In March 2016, the first round of Project Booyah participants visited the Young’s depot and workshop to see what it would be like to have a career as a mechanic. Under the watchful of our Maintenance Workshop Manager David Young, they were given a VIP tour.
David has been tinkering with buses since he was about 6 years old. With his brother Phil, they first started off driving the buses in and out of the yard to help their Dad. 50 years later and Dave is one of the most respected bus mechanics in the bus industry. He is usually the “go to man” around the country, and sometimes from overseas, for answers to questions that most have never come across. It’s this wealth of experience that earns the respect Dave receives from our youth that are keen to get their hands greasy. But the real reason why Dave earns the respect of young people, is because they can relate to him. Dave openly admits to the group he was no wizard at school, even dropping out at grade 10. His message is pretty clear. “If you have an interest for something, get out there and learn about it. Don’t let anything in life be a barrier.”
Earlier this month, we saw the second round of Project Booyah participants visit us again. The group of young fellas were as expected eager to learn more about the mechanical side of a bus. You would not expect a group of youth that are normally considered at risk and disengaged, open right up and get involved, asking lots of questions and keen to learn. The name “Project Booyah” translates to an expression of ‘joy, excitement or triumph’ and that’s exactly how everyone was. Sometimes it just takes finding the right topic to break down the barriers and we haven’t yet met any young man who isn’t interested in being a grease monkey.
Senior Constable Joe Ramsay, the Project Booyah Rockhampton Coordinator said “Sometimes it’s little things like this that turn the light bulb on. Young’s have been a terrific supporter of Project Booyah since the program commenced in Rockhampton. It’s great to see the boys take an interest in what Dave does as at the bus depot.”
Through our ongoing partnership with the Queensland Police Service, we hope to make a little difference to the lives of these kids and their future.
Dave explaining the different types of brake drums and maintenance cycles
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Young’s driving Project Booyah participants to a possible future as a mechanic
