Helen Maugham (3rd from the right) with her crew at YMCA Acacia Ridge Gymnastics during 2022 Christmas celebration

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As a child, Helen Maugham would play in a small park in Acacia Ridge, enjoying the two swings and a slide. Years later, she would manage the popular gymnastics centre built on that very site.

Helen has dedicated her life to supporting the Acacia Ridge community, and is this year celebrating the momentous milestone of working at YMCA Acacia Ridge for 20 years.

Now the manager of YMCA Acacia Ridge Gymnastics, Helen reflects back on the ties she’s always felt to the region and the Y.

“I was born and raised a few houses up from my Acacia Ridge Centre,” Helen said.

“As a late teen, I would go with a group of friends into the YMCA in the city to use the latest fad of a sauna followed by a cold shower.

“The YMCA Acacia Ridge was built in 1977, and in my early twenties I attended Jazz ballet classes at the centre.

“Never in my wildest dreams while I was taking a class that in 30 years’ time I would eventually be the Manager of the centre.”

Memories over milestones

While 20 years of service is a major milestone, Helen’s greatest achievement is the long-lasting impact she has made on thousands of families.

Under Helen’s leadership, the number of children coming to YMCA Acacia Ridge every year to experience the sport of gymnastics has grown from 180 children to 650 children.

“We put a lot of attention on the individual – they’re not just someone who pays their money to come here, it’s very much about each child and what they’re like and how we can do the best for them,” Helen said.

“I sit with the parents and I talk to them and ask them how they’re going. Very much finding out about what’s going on in their lives.

“As soon as we hear someone’s in trouble, we do what we can do to support them and help them.”

From organising food parcels for struggling families to making sure there are colouring pencils for young children to enjoy when coming to watch their siblings practise gymnastics, Helen considers the Acacia Ridge community her family.

Friendships that span a lifetime

Just as Helen cares about her community, her community loves coming to YMCA Acacia Ridge.

Caitlin Turnbull, a past YMCA gymnast and now YMCA coach, said Helen has had a profound impact on her life.

“I did KinderGym with her when I was four or five,” Caitlin said.

“She’s just a positive role model; we all look up to her. She’s kind of like my second Mum.”

Another past student turned coach, Hannah Hodgson, who has known Helen since she was nine, said Helen is a highly respected and loved leader.

“She’s my boss and I understand that and I have the utmost respect for all her decisions… But she is very much so a friend,” Hannah said.

“She’s really empowering of us and wants us to work hard, achieve our goals and definitely find our place in the world.”

Hannah starting training to be a coach when she was still in high school, and several years later she is now an Advanced Coach and Gymnastics Coordinator.

“They very much helped us get our coursework done. They found the time to help us through it, understand it, actually build our skills so we had technical knowledge and skills knowledge,” Hannah said.

Helen has always been a trailblazer in supporting young gymnasts to pursue their goals and gain their coaching and judging qualifications in gymnastics. Having always paid for her older gymnasts to gain their coaching qualifications, her model of sponsoring students to gain their coaching accreditation inspired the Y to establish the YMCA Gymnastics Junior Coach Development Program.

The program pays for young people age 14-19 to gain their Gymnastics Australia coaching qualification at any YMCA Gymnastic Centre in Queensland.

Helen (right) with a young gymnastic coach

What’s next?

Despite recently having knee surgery and being unable to teach classes on the floor, Helen has no plans of retiring anytime soon.

“A few people have asked me ‘why don’t I retire after this?’, but it’s the joy of being here with these guys, watching the children, the centre,” Helen said.

“There’s only one way to make a centre successful and you have to think of it as your own… It’s home.”

Congratulations on 20 years at YMCA Acacia Ridge, Helen!

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More than 90 young leaders from across Queensland will be in Brisbane this month to take their seats at the YMCA Queensland Youth Parliament (25-29 September). The young leaders, aged between 15 and 25, cover all 89 Queensland electorates with an additional four positions for Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander members.

Now in its 17th year, the YMCA Youth Parliament kicks off in April when coordinated committee meetings, mentoring, training and research help produce the Bills to be debated at Parliament House during the residential week.

Mr Alan Bray, State Director of the State Council of YMCAs, said “we started the program to empower young people to have a positive impact on their local communities and the future of Queensland. Like all YMCA programs, Queensland Youth Parliament fosters the potential of people and builds community engagement. For emerging young leaders, it offers a unique opportunity to gain exposure to our political system and become involved in a meaningful way,” Alan said. 

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Yesterday, 3rd May 2021, the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) released a report publishing its key findings and presenting 12 recommendations for an extensive culture change for gymnastics in Australia. The Y fully supports these 12 recommendations and the adoption of the recommendations to ensure that gymnastics in Australia is a safe and inclusive sport for all children and young people.

Along with Gymnastics Australia, we also thank the athletes and other community members who engaged in the review process and acknowledge their bravery in doing so.

You can view Gymnastics Australia’s statement on the published report here.

The YMCA in Australia is committed to ensuring that all children and young people can feel safe and be safe at the Y, in their families and in their communities. To achieve this vision, we have implemented a safeguarding framework that holds the Y to the highest possible standards in keeping children and young people safe. Our Framework has children and young people at the forefront and incorporates the 10 National Child Safe Principles, child safety legislative requirements and international best practice.

National Office Contacts
(Communications)
Di McDonald – 0412 858 556
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(Safeguarding)
Phil Doorgachurn – 0401 515 850
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One of Brisbane’s oldest organisations, the YMCA, has come to the rescue of the River City, creating a solution to defeat the dreaded rat race by turning the iconic Brisbane River, Botanical Gardens and Goodwill Bridge into a fun obstacle course pitting participants against a range of challenging (but very achievable) obstacles.

The YMCA Rat Race gives busy Brisbaneites the perfect chance to escape the daily grind and join their friends and colleagues in a fun and friendly team event supporting the YMCA and their YMCA Schools’ Breakfast Program.

YMCA Brisbane Marketing and Fundraising Manager Jane Barr-Thomson said the Rat Race offers a great opportunity for people across South East Queensland to take part in a fun event and support a program designed for people of varying fitness levels.

“The Rat Race is a perfect opportunity for people across South East Queensland to get together with their friends and family for a fun and friendly team event supporting a much needed program,” Ms Barr-Thomson said.

The Rat Race supports the YMCA School’s Breakfast Program, which was designed to help improve disadvantaged Queensland student’s academic, community and behavioural outcomes.

Ms Barr-Thomson said the YMCA Schools’ Breakfast Program is an important service feeding students disadvantaged by hunger and poor nutrition before they start school for the day.

“We all know breakfast is the most important meal of the day and over the past 10 years, the Schools’ Breakfast Program has served more than three million breakfasts to students across Queensland,” Ms Barr-Thomson said.

The YMCA Brisbane is one of Brisbane’s oldest organisations offering the community a range of services and youth programs to more than 10,000 members every week.

Registrations for teams to participate in the YMCA Rat Race are open now with the Family and Team Events taking place Sunday 15 October 2017.

People can register their team to compete in either the 8km team event or the family friendly 4km family event. Both courses start and finish in Captain Burke Park under the iconic Story Bridge.

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Millions of people were mobilised on Saturday 13th October, for the YMCA World Challenge 2012 Hoop Springs Eternal - a coordinated celebration of the YMCA and the work it does to build strong communities and empower young people.

YMCA events took place in thousands of local communities across five continents and included a global basketball shoot-out. Invented in a YMCA in 1890, basketball is one of the most popular sports in the world and has been used as a tool to empower people and promote a healthy life style.

To celebrate, local YMCAs hosted free events for the whole family. The YMCA at Bowen Hills and Redlands hosted free family fun days from 8am.

Local residents were invited to visit the two centres – for free group fitness classes, free gym workouts, and for the kids – a free gymnastics class.

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A multi-million dollar vocational school run by the YMCA has opened in the Redlands, offering secondary students an alternative education program to mainstream schooling.

YMCA Vocational School Redlands Campus provides an opportunity for young people who may not thrive in conventional classrooms to obtain a Queensland Certificate of Education and gain vocational certificates in a supportive environment.

Gary Adsett, who oversees all eight YMCA Vocational School campuses across South East Queensland, said the new Redlands campus is already empowering dozens of young people on their journey to employment.

“YMCA Vocational School Redlands Campus offers a unique curriculum that encourages attendance, engagement and confidence – including typical high school subjects, social and emotional development lessons, exercise classes, art therapy, counselling and more,” Mr Adsett said.

“What’s different about the Y compared to mainstream schooling is that we adapt our classrooms, lessons, facilities, support programs and teaching style based on the individual needs of our students. We get new students who have previously experienced significant barriers in coming to school and studying, who after spending several weeks at the Y, say they’ve found a place they can call home.”

Students enrolled will have the opportunity to select a vocational pathway to follow, with options like hairdressing, automotive, hospitality, engineering and more.

Currently, 60 students are enrolled at the YMCA Vocational School Redlands Campus.

“There’s a real need in the Redlands to offer young people new avenues to gain employment after school, and a learning environment with increased support. The facility also has an onsite community centre, creating venue hire spaces and offering events everyone in the Redlands can enjoy outside of school hours.”

Over $5 million has been invested into building the Vocational School, with the State Government pledging $2.5 million of funding to see the education resource delivered to the Redlands community.

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93 teenagers and young adults will be presented the opportunity to change Queensland laws in 2022, with nominations now open for the 27th YMCA Queensland Youth Parliament.

Each year, one Youth Member age 15-25 is selected for every electorate in Queensland, forming the Queensland Youth Parliament.

Queensland Youth Parliament Coordinator, Daniel Patava, says the program is an incredible chance for any young Queenslander wanting to make a difference.

“The program is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for young people across the state to present bills in Queensland’s Parliament House, debate issues of importance to them, gain first-hand experience being a Member of Parliament, and proudly represent their electorate,” Mr Patava said.

“There are so many young people today who are extremely passionate about issues of concern to them; they want their voices heard and this is a fantastic avenue to instigate the change they want to see."

“Anyone aged 15-25 with a passion for change can nominate for YMCA Queensland Youth Parliament. We are looking for enthusiastic young people who want to use their voice to make a positive impact.”

The 2022 Youth Governor of Queensland, Portia Allison, describes Queensland Youth Parliament as one of the most important youth programs in the state.

“No other program allows you to experience life as a parliamentarian quite like this one. You learn a lot about yourself and the parliamentary system,” Ms Allison said.

“Those selected across the state in 2022 will embark upon a year-long program of bill-writing, community engagement and personal development."

“Youth Parliament also forges strong friendships through teamwork, community outreach and many fun experiences.”

YMCA Queensland Youth Parliament is an accredited education program supported by the Queensland Government, and students can receive credit towards their Queensland Certificate of Education upon completion.

Nominations will remain open until Sunday 20 February 2022. For more information on the program or to apply, visit www.ymcaqyp.org.au.

Download the YMCA QYP 2022 Brochure
Download the YMCA QYP 2022 Poster

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