GIRL POWER: Narooma police officer and boxing trainer Scott Wharfe works with Karyn Bugelli in a recent training session as PCYC boxing committee secretary Steve Spears watches on.
THE State Government this week announced $20.25 million for eight new PCYC (Police-Citizens Youth Clubs) facilities and one of this is at Narooma.
Local police and the Eurobodalla Shire Council meanwhile continue to work on plans for a move into the Narooma Sport and Leisure Centre while a PCYC boxing committee has also been formed.
Among those excited about the new club is local police officer and boxing trainer Scott Wharfe.
Narooma High School exchange teacher Karyn Bugelli, who hails from Canada, is one of the people already training with Scott.
Before moving to Australia, she was a member of all-female boxing gym in Toronto and has two fights and two wins, including a knock-out, under her belt.
Karyn said boxing was a great sport for people of all ages and said the PCYC would be a great thing for the region’s young people.
“It’s great for fitness and discipline and I took up boxing after having my daughter and wanting to get into shape,” she said.
Also actively involved is the secretary of the newly formed PCYC boxing committee Steve Spears, who has a long involvement in boxing with his connections to local boxing manager Mark “Ziggy” Zielinski.
The Narooma-based PCYC would serve youth all the way from Batemans Bay to Bega, with the plan being to set up satellite clubs in each town.
In Narooma, the club would be based at the Sport and Leisure Centre and Eurobodalla Shire Council staff have been working on the details of setting the club in the building.
The boxing committee meanwhile was working on getting up to six locals set up with the necessary certificates to be approved for training.
In addition to boxing, other possible sports could be indoor soccer and anything else that local youths expressed an interest in, with an open day to get ideas a possibility in the near future.
Minister for Police and Emergency Services Michael Gallacher this week announced the Government was delivering on its election commitment to build eight new PCYC clubs across NSW.
“In Opposition, the Government committed a record $20.25 million to PCYC to build and revitalise clubs across the state,” Minister Gallacher said.
“The Government recognises that PCYC do an excellent job in providing support services to youth at risk and reducing juvenile crime and anti-social behaviour,” Minister Gallacher said
After a state-wide tender process the following locations have been awarded funding towards the construction of new clubs:
He listed the Eurobodalla and the Bega Valley is being two of the new clubs.
The largest of these grants will be $2.5million for a new PCYC in Auburn and $2.5 million in Port Macquarie.
“Auburn Council had prepared by far and above the best submission on need for such a facility,” Minister Gallacher said.
“In addition, the NSW Government is continuing to provide funding to equip all clubs with a civilian manager so that police officers don’t have to carry out these administrative duties.
“The NSW Police Force also provides 127 police officers to PCYC including 109 Youth Case Managers who are attached to clubs across the state.
In addition, two sworn police will be allocated to each new club to assist in the development and delivery of youth crime prevention and youth support programs.
“These officers are responsible for developing and delivering youth crime prevention and youth support programs,” Minister Gallacher concluded.