YOUTH WEEK
Youth Week is just over a month away and there’s lots for young residents of Whittlesea to sign up for between now and then.
Auditions throughout March will help select young solo performers for the program of events at Plenty Valley Westfield.
Emma Shelton, of the council youth services team Baseline, says she’s hoping for a showcase of artists and performers as well as an army of volunteers to man displays around the shopping precinct.
She also wants campaign teams to mount presentations on the issues identified as most important to young people – such as the lack of public transport, acceptance of diversity and dealing with mental health.
Campaign teams will meet from 4.30-6.30pm on Thursdays at Edge Westfield Plenty Valley.
Meanwhile, Whittlesea’s youth team is also offering a free theatre program,
So You Think You Can Act?, for people aged 10-15 in Mernda and Doreen. This program will run from 4-6pm on Wednesdays until March 19 at Laurimar Community Activity Centre.
There is also an after-school program over the next five weeks called
Nature’s Kaleidoscope, which will celebrate nature and light through the creation of mandalas, spiritual and ritual symbols, which will be printed on to street foils for installation in Thomastown.
The mandala project, which starts this week, is linked to the council’s energy efficiency program. During April, the council will refit about 7000 street lights with energy-efficient lamps, saving about 2200 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions every year. This is the equivalent of taking more than 50 cars off the road.
There will also be a number of changes to the air-conditioning units and lighting at Whittlesea’s three public libraries, funded under the Australian government’s energy efficiency program.
National Youth Week is an annual, week-long celebration of young people throughout Australia.
A joint initiative of the Australian, state, territory and local governments, it aims to give young people chances to express their ideas and points of view and to act on issues that affect their lives.
National Youth Week 2014 will be held from April 4-13, and this year’s theme is:
Our Voice. Our Impact. To find out more, contact Greg Box at the Department of Human Services’ community and economic participation branch on 9096 1352 or email youthweek@dhs.vic.gov.au
HELEN GRIMAUX
