Reporter Isabelle Thorpe-Spry spoke with Weave CEO Siobhan Bryson and youth advocate Karah Davis about some positive initiatives and youth-led creative projects in South Sydney.
As a young person myself, initiatives such as Weave Youth & Community Services’ What You Don’t See and Be the Change campaigns really hit close to home.
When asked about what it was like to work with such a diverse group of young people Siobhan Bryson had much to say: “These are extraordinary young people who inspire me every day. They have an infectious positivity and a passion to make the world a better place. Their vibe and energy is infectious and they show wisdom and compassion that is way beyond their years. The What You Don’t See campaign is centred around youth advocacy and has given many young people the chance to speak out and tell their stories.”
Young person Karah Davis spoke out on a range of issues including racism and sexism in the workplace: “I feel like there’s not a lot of people who are willing to give youth a platform because we are seen as too young and we don’t know what we want, we don’t know what our rights are, we don’t know anything. So I think this platform is a really good idea to get youth talking about their problems and what has happened to them and give them a voice and a time to change the world.”
Inspiring young adults like Ms Davis have taken the time to get their voices out there on some of the most important issues we as young people are facing in 2020 – racism, sexism, homelessness and a lack of education on youth rights. These are pressing issues that demand media attention and presence.
The brave young people involved in such projects are helping pave the way towards a fairer future for young people, not only in Australia but around the world.
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For more information about Weave Youth & Community Services (1b Elizabeth St, Waterloo), various programs and current campaigns visit www.weave.org.au
