Youthlinks 002

HAPPY FRIDAY YOUTHLINKS! IN THIS NEWSLETTER YOU WILL A RANGE OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AND WORKERS THAT SUPPORT YOUNG PEOPLE.

Youthlinks has previously been sent as an email to our mailing list. NOW we will be sharing this resource live on our news page / blog!

In this newsletter you will find:

• Youth voice opportunities
• Events and opportunities
• Programs
• Training
• Jobs
• Surveys

Youth voice opportunities

• Brimbank City Council and YLab are seeking young people aged 15-30 to help co-design the next Youth Jobs Strategy 2024-2029 through a series of 2 collaborative workshops. All participants will be reimbursed up to $200 to attend both workshops and receive a council reference letter upon completion of the workshop. The two workshops are held on 17 May (or 19 May if attending online) and on 31 May. Register here.
• YACVic and the Alcohol and Drug Foundation (ADF) are working together on a project that aims to better understand how young people access alcohol and other drug (AOD) information. They are recruiting young people aged 15-18 with lived or living experience of alcohol and/or drug use (including young people with a friend or family member who experiences substance dependence), to participate in an online ‘check in’.  The workshop will be held on 18 May. More information and register here.
• Centre of Multicultural Youth have opened applications to its Seat at the Table program. Young women aged 18-30 from refugee and migrant backgrounds that are looking to gain leadership and governance skills and experience are encouraged to apply. Apply here by 31 May.
• GenZine is doing a call-out for submissions to its 5^th issue, the theme being on Growing Pains. They are encouraging submissions of poetry, drawings, essays, book reviews and more. Submit here by 15 May.
• Victoria University is doing a project called Pathways in Place and are looking for 2 young people (aged 16-25) to work with them to design, plan and run workshops on young people’s issues. Young people will be paid. Flyer
• Helping Hands is providing peer-based support to Muslim youth aged 18-25 where they can speak to one of their trained  Help Givers confidentially. Flyer
• YDAS is running a free online leadership program for young Victorians aged 14-25 who identify as having a disability. Works are delivered based off age cohort. July workshops for 14-19 year olds and September workshops for 20-25 year olds. Details on how to apply here.

Events and opportunities

• Brimbank Youth Services and Maribyrnong Youth Services are hosting a Supporting LGBTQIA+ Identifying Students: Teacher’s Breakfast on 15 June. This breakfast event will allow teachers and school staff to enhance their skills around supporting LGBTQIA+ identifying students within your school, attend presentations around the theme of Mental Health and LGBTQIA+ Safety and learn from and engage with skilled professionals and relevant organisations. Register here and flyer here.
• Wyndham City Council is celebrating Refugee Week by hosting a sports tournament for the community on 26 June. Young people aged 12 to 25 are invited to register a team for casual play by 6 June. Flyer here.
• Brimbank City Council‘s Schools and Community Organisations Exchange is inviting school representatives, organisations assisting young people and early years practitioners to attend a session on building safe and supportive networks around autistic and neurodivergent learners. The session will be presented by the I CAN Network. The session will be held on Thursday 1 June, RSVP here. Flyer here.
• Western Bulldogs Foundation is launching a Sunshine Sports Community After School Program for young people aged 13 to 16 at the VU Sunshine Trade Campus Basketball Courts. Held every Thursday (2 Feb onwards) at 3:30PM-5:30PM.  No need to register, just come on down. Flyer here.

Programs

• YSAS West provide a number of programs across Western Region to young people 10-25yo and their families. One includes the Youth Empowerment Project (YEP) is a specialized long-standing initiative aimed at engaging and supporting young people and families from diverse communities experiencing challenges associated to drug and alcohol use. Here’s a flyer of their programs.
• Raising Expectations has launched its Game Changers Peer Mentoring Program and is recruiting TAFE and university students who have experience as a carer to be matched with student mentors for social, academic and career support. Flyer
• Helping Hand Project is a mentoring program for young people of refugee background, they match volunteer mentors to support refugee youth aged 14-25 to help with settlement support, homework, education and career pathways, English, connections to social and recreational networks. They are open to referrals. Flyer
• CMY is delivering Employment Empowers, a one-on-one mentoring for newly-arrived young people seeking employment. Apply now. Flyer
• STREAT now have a hot desk options in their Youth Space on Langridge street. Flyer

Training

• Centre of Multicultural Youth have two upcoming sessions for educators and youth workers to attend:
  • Culturally Responsive Practice Training that explores the essential skills and knowledge required for effective work with young people from migrant and refugee backgrounds. Delivered across two online session on 16 and 23 May. Register here.
  • Schools Standing Up to Racism Info Session introduces the online resource that was designed to support schools in addressing racism and discrimination in the school environment. This session will guide educators through key features of the Schools Standing up to Racism resource and provide ideas for implementation in their school community. Session will be held online on 31 May, register here.

Jobs

• Wyndham City Council is looking for a First Nations Youth Engagement Worker. Apply here by 14 May 2023.
• Headspace National is looking to hire young people aged 16-25 with lived experience accessing a mental health support service. It is a casual employment opportunity of an 18 month term. Applications close 14 May 2023.

Survey

• Orygen is developing policy advice for government on social media and mental health, and are keen to understand more about how young people use social media to support their mental health and wellbeing. They are asking young people aged 12-25 to complete a 5-minute survey to contribute to this important topic. Complete survey here by 21 May. Flyer here.
• Vic Police is conducting its annual community sentiment survey. Flyer
• VicHealth are conducting a survey to find out what support services are available to South Sudanese young people and families and in which locations. The results of this survey will form the basis for a series of conversation/roundtables to begin conversations to find community led solutions. Complete here.

For more information about the above opportunities, please get in touch with us at bys@brimbank.vic.gov.au