Young people from Surf Coast Shire will be celebrated and recognised during the inaugural Victorian Youth Week, which will run from 13 to 22 April.
The Surf Coast Shire has received an Andrews Labor Government grant to run the Surf Coast Youth Awards for local young people during the 2018 Victorian Youth Week.
The Surf Coast Youth Awards recognise the contributions and talents of young people in areas such as leadership, music, sport, community and art.
This will be the first Victorian Youth Week, with more than 100 youth focussed activities – filling the gap after the Turnbull Government scrapped funding for National Youth Week, forcing states and territories to go it alone.
The successful Victorian Youth Week recipients will organise activities that engage young people and provide them with opportunities to express their ideas and be heard in their community, such as art exhibitions, musical performances, cultural celebrations and forums.
The Andrews Labor Government is providing more than $200,000 to local community organisations, schools and councils, to run activities for young people in metropolitan and regional areas during Victorian Youth Week 2018.
It includes nearly 60 grants in regional Victoria.
Activities are aimed at those aged 12 to 25 and will be held in safe environments that are alcohol, drug and smoke free.
The Labor Government’s Youth Policy: Building Stronger Youth Engagement in Victoria sets out a plan to increase engagement with young people and embeds the voice of young people in building an even better Victoria.
For more information about 2018 Victorian Youth Week, visit youthcentral.vic.gov.au/vyw.
Quotes attributable to Gayle Tierney, the Member for Western Victoria
“Young Victorians are overwhelmingly doing great and contributing positively to our society – we are celebrating and supporting them.”
“Victorian Youth Week is for all young people across the state, and Surf Coast Shire is proud to be involved in this inaugural event.”
“I encourage young people in our community to mark Victorian Youth Week in your calendars, and see how you can get involved.”
“Our community is proud of local young people, and I am sure the Surf Coast Youth Awards will recognise some outstanding citizens.”