The Cowboys Community Foundation has expanded its award-winning NRL Cowboys House, today officially opening a third campus to cater for its growing number of graduates in need of affordable housing.
NRL Cowboys House Graduate Campus provides a semi-supported environment for House graduates who have completed their secondary schooling but wish to continue their education and career journeys in Townsville.
“Our young people are finishing high school, finding jobs or tertiary study options but then unable to find an affordable place to live,” NRL Cowboys House General Manager Rochelle Jones said.
“Since opening, more than 80 young people from remote communities have completed secondary education with us in Townsville, but finding affordable accommodation is the key barrier to them continuing their employment or education journeys,” she said.
“Our graduates, many of whom are under 18, are still geographically separated from the support of their families and communities, so they’re at risk of feeling isolated.
“The Graduate Campus allows them to stay connected with the House family as they grow into adults; it’s the missing piece of the puzzle for their futures.”
Wulgurukaba Walkabouts carrying out a traditional smoking ceremony at NRL Cowboys House Graduate Campus
NRL Cowboys House is a unique, culturally safe boarding facility removing distance as a barrier to equitable education for Indigenous students from remote communities.
It opened its Boys Campus in 2017 in Gulliver, followed by the Girls Campus in 2019 and now, the new Graduate Campus which utilises the existing former Shalom student accommodation in Condon.
The semi-supported includes 20 accommodation rooms for graduate tenants to utilise for between 12-18 months.
It’s envisaged by the end of their stay each graduate will emerge with a solid rental record, their provisional driver’s licence, a steady career or education pathway and be fully prepared for their next stage in life.
Fredrick Mick is one of the inaugural Graduate House tenants. He graduated high school last year and has earned an opportunity as an apprentice chef while working in the NRL Cowboys House kitchen.
Graduate Campus tenant Fred being congratulated by a friend at the opening
“I’m very confident that without coming to Cowboys House I would never have had this opportunity,” Fred said.
“My love of cooking comes from my love of fishing; we would go down the creek or river and catch fish and then cook them on the fire. I spent a lot of time in the kitchen at the House helping and I thought, this could be something I could do,” he said.
“I was a snotty-nosed, ratbag kid I’m going to call myself, I didn’t take things too seriously.
“But in the last couple of years I started to think more about the people like my mum, Rochelle, Jon, Derek and everyone here who’s been helping me get to this point… I thought ‘I gotta get my stuff together’.”
“My first night in Graduate House I thought, wow this is going to be tricky! Especially with money, I have to budget and put money away for rent, food and transport and leave all the fun stuff for after all that.”
NRL Cowboys House is managed by the Cowboys Community Foundation, the community arm of the North Queensland Toyota Cowboys. Cowboys Community Foundation CEO Fiona Pelling said opening the Graduate Campus represented a significant expansion for the charity in its 10th year in operation.
“The launch of our Graduate Campus marks a major milestone for the Foundation, made possible through the generosity of our community, the hard work of our volunteers, and the commitment of our government and corporate partners,” Fiona said.
“We’re in the middle of a rental crisis, and for young people just starting out, finding a safe and affordable place to live is near impossible. Being able to offer our graduates a secure and supported home environment as they take their next steps in life is genuinely life-changing,” she said.
“For many of our graduates, returning home after completing year 12 isn’t an option as some communities don’t have the jobs, training options, or housing needed to keep moving forward. This campus gives them a stable base in Townsville, where those opportunities exist, while staying connected to their families, culture and the House community that continues to support them.”
“We’ve been able to secure and furnish this property thanks to the generosity of our community. Every donation or volunteer hour helps create a future for a young person taking their next big step,” she said.
The new facility utilises the existing former Shalom student accommodation in Condon
To support the Graduate Campus through donations or partnership, please contact:
Donations: Catherine Spencer, cspencer@cowboys.com.au, 0438 083 524
Partnerships: Dion Casey, dcasey@cowboys.com.au, 0408 197 285
