Yarrabee Coal has renewed its three-year partnership with PCYC Blackwater, continuing its support of youth programs and recreational activities aimed at strengthening youth development opportunities.
The partnership will see Yarrabee Coal contribute $75,000 over three years, helping ensure the positive work being delivered in the community continues to provide consistency and support for the young people of Blackwater.
Sergeant Terry Coultis, Youth Club Program Manager, was thrilled with the continued support.
“We aim to have a positive influence on the lives of young people in our community. We want to get them active by participating in physical exercise, creative arts, and experiential learning activities.
“Every day we see young people who are disengaged from the community, family, or school.
“We want to empower them by improving their physical health and wellbeing, emotional resilience, self-esteem, and confidence using sport in a safe and structured peer environment.
“Our After Dark and Drop-In sessions are extremely popular with young people in the area, we are seeing record attendance numbers.
“These youth support programs offer a safe place for kids to come and make friends, play sport, engage in positive social activities, and hang out with our program mentors.
“Since 2023, Yarrabee Coal has been a strong supporter of PCYC Blackwater, helping us run our Youth Space program. As part of this activity, two staffing roles were funded to expand the sport and recreation offerings at the centre.
“Some of the participants have now gone onto become our Community Development Officers at the centre, so the support of Yarrabee Coal has come full circle, which is wonderful.
“Yarrabee Coal Mine is a big supporter of youth development, and we couldn’t offer all this without them.”
PCYC Blackwater brings the local community together through a range of youth and community programs focused on connection, development and positive engagement. Activities include After Dark programs, drop-in sessions, leadership initiatives, school holiday activities and major community events. The club also has a strong local membership base, supported by volunteers and well-attended youth programs.
Mike Priestly, Yarrabee Coal Operations Manager, was proud to have renewed the three-year partnership.
“Yarrabee Coal and PCYC Blackwater share a common vision to make a genuine positive difference to the people in the region where we operate, so continuing to partner with them is a perfect fit for us.
“The PCYC Blackwater is an important facility in our community, which offers a vital service for the youth in our community.
“We feel strongly about ensuring there is a dedicated space where young people can visit and feel physically and emotionally safe.
“We intend to work closely with PCYC Blackwater to explore other ways of helping them expand their services to continue to build on the success of this program.”
Image caption: Blackwater State High School students along with PCYC Blackwater and Yarrabee Coal representatives.
