change.
Does it work? Most definitely! They were both very happy to report that on the last program 10 boys attended and 6 left with jobs and the other four returned to school. Want to support the cause? Click here.
Photo, by Charles Thomasson: Youth Support Officer Sam Collins (left), President Jo Winwood, Senior Sgt Tony Unicomb