A youth-focused community group will be recognised on the state stage at the 2024 7News Community Achievement Awards.
The Kyabram Blue Light group has been announced as a nominee for the Community Achievement Awards’ Community Group Award category.
According to the nomination requirements, the Community Group Award highlights groups that “make significant contribution to their community” and “play a vital role in enhancing the social, economic, commercial and environmental prosperity of their region”.
Kyabram Blue Light has been actively running since 2018 and is led by former Kyabram, now Shepparton, police officer Mitchell Bull, who has been the backbone of the program since he joined the committee in 2017.
Before transferring to regional Victoria, he was involved in youth and social work in metropolitan Melbourne, so leading Kyabram Blue Light was a no-brainer.
Mr Bull said there were not many activities for kids before he joined Kyabram Blue Light and helped restart the committee.
“There wasn’t a lot in town for young people to engage them in the events targeted at them,” he said.
“So, we wanted to bring in something different, and since then, we’ve done camps and gym projects, all targeted at kids to have something available for them to get involved in.”
Kyabram Blue Light was established in 2006 but revamped with a new committee in 2017.
The committee consists of 15 members, ranging in age from 14 to 65.
The group has expanded beyond the standard disco events and branched out to running leadership camps, regular excursions and a weekly gym program with the Kyabram Police, aptly named KyFit.
The KyFit program is particularly successful, with over 10,000 hours already logged of young people completing physical activities mentored by local fitness leaders since its establishment in 2019
However, at its core, Kyabram Blue Light is an educational initiative focused on youth crime prevention.
The successful nomination form submitted for the Community Group Award highlighted Kyabram Blue Light’s work with youth crime education.
The form said the group brought together young people and “local heroes” and “addresses the needs of young people” to reduce the chance of young people involving themselves in anti-social behaviour or criminal offending.
Mr Bull said he was proud of the committee’s work over the past seven years.
“We started off from nothing, and we’ve made it into what it is today,” he said.
“I would just like to recognise the effort that the volunteers make and the time and commitment that everybody has made to make these things possible.
“I’m proud because an award like this would put Ky on the map, and it’s something that other regional towns or areas of a similar size haven’t been able to achieve.”
Mr Bull said the group constantly sought new people to join and inspire young people.
“We encourage anybody that’s got the time, the knowledge or the desire to want to help out and volunteer to reach out and join the committee,” he said.
If you are interested in volunteering with Kyabram Blue Light, visit https://www.bluelight.org.au/kyabram-blue-light/