safeSPACE

safeSPACE is PCYC’s core Diversionary Program for vulnerable children and young people at risk. Delivered at 13 PCYC locations from Albany to Broome and many in-between, this After School Hours Program provides young people with a safe place to go – somewhere they can feel at home, make friends and take part in fun activities.

Each community is different, so each safeSPACE is different too. Where possible, we engage with the local Police and community to co-design activities so that our programs meet the needs of the local children.

Most programs run after school or during the evening to give young people something to do when they might otherwise be bored and start to loiter or cause problems in community areas.

When children and young people live too far to walk to a Centre, we provide transport to safeSPACE sessions, collecting them and taking them home at the end of the session. Sadly, many come to our Centres hungry too, so we provide healthy snacks and dinner before transporting them home.

A huge range of activities are offered at safeSPACE Programs, from basketball to skating, bike riding, arts and crafts, cooking, and help with homework, as well as a chance to hang out with friends in a safe, supportive environment.

As well as entertaining children and young people, the safeSPACE Program plays a vital role keeping them safe. As young people build relationships with PCYC staff and trust them to talk to, this provides an avenue for PCYC to refer to other agencies and services that can help with further issues such as their mental health, family violence and drug abuse.

The following Centres currently offer the safeSPACE program: