Oasis Magazine - Cairns & Tropical North Queensland Issue 15 - Dec|Jan 2017 | Page 28

MAKING A DIFFERENCE Kelly Chamberlain Acting Sergeant, Queensland Police State training and development for Project Booyah A cting Sergeant Kelly Chamberlain kicked off her policing career in the United Kingdom (UK) in March 1998 where she spent some 10+ years policing before she and her family left the UK for Australia. Kelly purchased and operated a Subway Franchise for 2 years in Adelaide before she and her husband Lee, joined the Queensland Police Service in January 2013. Kelly had previously been stationed in rural communities before leading large teams of police in large town stations in the UK, and then joining Cairns generals policing team. Kelly would always put her hand up to relieve in the local Police beats giving her an opportunity to work in small communities. With some 17 years policing under her belt, she was approached by an Inspector from Brisbane who had been told of her effective and passionate work with communities and has now been working with at risk young women in the Cairns community on Project Booyah for 2 years. Kelly was a monthly winner and a finalist 2 years running 2015 and 2016 for the Far Northern police officer of the year award and also a women in Policing winner for “mentor of the year” for her “ amazing work with young women who have 28 | w w w. o a s i s m a g a z i n e . c o m . a u multiple, complex barriers to engagement, helping to build their self-worth and showing that police are someone youth can turn to for help, who has drive and passion to give these young women opportunities and successful outcomes in life, and who works tirelessly often above and beyond”. Kelly has an understanding of at risk young people and the issues they face, she possess great communic ation skills which have also greatly benefited the Cairns PCYC branch in the previous 12 months where Kelly has been an active committee member. Kelly has now been acting sergeant in a State training and development role for Project Booyah which allows her an opportunity to share her passion and enthusiasm around the state recently setting up a new Project Booyah Project in Mount Isa.