Youth phoenix rises from club ashes
‘A bright and colourful two storey building housing a multitude of government and non-government agencies, serving the recreational and training needs of [...] the community.’
This is the vision for the acre block where the Longreach Youth and Sporting Complex currently stands.
Over the past year the Longreach Youth Club has faced the prospect of closure, but through the remarkable dedication of volunteers and the town’s youth, it has received a new lease on life.
"To start off, we wanted our own space and to keep our Youth Club," Longreach Youth Council mayor and passionate youth lobbyist Nina Ah Wong said.
"But we had to somehow keep the cash coming in. It was decided to source funding through the multi-service tenant program."
Through the Blueprint for the Bush, the Queensland Government has put up for grabs funding through the program.
The government hopes to establish five multi-tenant centres across the State - the youth club committee in Longreach is working towards being one of these recipients.
"It will be about having all of the youth services in the one place, along with other services for seniors, indigenous people and other members of the community," Ms Ah Wong said.
"At the moment Community Health is in two different places, job services are in a different areas and the youth development officer is yet another area."
Ms Ah Wong said while the youth of the town will lose their own exclusive space under the plan, it is a small sacrifice to make in order to maintain their club.
"We are still getting what we need with this plan – our own space.
"I can see that within two years we will have the building off the ground and people moving in.
"I envisage a youth space with a computer area, lounge area, music area as well as a casual sports area with table tennis, pool and air hockey.
"There will also be information available on a variety of topics relevant to youth. It will be a bright and colourful place to just hang out and do whatever."
Coined Central West Community and Youth Hub, the project is now underway with the first phase of a three-step funding process recently completed.
Youth club committee president Ted Burling said it was important to work with a variety of community members to establish a "pathway to funding".
"The youth club obtained a grant with which we have appointed the Remote Area Planning and Development (RAPAD) board as consultants to determine a business case for the Youth Hub project, enabling us to apply for stage two of the process – appointing a project officer for planning the development of the centre," Mr Burling said.
"This is not just an idle dream.
"We are not racing around selling tickets in a chook raffle to fund this idea.
"This is a sign of a new era. Local fundraising is not the solution, the project needs access to real dollars."
The Longreach Youth Club committee appointed a steering committee to direct the project with Ron Beezley at the helm as president.
The steering committee has distributed feedback forms around the town, asking what the community would like to see incorporated into the multi-tenant service centre.
Suggestion boxes are also distributed at a number of locations across Longreach, while letters of support can be forwarded to The Community and Youth Hub Project, c/o RAPAD, PO Box 592, Longreach 4730.
This is the vision for the acre block where the Longreach Youth and Sporting Complex currently stands.
Over the past year the Longreach Youth Club has faced the prospect of closure, but through the remarkable dedication of volunteers and the town’s youth, it has received a new lease on life.
"To start off, we wanted our own space and to keep our Youth Club," Longreach Youth Council mayor and passionate youth lobbyist Nina Ah Wong said.
"But we had to somehow keep the cash coming in. It was decided to source funding through the multi-service tenant program."
Through the Blueprint for the Bush, the Queensland Government has put up for grabs funding through the program.
The government hopes to establish five multi-tenant centres across the State - the youth club committee in Longreach is working towards being one of these recipients.
"It will be about having all of the youth services in the one place, along with other services for seniors, indigenous people and other members of the community," Ms Ah Wong said.
"At the moment Community Health is in two different places, job services are in a different areas and the youth development officer is yet another area."
Ms Ah Wong said while the youth of the town will lose their own exclusive space under the plan, it is a small sacrifice to make in order to maintain their club.
"We are still getting what we need with this plan – our own space.
"I can see that within two years we will have the building off the ground and people moving in.
"I envisage a youth space with a computer area, lounge area, music area as well as a casual sports area with table tennis, pool and air hockey.
"There will also be information available on a variety of topics relevant to youth. It will be a bright and colourful place to just hang out and do whatever."
Coined Central West Community and Youth Hub, the project is now underway with the first phase of a three-step funding process recently completed.
Youth club committee president Ted Burling said it was important to work with a variety of community members to establish a "pathway to funding".
"The youth club obtained a grant with which we have appointed the Remote Area Planning and Development (RAPAD) board as consultants to determine a business case for the Youth Hub project, enabling us to apply for stage two of the process – appointing a project officer for planning the development of the centre," Mr Burling said.
"This is not just an idle dream.
"We are not racing around selling tickets in a chook raffle to fund this idea.
"This is a sign of a new era. Local fundraising is not the solution, the project needs access to real dollars."
The Longreach Youth Club committee appointed a steering committee to direct the project with Ron Beezley at the helm as president.
The steering committee has distributed feedback forms around the town, asking what the community would like to see incorporated into the multi-tenant service centre.
Suggestion boxes are also distributed at a number of locations across Longreach, while letters of support can be forwarded to The Community and Youth Hub Project, c/o RAPAD, PO Box 592, Longreach 4730.
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