Youth crime has dominated headlines in Queensland for much of the year, with many advocates calling for 'grassroots' solutions to tackle the problem. A Sunshine Coast counsellor says youth centres could help break the cycle, and he's putting his words into action, setting up a free facility to keep kids occupied.
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00:00 Every weekday afternoon, dozens of kids pour into this centre where it's organised chaos.
00:07 "I'll beat you so many more times!"
00:10 They play under the watchful eye of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Leon Stensholm,
00:15 the competitive bodybuilder who's now helping shape young lives.
00:19 "I felt the Sunshine Coast needed a place where the kids can feel safe, non-judged, and a place where they can reconnect."
00:25 He's put his life savings into the facility, which is free for kids to visit.
00:30 More than 650 have passed through the doors since July.
00:34 "Coming here, my mental space has changed completely and I'm much happier."
00:39 "Leon, he's a sick dude, so you just want to hang around him, be here even more."
00:43 Mr Stensholm is a licensed counsellor.
00:46 "I lost a brother and four clients to suicide in a very, very short time frame, so that was the catalyst to build this.
00:52 And I realised that each individual there felt they had no one to talk to.
00:56 And I didn't want anyone, any other family around me to feel what my family had to go through."
01:01 He also believes busy kids have no time for trouble.
01:05 "So it's all about that early intervention."
01:07 The state government's recently announced $56 million in funding to upgrade Police Citizens' youth club facilities.
01:13 There's 56 PCYCs in Queensland, including just one on the Sunshine Coast.
01:19 Mr Stensholm hopes to see more clubs like this to fill the gaps.
01:23 "I'm trying to bring the old school back."
01:25 He's already inspired new career goals.
01:28 "Yeah, probably a social worker, or something I can put back into the community and help people with."
01:36 Helping others and themselves.
01:38 [BLANK_AUDIO]