All ages encouraged to celebrate Youth Week

YOUNG people, their achievements and their place in the Bendigo community will once again be celebrated during this year’s Youth Week.

The seven days of events officially begins this Saturday, 26 June and ends on Friday, 2 July, but a diverse program of activities across the city kicks off from today until next Thursday.

City of Greater Bendigo Youth mayor Cr Jack Smith said celebrations were particularly important given the challenges young people have faced throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The last two years it is safe to say have been incredibly impactful on everyone, but I would say disproportionately affected young people quite significantly,” he said.

“Things like casualisation of the work force, going online with things like university and TAFE, not being able to do placements, struggles with housing that have become more prevalent now and affordability, all these things that affect young people so directly.

“You’re a lot more likely to see about young people doing bad things than you are about them doing great things and that’s why I think Youth Week is so important.

“It’s just so important to actually let people in our community go ‘look at these young people doing really amazing things’, and we break the stigma that surrounds young people that they’re lazy and they don’t do anything through showing people that we do a lot of really, really incredible work.”

Youth Cr Smith said young people in Bendigo can have a tangible impact on positive outcomes for themselves and their peers through initiatives like the Youth council or YO Bendigo, who are putting on the week’s events.

“We at YO Bendigo are always trying to give young people unique experiences and skill-based experiences and I think that’s some of the really awesome things that we’re offering through Youth Week,” he said.

“Things like coding for example which is going to be so important for people in STEM and is becoming an incredibly feasible and lucrative career path, things like trying out boxing to get young people active, Battle of the Bands to make sure people can be artistic.

“And then we have the life and work skills workshop which is going to be absolutely brilliant which is pretty much getting young people work ready and giving them qualifications so they can go out into the workforce.

“We’re making sure we’re offering things that are really fun and engaging but things that are actually going to help young people into the future and make sure they can be the incredible young people that we want to talk about and praise and put in a really good light.”

Youth Cr Smith encouraged older people to also get involved in the week’s celebration of young people, urging them to check in with the young people around them.

“I implore everyone, go to a young person in your life and talk to them. See some of the amazing things they’re doing and that might just help change a few people’s perspectives about how incredible and effective and passionate young people can be.”

What’s on this Youth Week?

YO POETS SHOWCASE. 5.30pm – 7pm Thursday, 24 June. Bendigo Library, 259 Hargreaves Street, Bendigo. Young people aged 12 – 25 years old present spoken word poetry and creative writing pieces.

CODING WITH CODER GARTEN. 10am – 4pm Monday, 28 June. YO Bendigo Youth Space, 45 Mundy Street, Bendigo. Learn coding and programming over two sessions. BYO lunch. Tickets via yobendigo.com.au/whats-on/coding.

COME AND TRY BOXING. Under 18s 4.30pm – 5.30pm, over 18s 5.30pm – 6.30pm Tuesday, 29 June and 6 July. Hit Factory Boxing, 28 Allingham Street, Golden Square. Beginner friendly boxing class. Free. Sign up at yobendigo.com.au/whats-on/come-and-try-boxing-all-ages.

PASTE-UP WORKSHOP. 10am – 4pm Wednesday, 30 June. YO Bendigo Youth Space, 45 Mundy Street, Bendigo. Create street art pieces with the help of artist Mr Dimples. Materials and lunch provided. Tickets $5-$15 via yobendigo.com.au/whats-on/pasteupworkshop.

BATTLE OF THE BANDS. 7pm – 10pm Saturday, 3 July. The Old Church on the Hill, 36 Russell Street, Quarry Hill. Enjoy a night of live local music from performers aged 12 to 25 years old.

PAINTING HEATHCOTE SKATEPARK. 10am – 4pm Monday, 5 July. Heathcote Skatepark, 5 Camp Street, Heathcote. Join Nacho Station to spray paint the skate park. Free. Sign up at yobendigo.com.au/whats-on/heathcote-skatepark-event.

CRAFTING YOUR FUTURE. 9.30am – 4pm Wednesday, 7 July. Fosterville Gold Tennis Centre, 21-26 Nolan Street, Bendigo. Learn about the pathways into different careers. Free. Expressions of interest via yobendigo.com.au/whats-on/crafting-your-future.

LEVEL UP – LIFE AND WORK SKILLS. 9am – 4pm Wednesday, 7 and Thursday, 8 July. Two-day program getting young people ready to join the workforce.

For more information visit yobendigo.com.au/whats-on.