national youth week

National Youth Week has kicked off all around the country, and there are heaps of events for people to get on board with!

Lip caught up with the National Youth Week coordinator for the ACT, Anna Voronoff, to get some more details on the week, and the events being held in Canberra.

What do you think National Youth Week aims to achieve?

National Youth Week is an annual, week-long celebration of young people throughout Australia. National Youth Week aims to promote youth arts, music, film and sporting events by engaging youth services and other organisations to create activities and information for and about young people. Throughout the week long event there will be exhibitions, information stalls, activities, demonstrations, live music and theatre for and by young people aged 12 to 25. The theme for 2011 is “Own It”.
National Youth Week will run from 1 – 10 April 2011.

How do you think young people benefit from National Youth Week?

The Youth Coalition of the ACT is predominantly the key organiser of National Youth Week in the ACT. The Youth Coalition of the ACT is the peak body for young people and youth services in the ACT, representing and supporting young people aged 12 – 25 years and those who work with them. National Youth Week in the ACT is an opportunity for young people and the youth services sector to celebrate young people aged 12 – 25 years in the ACT. National Youth Week provides young people and services with opportunities to create events or programs that young people can get involved in. Many events are organised by young people, for young people.

What are some of the events we can look forward to?

This year we have some amazing programs and events and some fantastic national and cultural institutions have jumped on board to participate in National Youth Week in the ACT to create sustainable relationships that will remain active well beyond the National Youth Week 2011.

One particular event is Youth Homelessness Matters Day, which will be held at the National Gallery of Australia on Wednesday 6 April 2011. As part of National Youth Week, we will work in conjunction with other organisations around Australia to raise awareness of youth homelessness. The Youth Coalition and young Canberrans who experience or have experienced homelessness will work closely with the NGA; providing art workshops for young people to create a piece of art that symbolizes youth homelessness in Australia. The art will be on display through-out National Youth Week 2011.

The Canberra Centre have a long partnership with National Youth Week in holding the Annual Wearable Art Exhibition and Award. Young people are invited to create a piece of Wearable Art. There will be 12 pieces selected that will go on display at the Canberra Centre during National Youth Week and at the end of the week the winner is selected by industry professionals. There is also a People’s Choice Award where shoppers are invited to vote either in person or via Facebook.

The CSIRO are planning a free band night with local bands from Lyneham High School and Woden Youth Centre.

Gorman House Arts Centre is hosting A Fair With Art, which will incorporate Canberra Youth Theatre, QL2 Centre for Youth Dance, the ACT Writers Centre and the Contemporary Art Space. There will be free workshops, performances, and discussions. ACT Writers Centre will be holding a Zinefare which in the past has attracted people from all over Australia.

The fabulous Annual Youth Week Expo will be held in Garema Place on Friday 1 April from 2 – 7pm. This annual expo aims to promote young people, their art, music, and engages youth and community service organisations to provide information, and activities for and about young people. The Expo will have exhibitions, information stalls, performances, demonstrations, theatre and live music for and by young people aged 12 to 25 years old.

We are interested in hearing from community groups and services, young people, schools, public institutions, private businesses and philanthropic organisations who are keen to be involved in the Expo. Call on Anna, the National Youth Week coordinator on (02) 6247 3540 or [email protected].
There are heaps of events planned and after the successful applicants for the National Youth Week grants are announced there will be even more.

How can people get involved?

We encourage young people to go to their schools and ask how the ACT Government School Grants are being spent. Perhaps interested young people can hold an event at their school, University, work place or within their community or at their youth centre during National Youth Week.
There are many youth service organisations planning events for National Youth Week. If any young people out there are interested in being involved I am happy to assist them in holding their event or linking them with a youth service centre that is holding an event.
We also have a committee of ten young people deciding who should be funded out of the National Youth Week applications.

There are many ways for young people to get involved. Please call me, Anna, the National Youth Week coordinator for more information on (02) 6247 3540 or email [email protected].