Every day after school, dozens of young people are choosing to hang out at the Wilbur Youth Street Centre, having fun, learning new skills and keeping out of trouble.
Six months in, the centre had racked up more than 12,000 attendances.
Those running the place say its popularity shows local youth are feeling safe and seen.
The $5.04 million facility opened at Logan Central late last year, providing people aged 12-24 the opportunity to attend workshops in music production, barista training, barbering, apparel creation, cultural dance, urban art and leadership development.
These programs, open after school from 3-pm, are being led by Rekon Youth Foundation, a local youth and family support organisation that also runs programs for people aged 12-17 at Yarrabilba and other locations.
It’s viewed as an “early-intervention” service, but aims to serve as a safe space for everyone.
The centre is next to the Logan Central library, featuring a ‘hang-out’ zone, indoor multi-purpose court, quiet room, rehearsal studio, dedicated First Nations space, multi-purpose area, creative maker space, technology space, commercial kitchen, laundry and amenities.
Rekon Youth Foundation director Rolando Pisia said more and more young people were coming to the centre every term.
In the first term, there were 5000 attendees. In the second, more than 7000 youth showed up.
And they’re coming from all over – 80 different suburbs, to be precise, including as far as Brisbane northside, Springfield and Yarrabilba.
Some are catching public transport, while others are even ride sharing.
And even better, Mr Pisia said, is they currently have an 80% attendee retention rate.
“It  tells a story that young people are feeling safe, feeling connected, feeling seen, and it has become part of their daily routine now,” Mr Pisia said.
“ Young people are craving acceptance, connection, a sense of belonging, family, community. I think that’s something innate in all of us, but especially for young people navigating through their formative years.
“They want to be part of a community and the numbers tell that story.
“It shows how much this space was really needed, and more importantly, the environment that we were able to create to make them feel that sense of belonging.”
The programs are more than simply ‘time fillers’. They’re pathways to a stable and secure life for many.
The barbering program, for example, partners with local barber shops to teach young people and lead them into apprenticeships, further training, or even employment.
“…allows young people, mainly young men who are cutting hair in their garages, to come out and use the chair, utilise the barber chair, our mirror, the barber clippers and sharpen their skills,” Mr Pisia said.
“We have a cafe that we serve food and coffee and drinks, but it also is used to train young people to be baristas.
“All these programs are free, and at the end of every session we feed everybody, so we did over 7000 meals last term.
“We rely heavily on volunteers, and a lot of our volunteers are student placements from local Tafes and universities, and a lot of them go on to find work in the youth and community sector.”
