Young people shout out for Youth Week

VICTORIAN Youth Week wrapped up last weekend, celebrating young people, who they are, their passions, the things they do in the community, and the differences they make.

Through Instagram, City of Ballarat Youth Services developed a virtual way for the area’s young people to share their diverse lives with one another through video, as part of these celebrations.

Youth Services coordinator, Katja Fiedler said this daily shout-out initiative via @ballaratyouthservices was a great way for them to share their own unique messages with one another, even if they couldn’t meet face-to-face.

“We wanted young people to speak for themselves. We’ve seen some incredible shout outs,” she said.

“We handed over the reins of our social media to our young people, to let them talk about who they are, what they do and care about, how they’re looking after themselves, connecting to others and the environment, and if they also have a call to action for their peers.

“For example, one of our volunteers is a DJ and has a passion about developing lighting shows. He whipped up an incredible presentation at home. We have such experts in different professional areas.”

Karissa Cribbes is active with the Centre for Multicultural Youth, and Ballarat Youth Services’ Girl Space program which coordinates collaborative recreational opportunities.

She delivered the first Instagram shout out, getting to share some things she enjoys doing and learning.

“Recently I’ve noticed an influx of workplace professionals going on YouTube to talk about their work,” she said.

“I like watching videos about doctors, and there’s a fitness person that I watch who is a biophysicist, so she talks about everything behind fitness and how it works.

“It’s all so interesting, so I wanted to showcase that, and how much stuff is readily available if you look for it.”

The shout out was also a chance to think and talk about something that wasn’t serious or worrying.

“Every time I look at the TV or go on Facebook and YouTube, there’s stuff about what’s going on with the virus, but I wanted to lighten the mood a bit and focus on something else.

“If people do search videos and learn things because of my shout out, that would be really great, Miss Cribbes said.

Each young person’s piece to camera has been different and “inspiring,” receiving positive feedback.

“It shows there are so many people willing to encourage you. It’s such a great community, especially with Ballarat Youth Services, because all the people there are so nice.

“I’ve struggled not being able to go out and have the opportunities I used to, so getting messages, watching other people and sending them messages has been really uplifting,” Miss Cribbes said.

“It’s nice for everyone to have a platform to speak and be heard by an audience.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-iwswgB7xR/

Ms Fiedler said it’s been “mind-blowing” for Youth Services staff to discover new sides of the young people they work with.

“We’ve learned so much more about them, it’s been really insightful for us. Some of the things they share in their shout outs has been super surprising and interesting.

“We’re proud to work with these young people, day in, day out, and hopefully with all the videos, we can bring them all together into a bigger one that promotes young people in the community,” she said.”