Youth worker Lucy Butler shared a statement prepared by Ashanti, a participant of the Kool Kids Club program. Having been involved with Kool Kids for five years, Shanti said she’d learnt the importance of “respecting one another and the community”, and was keen to become a “Switch” leader like her brother before her, supporting young people in transition from primary to high school.
Speak Out leader Sam Johnson spoke about helping young people overcome addiction and the stigma associated with drug use or mental illness. Casework, therapeutic and counselling activities, he explained, take place onsite at Weave as well as at various refuges and juvenile detention facilities throughout the state.
Mardi Diles, Partnerships and Marketing Manager, highlighted an ongoing campaign called Weave Survival Tips. “Every single person goes through tough times,” Ms Diles said, “and everyone has unique survival tips to share”. She invited the Minister to share a tip of his own, which he was very happy to do. “As a father of six and a person from an ethnic background, I have learned a few things along the way,” he said. His tip? Never give up, and assist others – that way, you will always be a winner.
“I grew up in Redfern,” said youth advocate Keenan Mundine. “As a young kid I got caught up in some not so positive activities and made some silly choices. But I’m reassessing where I want to be.”
Mr Mundine said: “I work with Mardi, Sam and Kate, and Lucy at Weave, they’ve helped me build confidence, helped me make the right choices. Now I love working with younger people, helping to give them a clear pathway and a brighter future. Sometimes I volunteer, sometimes it’s paid work. I can’t wait to see the kids, smiling and running around. I’m studying youth work now, to inspire young people to stay at school and work hard. It’s very meaningful to me and I love having the support of the team.”
The funding is part of the government’s Youth Opportunities program, which provides grants to organisations to deliver youth-led and youth-driven community projects with a positive development focus.
Mr Ajaka said that the government is encouraging organisations and community groups to submit projects aimed at empowering and increasing the confidence of young people to reach their full potential.
“This is our way of supporting grass-roots projects focused on making a positive difference to the lives of many young people including those from Aboriginal and culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, disadvantaged youth and those with a disability.
Shane Brown, Chief Executive Officer of Weave, said that Youth Opportunities succeeds because it is flexible. It funds young people’s good ideas when they are supported by good delivery and accountability mechanisms. “It’s right that government and community services work in tandem,” he said.
Since the Youth Opportunities program launched in 2012, almost $6 million has been granted to more than 85 youth development projects.
