NRL Cowboys House opens Graduate Campus in Condon, Townsville

NRL Cowboys House is opening a third campus for graduate students battling to find affordable housing amid the cost-of-living epidemic.

NRL Cowboys House General Manager Rochelle Jones Rochelle Jones, Fredrick Mick, one of seven inaugural tenants of NRL Cowboys House Graduate Campus in Condon, and Cowboys Community Foundation CEO Fiona Pelling. The Cowboys Community Foundation has expanded its NRL Cowboys House, opening a third campus for its growing number of graduates in need of affordable housing. The Condon 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. Picture: Supplied

The award-winning NRL Cowboys House is opening a third campus for graduate students battling to find affordable housing amid the cost-of-living epidemic.

The new graduates campus in Condon aims to provide a semi-supported environment for graduates of its Boys and Girls campuses in Gulliver, catering to students who have finished high school and want to continue their education and career journeys in Townsville.

Frederick Mick, one of seven inaugural tenants, graduated from secondary school last year and scored a role as an apprentice chef while working in the NRL Cowboys House kitchen.

“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,” he said.

“I spent a lot of time in the kitchen at the House helping and I thought, this could be something I could do.”

NRL Cowboys House graduate Frederick Mick, one of seven inaugural tenants of NRL Cowboys House Graduate Campus in Condon. The Cowboys Community Foundation has expanded its NRL Cowboys House, opening a third campus for its growing number of graduates in need of affordable housing. The Condon 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. Picture: Supplied

Frederick, who like other graduates comes from a rural or remote community, said that in the last couple of years he had started to think about the importance of family, friends and “everyone here who’s been helping me get to this point”.

“I thought ‘I gotta get my stuff together’,” he said.

“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.”

The Cowboys Community Foundation has expanded its NRL Cowboys House, opening a third campus for its growing number of graduates in need of affordable housing. The Condon 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. Picture: Supplied

Cowboys House General Manager Rochelle Jones said its students had been successfully finishing high school, finding jobs or tertiary study options but could not find affordable places to live.

“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.”

Smoking ceremony. The Cowboys Community Foundation has expanded its NRL Cowboys House, opening a third campus for its growing number of graduates in need of affordable housing. The Condon 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. Picture: Supplied

She said that graduates, many of whom were aged under 18, were geographically separated from the support of their families and communities and “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.”

Smoking ceremony. The Cowboys Community Foundation has expanded its NRL Cowboys House, opening a third campus for its growing number of graduates in need of affordable housing. The Condon 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. Picture: Supplied

Cowboys Community Foundation CEO Fiona Pelling said the Graduate Campus was a significant expansion for the charity marking its 10-year anniversary.

“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,” she said.

“Being able to offer our graduates a secure and supported home environment as they take their next steps in life is genuinely life-changing.”

Ms Pelling said the new campus was made possible through “the generosity of our community, the hard work of our volunteers, and the commitment of our government and corporate partners.”

Originally published as NRL Cowboys House opens Graduate Campus in Condon, Townsville