With Youth Columnist Jacob Kitson-Holebrook 

It’s not every day that you find a like-minded group of people that all have a passion for making the world we live in a better place. The PCYC Emergency Services Cadets are just such a group. Founded in 2014 in response to Government priorities for youth development and community resilience, the program, as the name suggests, does run under the umbrella of the PCYC (Police Citizens Youth Clubs Queensland) but it is in a very unique partnership with the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services that looks at making sure that the development of young people and their communities is achieved in a productive manner.

This committed group of young people all fit into the age bracket of 12 – 17, excluding the adult leaders, who are over the age of 18. From first entering the program, Emergency Cadet members begin to gain a wealth of knowledge in community service and many other aspects of emergency procedures to help in times of need. There is a lot more that is undertaken by the Emergency Services than just fighting the more common natural disasters. They also, aid in planning for large disaster events such as storms and floods, the rescuing of marine vehicles, train to obtain surf life-saving skills and undertake charity activities, all of which can make a real difference to a community in need.

Many of us know response teams and other similar organisations are extremely beneficial when it comes to surviving these hard and catastrophic moments. That is exactly what the Emergency Cadet program is here for, the training and mentoring of young people in our communities with the intention that some will find careers in emergency services and others will continue to volunteer to help save lives and protect our community on the Fraser Coast as adults.

So if you are interested in being a part of the next generation of emergency service volunteers or believe a career in this area is for you, find out more information about this fantastic program by contacting emergencyservicescadets@pcyc.org.au or follow them on Facebook -@PCYCEmergencyServicesCadets.