Johnathan Thurston Academy grows to help youth from new Townsville location

Seeing positive signs of growth for the at-risk youth in his academy, Johnathan Thurston has moved his team to a bigger location in the Townsville CBD. See where.

Johnathan Thurston Academy in its new premises in Flinders Street. Johnathan Thurston. Picture: Evan Morgan

Revered for his success on the rugby league field, Johnathan Thurston is now leveraging his influential platform off the field to create positive social change for the region’s at-risk youth.

Built around the mantra of “self-belief, confidence, and courage”, Mr Thurston launched the Johnathan Thurston Academy in 2018, to provide education programs and initiatives for the nation’s youth, aimed at employment, education, and wellbeing.

With programs like JTLeadLikeAGirl to build key skills for young women, JTBelieve to help with school engagement, the early intervention based program JTYouGotThis to support vulnerable youth, and employment readiness program JTSucceed, the academy is inspiring the next generation and growing to have a presence in Cairns, Mount Isa, Hervey Bay, Gold Coast and Townsville.

The programs were creating heartwarming results on the ground, with Mr Thurston describing his pride in a Mount Isa boy who avoided being provoked into a confrontation by using the skills he’d learnt to diffuse the situation and walk away.

“For him to show that leadership and see that behavioral change in himself, the staff were extremely proud of him, and I sent a video message to him as well, telling me how proud I was for him and doing that,” Thurston said.

Johnathan Thurston Academy in its new premises in Flinders Street. Johnathan Thurston. Picture: Evan Morgan

“That’s the type of behavioral changes we’ve seen in a lot of our participants.

“We’ve got a heap (of participants) who have reengaged back into school - flexi-learning school and mainstream school, and we found a couple of people employment as well.”

Parents and grandparents say they have seen a “huge change” in their family members.

Aimed at employment, education, and wellbeing, the Johnathan Thurston Academy's programs are getting good results for its participants. Picture: Supplied.

Participants getting stuck in at the Johnathan Thurston Academy. Picture: Supplied.

“Our staff deserve a lot of credit for the relationships that they build and the trust that they have with our participants,” he said.

Previously located in the Northtown Building on Flinders St, Mr Thurston said it was their strong growth in staff and participants which necessitated their relocation to a larger space at 471 Flinders St — with assistance from Knight Frank agent Mark Fitzgerald and Dan Place.

Academy operations manager Antonio Winterstein said relocating to a new office was a strategic decision aimed at enhancing their service delivery, particularly for providing individualised support to current and past program participants.

Johnathan Thurston Academy in its new premises in Flinders Street. Antonio Winterstein, Mark Fitzgerad from Knight Frank and Johnathan Thurston. Picture: Evan Morgan

“By positioning ourselves in a more accessible location, we are able to offer a space for our participants that is culturally responsive and safe to foster closer relationships,” Winterstein said.

“This transition reflects our commitment to excellence and our dedication to provide meaningful and sustainable opportunities for our youth.”

Mr Place said the Flinders Street property had only recently been vacated by the previous tenant, MobbsMarr Legal, with the leasing deal completed off market.

“Marketing for a new tenant in the space was due to start in the following weeks, but Johnathan Thurston Academy snapped up the space before that began,” Mr Place said.

“This demonstrates the strong demand for quality space in the Townsville CBD that we have been seeing in the market.

Johnathan Thurston Academy in its new premises in Flinders Street. Johnathan Thurston, Antonio Winterstein, Mark Fitzgerad from Knight Frank. Picture: Evan Morgan

“Demand in the city certainly has been much stronger for premium and A-grade office space, but with the vacancy rate for the highest-grade buildings now being below 4.85 per cent according to our research, demand is starting to filter down into other stock.”

For more information, visit: jtacademy.com.au.

Originally published as Johnathan Thurston Academy grows to help youth from new Townsville location