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National Youth Week 2013

 

     


 

 

STOP PRESS! Here's the latest blog from 2013 National Youth Week Victorian Young Member Mel!

National Youth Week has begun and my mind has been blown already!!

After all of the planning that went in to making 2013 Youth Week amazing, it was so great to see it kick off with a bang at the state launch out on by Melbourne Citymissions Frontyard Youth Services. The flashmob dancers were incredible and left me wishing I could pull the moves that they did! What better way to celebrate BE ACTIVE. BE HAPPY. BE YOU than a dance in the sun!!

In the lead up to National Youth Week I had the chance to go to Canberra to plan NYW at a national level, I've got to talk about awesome young people on the radio (scary but cool!) and hear about all of the great events that are planned.

I'm so proud to be the Young Member for Victoria this National Youth Week and have had such a great time already - bring on the rest of the week!

I can't wait to get out there and visit more events to celebrate how awesome Victorian young people are. Head to https://www.facebook.com/NationalYouthWeekVictoria (new window) to hear about the events I'm visiting and see what else is going on!!

What is National Youth Week?

National Youth Week (NYW) (new window) is an annual, week-long celebration of young people (aged 12–25) throughout Australia.

It's a joint initiative of the Australian, State, Territory and Local Governments. It gives you an opportunity to express your ideas and views, act on issues that affect your lives. It also lets you have a lot of fun.

National Youth Week 2013 will be held from 5 April to 14 April 2013 incorporating the theme Be Active. Be Happy. Be You.

Message from the Minister for Youth, the Hon Ryan Smith, MP

Minister for Youth, the Hon Ryan Smith, MPNational Youth Week kicks off on 5 April 2013 and gives all of us the chance to formally acknowledge the contribution that young people make to our lives and to celebrate their achievements.

This year the Victorian Government is supporting over 90 organisations to host events that are organised by young people for young people such as festivals, forums, workshops, art exhibitions, theatre and sporting exhibitions.

On Saturday 6 April, I will have the privilege of launching National Youth Week in Victoria at our opening event, the Happiness Is … art installation. The art installation, being organised by Melbourne Citymission, will be launched at the Southbank Spillway. Other installations are being organised around Melbourne.

While National Youth Week is about getting involved and having fun, there is also a serious dimension to the week. Through our partnership with beyondblue, events are being organised by young people that raise awareness of the important issue of youth mental health.

The theme of this year’s NYW celebrations ‘Be Active, Be Happy, Be You,’ complements the Victorian Government’s Youth Statement Engage Involve Create and its vision for all young people to have the same chance to enjoy a healthy, active role in our economy and community, now and into the future.  

We continue to support a number of programs in Victoria that provide young people with opportunities to get involved in meaningful projects and build important life skills and career pathways.  Programs such as FReeZA, Engage, Advance, Youth Parliament and the exciting new Wakakirri Secondary Schools Challenge, are all designed to encourage the participation of young people and have a positive and long-lasting effect on their lives and on the community.

I encourage everyone in Victoria to ‘Be Active, Be Happy, Be You’ and to join in the National Youth Week events that are taking place around Victoria.

National Youth Week 2013 Grants

On Monday 25th February 2013 the Minister for Youth Affairs Ryan Smith announced more than $183,000 in funding for 92 organisations planning a range of activities across Victoria as part of National Youth Week 2013.

“Grant recipients have done themselves proud in planning events that will engage young people in Victoria in an exciting week of activity" Mr Smith said.

To see who is organising a National Youth Week event in your area, you can download the list of organisations receiving a grant (Word, 137kb).

NYW 2013 Calendar of Events

On Saturday 6 April 2013, the Minister for Youth Affairs, the Hon Ryan Smith, MP will be opening National Youth Week in Victoria in partnership with Melbourne Citymission at the Southbank Promenade from 11.30am.

The Happiness Is... Art Installation will include five boards placed in strategic locations across the Melbourne CBD. The boards will have a stencilled sentence, with young people and the general public invited to finish the sentence and share their views. At the end of each day the responses will be photographed and the piece will be wiped clean for the next day.  

Below is a listing of other NYW events taking place each day across Victoria. You will find all the basic information you need to attend a NYW event in your local area. Please contact the listed organisation if you would like further event details.

NYW Events - Friday 5 April to Sunday 7 April (PDF, 38kb)
NYW Events - Monday 8 April to Wednesday 10 April (PDF, 38kb)
NYW Events - Thursday 11 April to Friday 12 April (PDF, 41kb)
NYW Events - Saturday 13 April to Sunday 14 April (PDF, 37kb)
NYW Events - Monday 15 April to Monday 22 April  (PDF, 33kb)

NYW Events - All NYW Events (PDF, 59kb)


Promoting Your National Youth Week 2013 Event

To help promote your National Youth Week 2013 event to young people, below is a range of official posters that you can download and insert details of your upcoming event:

You also need to use the National Youth Week 2013 and Victorian State Government logos in all promotional material. Organisations receiving a beyondblue sponsored grant are also required to use the beyondblue logo.

Check back to Youth Central in mid to late March 2013 for full details of National Youth Week 2013 events being held across Victoria.

Meet the new Victorian National Youth Week Young Member!

Residing in the peaceful, leafy green suburb of Wonga Park, Mel Jeffery is a triathlon-loving food enthusiast.

As the National Youth Week Victorian Young Member for 2013, Mel aims to spread the word of the many stories of hard working and successful young Victorians to other youth groups across Australia.

"I am really stoked to have been chosen as the National Youth Week Victorian Young Member for 2013. National Youth Week is such an important celebration and I can't wait to hear about and attend some events put on by young people for young people. Being given this opportunity is not something that I want to take lightly!"

When Mel isn't preparing for an epic body workout or pondering what to eat for dinner, you'll find the 24-year-old devoting her days as a youth programs worker for the Maroondah City Council and being involved as a member of the Youth Affairs Council of Victoria's Youth Reference Group.

In keeping with this year's National Youth Week theme, "Be Active. Be Happy. Be You." Mel believes it is so important for young people today to feel comfortable in their own skin, be proud of where they have come from and to not lose sight of their dreams, especially in Australia's diverse and culturally rich society.

"For me, being myself means being a little bit random – I have been known to wear a crown or a Spider-Man mask around the office at work just because I like it."

Ultimately, this year's enthusiastic and energetic Victorian Young Member wants to listen to the ideas and imaginations of young people across the state and share their messages far and wide.

"Young people are tomorrow's leaders, the people who will be most affected by decisions made today and their voices need to be heard and valued in order to improve the lives of young people in the future."

Further Information

For further information on NYW 2013, please contact Greg Box at the Community and Economic Participation Branch on (03) 9096 1352 or email youthweek@dhs.vic.gov.au, and for more about National Youth Week in 2013, check out www.youthweek.com (new window).

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