Tuesday, 9 September 2025

St Kilda PCYC

Rachel WESTAWAY (Prahran) (19:13): (1306) My adjournment matter tonight is for the Minister for Youth, and the action that I am seeking is for the minister to provide a comprehensive report on the government’s support for St Kilda Police & Citizen’s Youth Club, the PCYC programs and the future of the associated PCYC facility in Inkerman Street in St Kilda East, this vital youth charity. The imminent and strategic rebranding of the St Kilda PCYC to Victoria PCYC is designed to ensure that this critical and unique police and citizens youth charity does not close its doors after 77 years of serving the state’s most vulnerable youth. This request comes as our community faces an unfolding crisis. After 77 years of serving our community, St Kilda PCYC faces an absolutely impossible choice: sell the Inkerman Street facility to fund vital youth services and programs and mirror the PCYC model implemented by numerous other statewide PCYC bodies, or face bankruptcy within 12 months.

This devastating situation exposes critical failures in our state’s approach to youth services and community infrastructure. First, this closure highlights Victoria’s shameful neglect of proven youth programs. The St Kilda PCYC runs vital early intervention and prevention-based programs, like a mobile activity centre which operates four nights a week mentoring disadvantaged youth through recreational activities to improve self-esteem and behaviour. They run young leadership camps, including for Indigenous youth, developing capabilities for 10- to 17-year-olds through adventures and leadership challenges. If funded appropriately by the state, this youth charity has the capacity to run more than 15 youth programs that could impact the lives of hundreds of the state’s most vulnerable and disadvantaged and engage youths. They currently run six youth programs from manifestly small local and other grants, and they have been investing approximately $27,000 to $30,000 a month to keep their doors open. It is just too hard for them. This vital service is something that the residents of Victoria, the youth of Victoria and the youth of Prahran absolutely need.

In addition to this, there are basketball facilities within the facility on Inkerman Street that are utilised by the St Kilda Primary School kids. There are also boxing facilities for young people to go to and a gymnasium. The kids now will have nowhere to go. Where are they going to play basketball? Where are they going to box? Where are they going to get together as a group in a healthy sporting environment? This is what we are currently facing. We desperately need funding for this very important charity, or not-for-profit, to continue to exist.