More After-Hours Activities and Support for Young People In Moree

The NSW Government’s investment in Moree to address crime, support young people and improve community safety is moving forward with the launch of $1 million in grants to deliver more after-hours activities.

The NSW Premier, Chris Minns was in Moree today to announce the success recipients of a new innovative small-grants program to support individuals and small businesses wanting to do more to support young people. 

PCYC, Miyay Birray and SHAE Academy have been awarded additional funding to expand and improve after-hours activities for young people in Moree.  

PCYC was awarded $314,000 to expand the U-Nites program to an additional two evenings each week, on Thursday and Saturday nights.

SHAE Academy was awarded $152,000 to deliver specialised youth programs on Friday and Saturday evening each week, with staff support until 2am.

Miyay Birray was awarded $282,000 to improve and expand StreetBeat so that it operates until 12am on Monday to Wednesday and until 2am on Thursday to Sunday evenings each week.

This will help to keep young people safe and off the streets late at night.

Mayor Mark Johnson said, “It's great to see after much community consultation the NSW Governments Moree placed based initiatives coming to fruition. The after hours activities announced whilst just one piece of a suite of future actions will provide safer circumstances for our youth. We are grateful to Premier Minns and his government for their on-going support of our Shire.”

The CEO of the Moree Local Aboriginal Land Council, Steve McIntosh, expressed his gratitude to welcome the Premier back to Moree to discuss this important work, “Since the NSW Government announced this response in March, we’ve seen new energy and focus on our community. The Moree Aboriginal Lands Council Land, along with Abcare, SHEA, Thiamali, Aboriginal Legal Services (ALS) Pius X, alongside our local Police, share the same vision, knowing that the only way we can improve the lives of our young people, in a lasting way, is by empowering them and providing them with better opportunities”.

A program to support small grants is also opening for small businesses, individuals and organisations to provide after-hours and weekend activities for young people in the Moree Plains Shire.

The new $350,000 rolling small-grants program will provide flexible grants to encourage innovative community-led after-hours and weekend activities for young people across the Moree Shire.

Applicants can apply for grant funding between $500 - $10,000. The grant funding will be allocated simply and quickly, with opportunities to apply each fortnight, and on-the-ground supports available for applicants throughout the application process.

To learn more about the small-grants program, visit: www.nsw.gov.au/grants-and-funding/moree-after-hours-activities-grants

Significant efforts have also been made to improve crime prevention efforts and address community safety in Moree.

Operation Regional Mongoose, a high-visibility police operation to tackle serious property-related crime, continues to provide direct support to policing activities in Moree.

Moree Police have established a Community Safety Precinct Committee, to identify community safety issues, improve community awareness of the risks of crime and develop local crime prevention strategies.

Premier of NSW Chris Minns said:

“We are backing our young people in Moree and helping make the community safer. “By providing more after-hours activities, we are helping more young people stay on the right track.

“This kind of early intervention will help prevent crime and give young people more chances to succeed.”

Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism Yasmin Catley said:

 “This is about keeping our kids safe and giving them the best shot at living the fulfilling and rewarding lives they deserve.

 “This boost for the PCYC in Moree supports the work NSW Police are doing to protect the community.

 “The NSW Police and the Government are working hard for regional communities like Moree.”

Joint Media Release with NSW Government.