Young people embrace mind, body festival

AN event organised by BGT Jobs and Training allowed young people to experience taro reading, sound bowl healing, meditation, reiki, and journalling last week.

The Mind, Body and Spirit Festival was held at Barkly Square as part of the Better Futures program.

The initiative supports young people transiting from care from the ages of 16 to 21 through the help of a development coach who provides support and advice.

Participant Jakob Strebs said the festival was a great way to try something new.

“The meditation was amazing really,” he said. “I had never done anything like that before.

“I’ve been to psychologists in the past through my whole childhood and this was something very different.

“I didn’t know if it would work, but it was very significant to me and my mental health.”

This is the first time BGT Jobs and Training has held the festival as part of the Better Futures program.

“It’s giving the young people a different experience,” manager of community service Dee Hastings said.

“We work with young people who have been exposed to significant trauma and sometimes during their lead-up to leaving care services they haven’t done a lot of work around the trauma.

“Maybe this is a different way of starting to look at it and work on oneself.”

For more information about the program, visit the BGT Jobs and Training website.