On Friday, July 5, Inspector Stephen Pyne attended the graduation of nine Sunshine Coast Project Booyah participants.
The success of Project Booyah continues to grow with this being the first time the Queensland Police Service initiative has been run on the Sunshine Coast.
Project Booyah is a multi-agency initiative targeting ‘at risk’ youth who are involved with criminal or anti-social behaviour and works towards giving them skills for life through police mentoring, leadership, adventure-based learning and vocational pathways.
The project is currently operating in nine sites across Queensland including Cairns, Townsville, Rockhampton, Pine Rivers, Ipswich, Logan, Redlands, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast.
The nine graduates took part in the 16-week intensive project run from Nambour PCYC which included wilderness adventure therapy, expedition based outdoor education and targeted program community integration.
The group finished their Certificate II Skills for Work and Vocational Pathways which were awarded at the graduation ceremony on Friday.
Inspector Stephen Pyne said the project had allowed the graduates to learn about becoming respected members of the community.
“We are very pleased to see the program participants graduate,” Inspector Pyne said.
“The hard work does not end with this graduation as police will continue weekly contact with the participants and help prepare them for employment with work readiness activities.”
Project Booyah supports the Queensland Government’s commitment to building a youth justice system to address the cause of offending and to draw on positive benefits of rehabilitation to build stronger communities.
