Blue light discos — the places of pizza, soft drinks, police involved in dance offs and pre-tweens awkwardly dancing to the hottest hits of the decade — are slowly going out of fashion.
However, Queensland Blue Light, the organisation behind the memories of many 80s and 90s kids around Queensland, is still focussed on building resilience and leadership in teenagers.
Warren Parker is Northern Patrol Group Inspector for the Logan Police District and is also the president of the Queensland Blue Light Association.
Acting Inspector Parker said while the organisation was keeping blue light discos on the books for now, its new focus was on efforts to engage teenagers via everything from movie nights to canoe camps.
"Most people today they think blue light, they think disco," he said.
"The first disco we ever held was on the Gold Coast in 1984, and we have traditionally done discoes but we had to move along with the times."
He said from about 2005 when social media became increasingly popular, numbers at discos started dramatically dropped.
"Whilst discos will always been part of the DNA and that partnership between local police and members of community, we've had to move forward," he said.
"About four years ago we bought out an early intervention program called the Blue Edge program.
"That is aimed at engaged with young people who are vulnerable or who have committed minor crime... and working with those people to deter them from the life of crime."
Blue Edge
The Blue Edge program will be run a minimum of 104 times in the next three years, and at the PCYC in Mount Isa in Queensland's north west will involve 17 participants.
The program sees teenagers come together as a group to learn how to use gym equipment, learn about nutrition and work on leadership and team building skills.
Kayla Roma, 12, said she got involved Blue Edge when a local police officer from the PCYC spoke at her school.
"Blue Edge for me, it gives me something to do because when I'm at home I don't know what to do, and I just go to the fridge and eat," Kayla said.
"It stops me from getting bored and being cheeky."
Kayla's goals through the program are to get fit and healthy, and she said so far she was achieving those goals and setting even more for the future.
"I just want to get a job, get a house, get a car and make sure I don't go doing silly stuff," she said.
"I don't want to be doing drugs or drink; I just want to get a job and make sure I stay fit... and stay independent."
Fellow participant Zac Jeans, 14, said he had always struggled with his behaviour at school and asked his dad if he could join the program.
"I really want to be a different person," he said.
"I've been a nuisance... I don't listen much."
Zac said he enjoyed making more friends through the program and also learning about leadership.
