QCS delivering safer communities and supporting offender rehabilitation, one beanie at a time
Offenders on community service in the Roma and Mackay regions have been put to work making beanie hats for premature babies as they make their reparations to the community.
The initiative is helping to reform offenders and deliver safer communities one stitch at a time.
Working under the guidance of Queensland Corrective Services' Community Corrections officers, 14 beanies have been donated to Roma Hospital while more than 150 have been given to Mackay Base Hospital. It is the third year Mackay Community Corrections has donated beanies to the hospital.
Photo courtesy of Maranoa Today newspaper
Roma Community Corrections Probation Services Officer Monique said the beanie project was helping support offender rehabilitation by engaging in meaningful activity.
"Community service is about giving back to the community and building up work and life skills that deter reoffending," Monique said.
"Knowing their effort will be directly received and appreciated within their local community further strengthens their rehabilitation which gives us both a sense of achievement."
Roma Hospital Director of Nursing Karlee Quin said the hospital was very pleased to accept the donation of crocheted items from Roma Community Corrections.
"An average of 140 births a year are recorded at Roma Hospital, so this donation will prove very useful, particularly as we move into the winter months next year,'' Ms Quin said.
"Here at Roma, average daily temperatures in winter can vary from the early 20s to 0 degrees centigrade at night, and sometimes lower. I'm sure some of our new mums next year will be more than happy to give their babies one of these lovely items. We can also find recipients for those designed for older children.
"I'd like to offer a big thanks to QCS and Roma Community Corrections for thinking of us when making and donating the beanies."
Photo courtesy Mackay Daily Mercury.
Mackay Community Corrections Probation Services Officer Kylie said reparation orders formed an integral part of Community Corrections' role in the criminal justice system, and these orders are imposed by the courts to ensure individuals give back to communities they offended against.
"When we support offenders completing community service, we play an important role in helping them turn their lives around," Kylie said.
"Our beanie project is not only donating to help people and babies in need, it is also offering a purpose and sense of achievement to supervised individuals so that they learn and understand the consequence of actions.
"By working to reform offender behaviour, we are helping to make our communities safer so there are fewer victims of crime."
Mackay Hospital Foundation Managing Executive Officer Ashleen O'Neill thanked QCS for the donation.
"We are incredibly grateful to Mackay Community Corrections for their ongoing support and generosity," Ms O'Neill said.
"Each handmade beanie represents not only care and comfort for our tiniest patients, but also a meaningful act of giving back to the community.
"Partnerships like this remind us how small gestures, created with compassion, can make a big difference in both the lives of those receiving and those giving."
Community Corrections offices throughout Queensland partner with not-for-profit organisations and local councils to supervise offenders performing community service work, including maintenance activities and graffiti removal, providing offenders the opportunity to develop life and vocational skills and contribute positively to society so that we have safer communities and fewer victims of crime.
