PCYC’s new campaign highlights its role in youth development

Nathan Jolly

October 1, 2025 11:57

The Police Citizens Youth Club launched in 1937 as a boys’ recreation club. In 2025, the PCYC offers an important community service as a guiding force for teenagers across New South Wales.

A new brand awareness campaign is aiming to showcase the life-changing impact of the PCYC’s youth programs.

The campaign launches today, across Ooh Media’s billboards, street furniture, retail, and office network, as well as on Motio advertising screens. In addition, there will be an in-house PR and social push. The work focuses on real-life testimonies, and was driven by creative agency, Houston Group.

The PCYC’s head of brand and marketing Maria Benton tells Mumbrella the time is right to highlight its place in the community, and the important work the centres do.

“We were established 88 years ago and obviously over time we have expanded our footprint across New South Wales in metro, regional, and rural communities – but we’ve also expanded our service offerings.”

These services include a number of sporting leagues, recreational activities, driver’s education, vacation care, out-of-school-hours care, and numerous other community initiatives.

“Now, because of our expanded offerings, it’s really time to communicate our main purpose and that is to provide safe spaces for our youth,” Benton says.

“And that’s really important: to go back to our core. We provide life-changing programs that focus on wellbeing and leadership, employability, culture and communities. And I feel like focusing on our youth programs is so important because of the world that we’re in now.”

Benton is the mother of a teenage boy and readily admits his generation has a more difficult path to adulthood than she ever did.

“Let me tell you, I thought I had it tough when I was a teenager, but our youth face so many more challenges. That includes cost of living crisis, cyberbullying and social media adding to the complexities. It’s a scary world that we live in, but I’m comforted to know that PCYC provides safe spaces and programs to help navigate the world.

“It’s important for us to communicate this to communities.”

In an increasingly online world, a community-based brick-and-mortar centre with an adult presence is an important counterweight.

PCYC’s brand awareness campaign launches today

“What I love most is the fact that we are life changing,” Benton notes. “It’s great to see the impact that our youth programs have – on participants, but also families and the wider community. It’s definitely time for us to communicate this to raise awareness, and also to encourage youth and families to reach out to PCYC for support.”

The very ubiquity and history of the PCYC can often see it overlooked as a community hub – which is exactly what the brand awareness campaign is there to correct.

“You know, we definitely need it because of the world that we live in now,” Benton says.

“I love the saying, ‘it takes a village to raise a child’. I truly believe in that. So that’s why we want to support the community. We want to open our doors to the youth – and families as well.”