MOUNT Isa PCYC’s Catch Me If You Can program kicked off with police and Mount Isa Flexible Learning Centre students in Pioneer this week. 

Indigenous Sport and Rec Officer Ange Jalali said the sports-based program aimed to close the gap between police and local youths. 

“The program helps local youths see the police as positive role models in the community,” Ms Jalali said. 

“We’ve had great support from the community and from local companies, which is what made the official launch so amazing.” 

Ms Jalali said the program was a confidence booster for many local youths. 

“It’s a safe and comfortable place for them to really shine,” she said. 

“They all responded really well to all of the team building exercises today, it was great to see them having a go in all of the activities.” 

Senior Constable Tyson Seumanu said he wanted to take part in the program to engage positively with young people in Pioneer. 

“A lot of kids in Pioneer see us working with adults in the area, and a lot of the time we’re dealing with them for negative reasons,” Senior Constable Seumanu said. 

“We want to work with these kids while they’re still mouldable, and we want to show them we’re just people who can have a joke and a laugh at the end of the day.” 

He said the day ran smoothly and everyone had a good time.

“We were out there from 9.30am to 2pm with the kids, and we did team building exercises and games. 

“We had a game of touch footy at the end of the day.

“The kids from Flexi beat us, which I hate to admit, but they won the match two to one,” Senior Constable Seumanu said. 

This is the first time the program has been in Mount Isa, however Ms Jalali has high hopes for its success here. 

“This is a great way to give these students a way to engage in healthy competition in a safe environment,” she said.

The Catch Me If You Can program will run fortnightly at Sunset Oval for the next eight weeks.