Opening doors: How PCYC NSW changed Cody Smith’s future

Inside a PCYC NSW gymnasium in western Sydney, Indigenous dancers performed to celebrate hundreds of teenaged players – among them 16-year-old Cody Smith, proudly dressed in a basketball jersey representing his mob. Later that day, a coach walked over, scribbled his name onto a piece of paper and walked away.

At the time, Cody had no idea that moment would eventually lead him onto a plane overseas for the first time in his life – the beginning of a series of opportunities that would change the course of his future.

Cody had stumbled upon Nations of Origin through a text message from a mate, asking if he’d be keen to play basketball with him. What he found was far more impactful than a basketball tournament. Developed by PCYC NSW after statewide community consultations during Reconciliation Week in 2012, the programme brings together young people representing their Aboriginal Nations for a year of team training, cultural activities and Elder mentorship, culminating in four days of sport. Participation requires at least 80% school attendance, keeping young people accountable and motivated to continue their education. Meanwhile, teams are intentionally composed of a 70-30 balance of First Nations and non-First Nations members.

Among Cody’s cohort in 2025, Nations of Origin brought together 1,032 participants – 751 of them First Nations – representing 21 Nations across New South Wales, supported by 232 volunteers.

“Seeing everyone playing and representing their culture was beautiful,” he said. However, it didn’t end there. Months later, Cody would learn he had been selected for the Indigenous All-Stars – an Australian team preparing to compete internationally for the first time.

In April 2026, Cody boarded a plane to the United States – Las Vegas, then Utah, then Los Angeles – competing beside teammates he played alongside at Nations of Origin. It was the first time he had ever left Australia.

“It just felt life-changing to me,” Cody said. “Knowing that I got to do the sport I loved the most and got to play overseas for it. It felt like I was actually doing something that I deserved.”

It was a long way from where he’d been just months earlier. Cody had completed his Year 10 RoSA (Record of School Achievement) but struggled to find his footing in Year 11, eventually dropping out of school. He picked up shifts at a fast-food outlet while he fruitlessly searched for a long-term role. “I was really struggling to find a job I enjoyed,” he says.

Fortunately for Cody, PCYC NSW’s relationship with young people doesn’t end when the final whistle blows. When staff learnt that Cody had left school, they contacted his mother to share information about Fit for Work, the organisation’s employability programme for young people seeking a structured pathway into work. Youth unemployment in Australia is about 10% among those aged 15 to 24 – a reminder of how difficult it can be for young people to find not just work, but direction. PCYC NSW’s employability programmes supported 515 young people across NSW in 2025.

“It’s like you’re doing work to help you get work,” Cody says of the 10-week programme.

“It’s really engaging. It’s not like you’re going to go there and get yelled at or discriminated against or bullied. You’re going there to have a good time and help get your life back on track.”
Within a fortnight – with an updated resume, white card certificate, and first aid certificate in hand – he had secured a panel beating apprenticeship. “I was pretty stoked, to be honest,” he says. “Things were starting to work out for me again.”

The panelbeating apprenticeship ended up paving the way for something he’s genuinely passionate about – a full-time role in plastering that he’s fully committed to. “The boss is really nice, the blokes I work with are really nice,” Cody says.

“It’s something I can see myself doing in the long run – something that can give me a bright future.”

He is now a full-time worker, with leave entitlements, sick days and a regular paycheque. The first one went on basketball shoes. He’s just about to sit his driving test and is already saving for a car. A trip to Japan is next on Cody’s wish list.

Ask Cody what he’s most proud of and he answers without hesitation: getting a full-time job he enjoys and going to the United States. Both happened within six months and can be traced back to PCYC, he says.

KPMG research commissioned by PCYC NSW in 2025 found that every $1 invested in PCYC generates $7.76 in economic, health and social benefits to New South Wales. Among at-risk young people engaged in PCYC programmes, reoffending declined by 10.2%. Fifty-four PCYC clubs are located in areas classified as low or moderate socio-economic by the Australian Bureau of Statistics – communities where the distance between a young person and their next opportunity can feel widest.

None of these outcomes happen in isolation. Often, they start with something small: a conversation after training, a mentor recognising potential, a referral into a programme a young person did not know existed. “They’ve done so much for me,” Cody says of his Fit for Work mentors – Sione, Jarrod, Cassie and Courtney. “I’m forever grateful for them.”

If a friend came to him now, struggling to find work and unsure where to start, Cody already knows he would encourage them to try Fit for Work. “Just do it and show up,” Cody says. “Trust me – you don’t believe it until you see it. You’ll see a massive change.”

And if he could go back to the version of himself that was skipping school, disengaged, sending out résumés and hearing nothing? “Don’t stop,” he says.

“There were times where I felt like I’d hit rock bottom, but everything gets better. You just need to keep going.”