Numinbah continues its strong
community links
Prisoners from Numinbah
Correctional Centre (NCC) last
financial year performed more
than 12,000 hours labour for a
wide range of community-based
work projects on the Gold Coast
and its hinterland.
Prisoners approved for community service
work under the supervision of community
sponsors or correctional officers at one of 14
work project sites in the Gold Coast area.
NCC Assistant General Manager Julie
Steinheuer said that through community
service, prisoners could develop workrelated skills to improve their prospects for
successful reintegration after release.
“Offenders also have the chance to make
reparation to the community,” she said.
“The work is coordinated through the
Numinbah Community Advisory Committee
(CAC).
“The committee’s stakeholders include
the local State Member of Parliament,
members of the Gold Coast City Council,
police, Probation and Parole staff, work site
sponsors and community members,” Julie
said.
NCC Centre Liaison Officer Paul ‘Taffy’
Longman meets regularly with the work
site sponsors and manages the day-to-day
prisoner assignments, site inspections and
escorting of prisoners to work projects.
Taffy said prisoners were trained in basic
workplace health and safety and other skills
they would be able to use after their release.
“Our Education Officer Ted Kroll organises
courses with qualified instructors who teach
prisoners how to use machinery such as
bobcats and forklifts,” he said.
“These prisoners then complete their
compulsory training hours with on-site
assessors at the larger industrialised
community work sites like the St Vincent
De Paul depot at Yatala,” Taffy said.
PCYC
One of the first sites to benefit from
prisoner labour was Camp Bornhoffen,
a Police Citizen Youth Club Camp in the
Numinbah Valley, where prisoners have
been performing maintenance work since
the 1970s.
Correctional officers also escort prisoners
twice weekly to the Nerang and Broadbeach
PCYCs where on duty police officers
supervise work.
At Broadbeach PCYC offenders working
under the guidance of a qualified tradesman
have just finished renovating the amenities
areas of the club.
Broadbeach PCYC Manager Sergeant Linda
Baade said the prisoners were fantastic
workers and did any task required of them.
Prisoners help renovate the Broadbeach PCYC
“The work was heavy going, so without their
assistance we wouldn’t have completed
these tasks so quickly,” she said.
Landcare
Environmental care projects feature strongly
on NCC’s community service project list.
One example is the local Landcare project
which up to five prisoners attend each
week.
CAC Chairman Peter Yaun, supervises
the prisoners’ work as they eradicate
declared weeds along creek banks and
carry out other environmental repair work in
Numinbah Valley’s waterways and general
environment.
Project sponsor and Numinbah Community Advisory Committee
Chairman Peter Yaun oversees prisoner labour in the Numinbah Valley
Page 12 / CN August 2009
Peter said prisoners learned many aspects
of land care and gained a strong sense of
accomplishment when they saw the results
of their work.
CN August 2009 / Page 12
Numinbah Correctional Centre Liaison Officer
Taffy Longman with, from left, Animal Welfare
League Enrichment Officer Michelle Critchley
and fundraiser Rosie Thompson
Pups in
Prison
Numinbah Correctional Centre’s
female prisoners were thanked
recently for their efforts caring
for dogs as part of the centre’s
Pups in Prison program.
Prisoners and staff have cared for more
than 100 puppies and 20 adult dogs
during the past three years as part of
a program run in conjunction with the
Animal Welfare League (AWL).
Homeless dogs are placed at NCC’s
Women’s Unit for short-term care before
being returned to the AWL and placed into
a new home.
A group of Gold Coast women who meet
regularly to raise funds for the AWL
handed over certificates of appreciation
for the female prisoners at the centre.
The Chicks@Lunch women’s group have
raised about $80,000 for the AWL since
forming eight years ago.
NCC Centre Liaison Officer Paul ‘Taffy’
Longman was on hand at a recent fund
raising lunch to accept the certificates of
appreciation.
Gold Coast Titans players with staff at Numinbah Correctional Centre
Titans visit Numinbah
Gold Coast Titans rugby league star Preston Campbell recently visited
Numinbah Correctional Centre along with two players from the club’s
Under 20 development squad and two club officials.
NCC Assistant General Manager Julie
Steinheuer said Preston had a reputation for
integrity, on and off the field, which made
him an ideal role model for prisoners.
“Players mingled with prisoners and
correctional staff, answered questions and
signed autographs during a BBQ held in the
centre’s visits area,” she said.
“Prisoners made a request through the
Prisoner Advisory Committee for the
players to visit as part of their self-directed
rehabilitation.
“This is a model we encourage for prisoners
approaching their release date.
“The prisoners gained valuable insights
through their interaction with the players.
“All the players gave candid and
straightforward answers and talked
about issues such as responsibility,
accountability, behaviour and leadership”
she said.
The Titans’ players regularly visit schools,
hospitals and other community locations as
part of the players’ community involvement.
ABC Radio also attended, later broadcasting
a story which included references to the
work of staff and prisoners within the local
community.
Taffy said he updated the 180 luncheon
guests on the program’s latest successes.
“I also read them a letter which was
written by a prisoner explaining how the
program turned her life around.
“It helped the audience appreciate how
our Pups in Prison program delivered
significant benefits for the prisoners as
well as the wider community and the
dogs,” Taffy said.
CN August 2009 / Page 13