Visible Ink Space Stories Issue 1
April 16, 2009 by tim
Filed under Citywide Crew
Last week on a Thursday 16 marginalised young people turned up early to Visible Ink Valley for the first time. They were involved in the City Lens project – a project that skilled them up in photography to take pictures of Brisbane for part of the B150 celebrations. Michael, who’s 15, arrived 45 minutes early because he didn’t want to be late. He said he’d always loved taking photos and couldn’t wait to learn form a professional photographer and take pictures of Brisbane that meant something to him. The project runs for 2 months with an exhibition in May.
I (Drew) have been working with local, young refugees developing their sets for 3 upcoming gigs –
• ‘Beat the Rap’ at RAILS DVD launch at Mt Gravatt PCYC on the 20th of March.
• The “Youth Arts Showcase’ on the 4th of April
• ‘African Speakout’ performance at Holland Park library on the 18th of April.
It has been interesting watching their attitudes change as they realise that the support and encouragement they give each other helps to develop skills and promotes a real sense of community and understanding. We are hoping to record an album/EP to promote their talents and to sell to friends.
- Recently LINX Youth Space re-established a Youth Voice Committee, a group of young people who will assist LINX staff to organise and deliver an annual Bay Wave Youth Festival in the Wynnum/Manly community.
- Youth Voice Committee meetings are held every fortnight (on Wednesday) and provide an opportunity for local young people to learn skills in event management, fundraising, sponsorship, writing etc.
- The expected outcomes for young people involved in the Youth Voice Committee include an increase in self esteem/confidence, young people have a say in projects in the local community and strengthening team skills.
- When asked what the benefits of participating in the Youth Voice Committee are young people said they wanted to have a say in community projects and youth festivals because “we are teenager and we know what teens want”.
- Bay Wave Youth Festival will be held on the 16th of May at Lota Skate Park. Young people will have an opportunity to showcase their skills including music performance, skate and BMX competitions and a variety of different activities and workshops all for free!
Albert Park has been a part of the Red Cross Beyond Crisis project for the past 18 months to 2 years (Theresa and Paul on the Reference Group). This project is in its second year of planning and redirection/evaluation. Red Cross has been able to expand its training and short course opportunities for young people this year. Albert Park has a number of young people who have signed up for driver’s education, RSA, cooking etc. But in particular Red Cross has expanded to include opportunities for Business Admin School based traineeships for which 3 young people applied and are currently part of an interview process (all 3 were short listed). The Red Cross workers are committed to continuing to build relationships with young people and are intending to spend time at Albert Park on a regular basis.
BCC – Edmund Rice Strategic Planning
I (Steve) had a conversation with Kate Joyner from BCC Strategic Planning this morning. She’s done some work around partnerships and pitfalls. Paul Toon and I will meet with her in the next couple of weeks to explore ideas and options for the future. This is in response to the need to revisit the Edmund Rice – BCC relationship in light of leanings from the last three years.
Key questions:
- What is Councils commitment to young people at the margins?
- How best do we serve the needs of that group?
- What is the best use of limited resources?
Future possibilities revolve around a clear understanding of what constitutes a healthy, mutually beneficial partnership and application to this group would be would be a better understanding of how partnerships work.
Last Friday afternoon we held an afternoon tea at the Space to celebrate International Women’s Day. Including me, seven women of different ages, backgrounds and community groups attended. There were some wonderful discussions about women’s issues around a table of food. New connections were formed between local women and the idea of a fortnightly women’s group at the Space was further discussed. With some new energy behind this idea hopefully a regular women’s art day will soon be happening in the Space, with art the purpose of the gathering but with the hope that this will lead to a space for women to discuss relevant issues and support one another.
I (Nina) was recently approached by Spiral Community Hub (through another connection I have with them) about the possibility of using the Space as a base for fair trade products and a youth enterprise café. The café would train young people in hospitality skills and run as a business. We’re unsure at this stage whether this is feasible. But it has opened up possibilities not previously considered for the Space including that maybe there is potential for one agency to lead development of the Space.
After turning 12 a young person from Aspley High started accessing Visible Ink Zillmere to use computers, play video games, hang out with staff etc. Workers invited him to be involved in revamping the space. Since first accessing VIZ there has been an obvious shift in his behaviour and confidence, he has made connections and friendships in the space and has started organising video games competitions, sharing music and movies with other young people and is now showing an interest in organising activities in the space on a Wednesday and Thursday with support from our staff.
We are currently looking at the Black Diamonds program within the Indigenous Aspirations Team. What began in 2000 as a Sport and Rec initiative from a recommendation of the Black Deaths in Custody Report now includes arts, culture, sport and recreation for young indigenous people and their communities. The Black Diamonds program has the capacity to be broadened and expanded to include more initiatives in skills development and cultural pride building, potentially more budget and visibility in the community and Council. Already with proven outcomes in youth leadership and belonging, the aim will be to enhance more young people’s experience of this.
Jess
April 3, 2009 by tim
Filed under Young people defining Brisbane
Meet Jessica. In 2005, Jess enrolled at the Albert Park Flexi School, an inclusive learning community that supported her to do, well, whatever she dreamed of! Sure, there were no fairies or flying cars involved, but as Jess said “there’s just something special about APFS that makes you feel like you belong”.
And it was this “something special” that gave Jess the inspiration and determination to take up work experience at City Hall in 2006, then graduate at the end of the same year. But wait, there’s more! What really rocked out was Jess recently being offered employment by Council as an admin trainee.
We got a little glimpse into the world of the soon-to-be Council superstar…
Music? :: ‘Anything that isn’t country!’
Spare time? :: ‘Hanging out with friends’
Inspiration? :: ‘To see somebody from extraordinary circumstances that can transform and begin to love life when they should be hating it.’
New job? :: ‘Scared! APFS is flexible, but maybe work won’t be like that!’
You’re on a desert island, and the monkey who is the boss of the island asks you for some advice. The monkey’s got a short memory, so you only get one sentence :: ‘Even if you don’t think something’s possible, you can achieve it if you stick with it.’
