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‘Built By Community’: PCYC NSW and the power of community partnerships changing lives every day

‘Built By Community’: PCYC NSW and the power of community partnerships changing lives every day

Amber Griffin

“It’s amazing to see what can happen when community supports community.”

PCYC is more than a club, it’s a community, built by community – together through life’s ups and downs.

A water main failure recently left more than 20,000 Lithgow residents without running water for days, and PCYC Lithgow stepped in to support the Central Tablelands community. PCYC joined forces with supplier, Wild Wolgan to transport a 15,000-litre water tank to the Club, which acted as a hub where hundreds of locals could come to access fresh water.

PCYC Lithgow Club Manager, Chris Wade said “PCYC Lithgow is all about supporting our community, to get an emergency water service up and running within hours was a huge achievement, and meant people could access safe drinking water free of charge at a worrying time where bottled water was flying off the shelves.”

“Thank you to Wild Wolgan, it’s amazing to see what can happen when community supports community.” Said Chris.

In Western Sydney, PCYC Penrith is working to ensure locals in need are looked after with meals, snacks and emergency hampers, with food charity Penrith Community Kitchen operating on site.

PCYC Penrith Club Manager, Tristan Summerhayes said, “PCYC runs life-changing youth programs like Fit for Life which fosters an active lifestyle through fitness and mentorship before school – the kitchen provides nutritious breakfasts for participants, which helps kickstart their day and boost engagement in education.”

“Penrith Community Kitchen also supports families and individuals who are facing financial stress and food insecurity – we’re grateful to work with a like-minded charity to make a real difference.” Said Tristan.

In the Hunter region, PCYC Singleton is running driving mentor program, DRIVE. Young people who have difficulty obtaining their learner driver hours due to personal and financial barriers are connected with trained community volunteers, who donate their time to supervise and mentor them on the road.

Singleton Mazda supports PCYC in this initiative by donating a vehicle for use during practice drives, and The Bloomfield Foundation cover the costs associated with getting a license, such as test fees. PCYC also collaborates with Singleton Council, which funds the petrol used throughout the program.

PCYC Singleton Club Manager, David Andrews said, “The DRIVE program is part of a suite of PCYC programs offered at Singleton that we use to build young people up and equip them for life.”

“Helping young people get a driver’s license is a huge piece of the puzzle in becoming more independent, confident, and employable – life-changing initiatives like this can become even greater with community support.” Said David.

These are just a handful of examples that highlight what PCYC is all about. PCYC is more than a club — it’s a community, built by the community. Whether it’s responding to a crisis, providing meals, or providing safe spaces, PCYC stands alongside people through life’s ups and downs. None of this would be possible without the collective strength, generosity and spirit of those who choose to support and stand with us — because when community supports community, incredible things happen.

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‘Built By Community’: PCYC NSW and the power of community partnerships changing lives every day

Amber Griffin

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