Deep Blue Line program plots path to life lessons

Sergeant Mick Hughes, in police uniform, and his group visit Ken Mills Toyota in Nambour.  “Often-times these young men lack positive adult male role models in their lives.”

Deep Blue Line is a police officer led mentoring program that aims to enhance young people’s positive sense of self, boost self-esteem, provide a variety of positive life experiences, encourage goal setting behaviours and expose participants to healthy role models.

Weekly sessions deliver life-skills sessions and interactions with mentors based around the key learning areas of communication, wellbeing and positive futures. The program provides a mix of club-based sessions, activities, experiences and excursions, and culminates in a three-day adventure based camp.

Thanks to sponsorship from the Community Bank Woombye & Districts, an 8-week Deep Blue Line program has just been completed with seven teenage boys from Nambour.

“The young men who participate in these programs have generally come onto the radar because of anti social behaviour or they have been expelled, or are at risk of being expelled, or have already entered the juvenile justice system,” said Police Sergeant, Mick Hughes.

“Often-times these young men lack positive adult male role models in their lives and through these interventions we hope to not only teach them important life skills, but to give them positive experiences and ongoing relationships with the police.”

The most recent program was facilitated by Sergeant Hughes and Senior Constable Marty Hunt who is based at Nambour State College.

“A big aspect of what we do is to teach boys about taking healthy risks, discouraging anti-social behaviour and moving away from conflict and negative influences,” he said.

“And much of what we do is simple stuff that most people take for granted. This can be anything from learning to make eye contact with people and shake hands, to simple nutrition and meal preparation, and conflict and risk management. 

From cooking and eating together to racing at the Big Kart Track

“We use a variety of engaging and fun ways to do this from cooking and eating meals together, driving at the Big Kart Track, going to NRL games and diving with the seals at Underwater World,” Sergeant Hughes said.

“At the end of each camp we get the kids to write a letter to themselves and we mail it to them 6 months later. Our goal is to keep the connection going beyond the camp and we have young men now who are looking forward to future camps and leadership camps.”

Sergeant Hughes said he has been blown away by the generosity of the local businesses who have thrown their support behind the Deep Blue Line.

“Community Bank Woombye & Districts have been particularly generous, and The Big Kart Track, Ken Mills Toyota, Sealife Aquarium and Fruity Life have all been incredible,” he said.

“As a Community bank who looks to improve as many areas of our local community as possible, we felt that the Deep Blue Line program offers some invaluable life lessons to a younger generation, through positive everyday activities and events – sneaking the learning into the fun,” said Bank Manager, Hayley Saunders. 

“The program is very well structured and the benefits are apparent.”  

 “Sergeant Mick has an obvious passion and commitment to the program and is a strong advocate for the local youth,” added Bank Director, Stephen Marshall. 

“We felt that this sponsorship was a great fit for our community giving program.”