Video Hits Presents: National Youth Week!

Highlights of the National Youth Week launch events will air on Video Hits this Sunday 18 April – make sure you tune in from 8.30am for all the action! If you miss Video Hits, you can also check out videos of both national launch events by visiting YouthWeek Events – there are clips of the fantastic performances, skateboarding, and much more.

The launch events were both held on 10 April, one in Parramatta NSW and the other in Victor Harbor, SA. The launch locations were chosen by the ourspace competition, which asked young people to submit a video, audio or photographic presentation expressing why their home town would be a great place to launch National Youth Week.

A great day was had at both locations, with Parramatta being entertained by Casey Donovan, Chaingang, Snowdroppers and Matt Van Schie, and Victor Harbor enjoying fantastic sets from Finger Cuffs, Busby Marou, My Escapade and The Swiss.

Activities on the day included skate demos, hip hop competitions, art and graffiti workshops, and interactive sponsor zones, with activities and giveaways from our amazing National Youth Week Sponsors.

National Talent Competition – Closing 30 April!

The National Talent Competition (NTC) is a fantastic opportunity for young people to express their creativity and win some fantastic Sony prizes – but hurry, as you only have two weeks left to get your entries in – entries close 5pm Friday 30 April 2010.

If you’re aged 12 to 25 you can RockIT, WriteIT, ShootIT, SnapIT or DesignIT to win some awesome Sony prizes, including Digital SLR Camera’s, VAIO notebook computers, and much more.

Find out all the details on this years themes and how to enter the NTC’s at the comps page. While you’re there, check out the winners from last year for inspiration!

Win Free Stuff

Want a fast and easy way to win cool prizes? Get to the comps page to find out how you can Win Free Stuff by answering questions in 25 words or less! Prizes include Fitness First memberships, Carmex Lip Balm, Girlfriend and TV Hits magazine subscriptions, YHA Memberships and accommodation and AAMI skilled drivers courses.

National Youth Week in your state or territory

Northern Territory

National Youth Week (NYW) has kicked off across the Northern Territory with a tremendous start. The Minister for Young Territorians, Rob Knight MLA launched NYW at the Young Achiever Awards held on Saturday 10 April. The awards recognised many inspiring and remarkable young people making a difference in their communities.

With over 130 registered events occurring across the Territory during the week long celebrations there is something for everybody! There are a range of activities on offer including circus workshops, Opening and Closing celebrations, sporting activities, Awareness raising BBQs, live gigs, competitions galore, leadership camps, FREE movie screenings and much more.

Opening and Closing Celebrations with the support of beyondblue: the national depression initiative feature throughout the week at the following locations: Darwin, Palmerston, Nhulunbuy, Tiwi Islands, Borroloola, Katherine, Tennant Creek and Alice Springs. These large celebrations are set to LIVE IT NOW and draw together young people and youth service providers.

The 2010 NT Young Member, Larnie McClintock, has been flat out promoting NYW through a range of media interviews, encouraging young Territorians to attend events and most importantly have FUN!

Make sure you check out what’s going on in your region on the YouthWeek website. 

Victoria

Victoria’s celebrations for National Youth Week 2010 in kicked off at the official opening event, held on Melbourne’s iconic ACDC lane on 10 April.

The Push Laneway Festival showcased the talents of the headline act Closure in Moscow, an up and coming progressive rock band from Melbourne who has recently gained recognition in the international music industry. Also supporting the festival were Skye Harbour, Secrets in Scale and Girl vs Ghost.

Attended by a full capacity audience and enjoyed by all, the Push Laneway Festival, hosted by The Push and supported by the Victorian Government, also provided the perfect backdrop for the Victorian Government’s Minister for Youth Affairs, James Merlino to announce the Get Equipped music equipment competition.

The Get Equipped music equipment competition provides budding Victorian musicians between the ages of 15 – 21 years with the opportunity to submit live musical performances and win music equipment of their choice from a total prize pool of $25,000.

Following on from The Push Laneway Festival, the Victorian Government and NYW partner beyondblue: the national depression initiative have provided over $162,000 in 76 small grants for local governments, community organisations and young people to deliver celebrations for NYW in their own style.

There is definitely something happening for every taste and talent during NYW and all young Victorians are encouraged to get involved and support and celebrate NYW celebrations in their community.

The official closing event for NYW in Victoria will be the Freestyle Masters of Hip Hop National Final. Hosted by Cultural Infusion and supported by the City of Melbourne and the Victorian Government, the Freestyle Masters of Hip Hop National Final will be held on 18 April at Melbourne’s Docklands.

Promising MCing, DJing, dancing and breaking competitions, young people who want to see some ‘locking and popping’ are encouraged to get down to the Docklands on 18 April 2010 and take their last chance to make Victoria the best state for NYW celebrations and Live it Now!

For more information about National Youth Week events or the Get Equipped competition, go to the Youth Central website.

 
Tasmania

National Youth Week in Tasmania was launched in conjunction with the Streets Alive Youth Arts Festival in Launceston on 9th April 2010 with loads of dancing, music, street art and colour!

The event was headlined by the Indigenous Hip Hop Projects who rocked out the Launceston Mall with more music and dancing than ever before, evidenced by the large crowd that came along to have a dance and enjoy themselves.

An extremely talented group of young members from the NYW Tasmanian Steering Committee, Felicity Anning, Laura Fillisch, Metika Claxton and Cedric Malumba told great stories about their involvement with NYW and the Tasmanian Youth Forum and encouraged all young people to get involved next year. It was certainly a great way to kick off the week in Tasmania.

Over the week there have been lots of different activities running around the state, from expos, pie throwing contests, conferences, dancing, music and lots more. It has well and truly been a wonderful celebration of youth and the contribution young people make to our state.

To the other end of NYW and the three major Tasmanian regional events, The Feelgood Festival (Hobart), Out Of The Blue (Launceston) and the Live It Now Youth Expo (Ulverstone), will all be running on the 16th April. More information on times and locations can be found at the YouthWeek website.

Principle Partner update

Australian Youth Forum

What is the AYF?
The Australian Youth Forum (AYF) is a government initiative that aims to listen to the voice of young people on things that matter! Check out Youth.Gov.Au.

Share Our World @ NYW
National Youth Week is a fantastic week for the Australian Youth Forum (AYF). We got some great feedback from young people at the AYF marquees at the launch events on the theme of ‘Share Our World’.

Design & Win!
This year, we are partnering with NYW and sponsoring ‘DesignIT’ – a graphic design competition with the theme ‘Share Our World’. Check out the NYW website to enter!

Beyondblue

It’s OK to talk about depression and anxiety!

Nothing is more important than the real stories of young people to help spread the message that it’s OK to talk about mental health. Youthbeyondblue has eight new ambassadors, with unique stories of hope and recovery to tell.

This year, beyondblue: the national depression initiative and the National Youth Week event organisers in all Australian states and territories, teamed up to help raise awareness of depression, anxiety and related drug and alcohol problems among young people.

To help get the message out to young people across Australia, beyondblue recruited eight young ambassadors who have experienced depression and anxiety disorders. Aged between 18 and 24, the ambassadors all have inspirational stories about the highs and lows of living with a mental illness. Check out their stories on the Youthbeyondblue website.

Up to one in five young people in Australia experiences depression. Of these, up to 60 per cent don’t get the professional help they need – because they don’t have a regular GP, they’re not likely to talk to adults who aren’t family members – but they are talking to their mates.

During National Youth Week (10 – 18 April), beyondblue encouraged young people to learn more about the signs and symptoms of depression and anxiety disorders and where to get help.

CEO of beyondblue, Leonie Young, says: “We encourage young people to look for the signs of depression and anxiety, listen to what their friends are saying, talk about what’s going on and seek help together if needed. Remember to take care of your mental and physical health and if you’re concerned, don’t put off talking to a friend who may be going through a tough time. Youth Week is a great time to get out there and get active about mental health and young people – but looking after yourself and your mates is something that needs to be remembered all the time.”

To find out more about depression and anxiety go to the Youthbeyondblue website or call the information line on 1300 22 4636 (local call cost from a landline).

Don’t turn a night out into a nightmare at the NYW launch!

National Youth Week officially kicked off with a bang last weekend at launch events in Parramatta and Victor Harbor. Those that made it down to the events were treated to some awesome live music, amazing dance performances, skating demonstrations, giveaways and heaps of other cool stuff.

The Don’t turn a night out into a nightmare water crew were at both events and made sure the crowd was kept hydrated with free water and water bottles. The crowds also snapped up Don’t turn a night out into a nightmare backpacks, lanyards and temporary tattoos.

The MC of the Parramatta event, 2Day FM DJ Ellie Mobbs, was interviewed by Video Hits host Dylan Lewis about the Don’t turn a night out into a nightmare campaign. Ellie highlighted that drinking to get drunk is not cool, and that it can put people in dangerous or embarrassing situations. She also spoke of the potential dangers of binge drinking, indicating that on average one in four hospitalisations of people aged 15 – 25 are due to alcohol.

Pictures of the events will soon be posted on the Don’t turn a night out into a nightmare Facebook page to check it out.

Only two weeks left to RockIt

Entries for the National Talent Competition close on April 30 so there’s only two weeks left to get your entries in to the Don’t turn a night out into a nightmare Rock It comp.

The theme this year is ‘Make your night out one to remember’ so the entries for Rock It should celebrate different ways young people have fun and express themselves without having to get drunk. Here are some thoughts that may help you put together your song:

• A night out wasted is a wasted night out
• The night you don’t remember is the one nobody else forgets
• Dancing the night away is more fun than drinking the night away

Check out last year’s RockIt finalists for some inspiration at the YouthWeek website.

Australian music legend and Idol judge, Marcia Hines, will be selecting the Industry Award winner for the most outstanding entry that best reflects the theme. You’ll also have the chance to choose your favourite entry for the People’s Choice award. There are some great prizes on offer including a Sony hi-fi system, a Playstation 3 Singstar pack and Sony PSPs.

Headspace

Join headspace in celebrating National Compliments Day

headspace has joined together with Girlfriend and SUPRÉ to support National Compliment’s Day on April 16 2009. Created by Girlfriend magazine, National Compliments Day was developed to inspire Australians to show their affection and appreciation or their friends, family and even random strangers by paying them a compliment – to make someone’s day with words.

headspace is joining Girlfriend and SUPRÉ in encouraging Australians to ‘Pay It Forward’ with a compliment this National Compliments Day as a part of the Think.Do.Be.Positive initiative.

“Think.Do.Be.Positive aims to empower young people to take a holistic approach to their mental and physical health, and adopt a positive attitude when it comes to themselves, others and the world,” says Girlfriend Editor, Sarah Cornish.

Support National Compliments Day 2010 by purchasing a limited edition t-shirt sold throughout Australia in selected SUPRÉ stores. Each shirt is $25 and $2 from every NCD shirt purchased will be donated to headspace.

For more information, visit the Headspace website. 

Australian Federal Police – Missing Persons

SnapIt for missing persons
National Youth Week is in full swing and there is an opportunity to SnapIt for missing persons with entries closing on 30 April. The Australian Federal Police’s National Missing Persons Coordination Centre is sponsoring SnapIt with the theme of ‘Misunderstood, Miscommunication, Misadventure, MISSING’.

20,000 of the 35,000 missing person reports to police every year are for people under the age of 18. The reasons a young person goes missing are diverse. The impact on the young person as well as families can be traumatic. SnapIt provides an opportunity to use your creative skills to develop an image which speaks to the issue of young people and missing. For more information on how to enter the SnapIT competiton visit the YouthWeek website. 

Partner update

Scouts

As the largest youth development organisation for Australians aged 6 to 25, Scouts Australia is proud to be an official partner of National Youth Week 2010.

NYW allows young people to ‘Live It Now’ as they share ideas, showcase their talents, celebrate their contribution to the community, attend youth events, and have a great time… and that’s what Scouting is all about too!

The Scouts Australia program encourages young people to grow through adventure, and when we say ‘adventure’, we’re not just talking about the awesome range of outdoor activities that Scouts offers!

In fact, ‘adventure’ can mean any exciting, new and unusual experience, so we provide young people with opportunities to participate in challenging activities that will help them extend themselves in all areas of their lives – developing self-respect, confidence, leadership, teamwork skills, creativity, environmental awareness and a sense of community.

Scouts Australia is a not-for-profit organisation staffed mainly by adult volunteers, who come from all walks of life but who share a love of adventure and a commitment to helping young people be their best.

Want to discover new adventure?

Visit our website:  Scouts Australia
Freecall:  1800 SCOUTS
Find us on Facebook:  www.facebook.com/ScoutsAustralia
Follow us on Twitter:  www.twitter.com/ScoutsAustralia

Carers Australia

Celebrating the achievements of young people who care

National Youth Week is a time to celebrate young people and what they do in their lives each and every day to help others.

There are over 380,000 young people in Australia providing care to a family member or friend with an illness, disability, mental health issue, or alcohol or other drug problem.

Tell us your thoughts and win!

On 16 March 2010, the Government put forward legislation that recognises that young carers in Australia should be supported to reach their full potential.

What does that mean? Carers Australia and Reach Out want to know, so we are asking you:

If you had 5 minutes with a politician, what would you tell them about the needs of young carers?

Carers Australia will present the results to Government, giving young carers the chance to speak up and be heard!

Each idea goes into the draw to win one of 6 $250 JB Hi-Fi vouchers and every entrant receives a Young Carer kit. The competition is open from now until midnight on Sunday, 9 May 2010.

To enter the competition, visit the Reach Out website.

National Youth Week Launch at Victor Harbor – a huge success!

It was the first year that the Alcohol Education & Rehabilitation Foundation (AER) has sponsored National Youth Week (NYW) and we can say, without a doubt, that it has been a huge success.

AER are proud to have been involved in the first ever regional launch of NYW at Victor Harbour.  We worked closely with the Aboriginal Drug and Alcohol Council of SA and the broader South Australian community to bring to the event a strong Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) element.

Hundreds of young people and their families participated in AER’s painting workshops, hip-hop challenges and traditional dance classes, while others simply kicked back and enjoyed the live music and free giveaways!

AER would like to extend a special thank you our talented young facilitators and performers for sharing their energy, knowledge and skills with so many people on the day: Inawantji Scales, Jack Buckskin and the boys from Kuma Karro, Jimblah, Caleb Savage and Kaitlin Stone.

AER will continue to work with young people, community members, not-for-profit organisations, all levels of government, police and researchers to positively shape attitudes towards alcohol and inhalant misuse in Australia.

If you are interested in finding out more about the work we do, you can:

• Visit our website:  www.aerf.com.au
• Send us an email:  aerf@aerf.com.au
• Follow us on Twitter:  www.twitter.com/AERF
• Check out our blog:  www.aerfoundation.blogspot.com.