Youth

Youth Development Team

Ph 5434 6000
Email youth@bendigo.vic.gov.au

Our Youth Development Team participates in the development of community responses to local youth needs through public forums and community projects.

The City of Greater Bendigo has produced a Youth Development Strategy and Review.

YO Bendigo website

In 2008 the Youth Development Team commenced planning and consultation on a variety of youth focused areas with young people between 12 - 25 years and workers from the region's youth sector.

YO Bendigo, Youth Online Bendigo was a key recommendation to come out of consultations held during the development of the City of Greater Bendigo's Youth Development Strategy.

A focus of the consultations was Media and Communication with Young People.

The sector and young people reported that there was typically a negative portrayal across both areas and that a positive media campaign in addition to provision of a current, factual, non-biased and varied information outlet would be instrumental in combating this.

A key outcome was acknowledgement of the need for a current means of communication to capture the interest and needs for young people as well as providing resources and support for sector workers.

The internet, and in particular a youth website, was decided as the most appropriate means to for this to occur.

Youth Portal provides information on all of the services, programs, activities, events and opportunities available for young people living within the municipality.

It includes City of Greater Bendigo, local community and State and Federal Government run activities and events.

The City of Greater Bendigo has endeavoured to provide though the establishment of YO Bendigo, every opportunity for young people to access accurate information to enable them to actively participate.

It provides a range of choices, helps young people celebrate their achievements, resource themselves and connect to all that is available in our community.

We would like to especially acknowledge all of the young people who have contributed so much to the development of YO Bendigo.

Your flair, passion and ideas have been so valuable in making this site a valuable tool for young people across our community.

YO Media Team

The Yo Team writes articles, interviews and reviews and submits photographs, movies and artwork for the Yo Bendigo website.

This includes everything from CD and movie reviews, through to interviews and articles on what is happening for central Victorian young people and personal creative works.

The Yo Team are:

• Highly creative and innovative
•  Varied in their passions for multi media
•  Aware of what young people are interested in
•  Confident to give Yo a Go!
• Aged between 12 and 25 years and live, work or study in the City of Greater Bendigo.

B - Central Youth Resource Centre

B-Central was a project that represented the culmination of an extraordinary community effort to develop an integrated youth information and resource facility.

The B-Central facility was officially opened on 16 November 2005 and was built for the purpose of providing a one-stop information and resource centre for young people in the CBD.

It incorporates the co-location of agency services, meeting and program space, youth café, recreational facility and youth employment together with training enterprise opportunities.

B-Central is currently undergoing a review.

Better Youth Services Pilot

The Bendigo Better Youth Services Pilot Stage 2 is now complete.

There are two final documents a Research Report and the Final Report containing recommendations.

Youth Arts Network

The Bendigo Youth Arts Network was established in 2001 to provide a platform for a coordinated approach to the development and delivery of arts projects for young people.

The network is committed to the creative engagement of young people, fostering social connectedness, integrating arts and health promotion into youth service delivery and strengthening capacity of organisations and community to engage in the arts.

Youth Arts Network Best Practice Guide
Youth Arts Network Evaluation July 2009

RAW arts awards

These awards provide an opportunity for young people to profile their work, receive public and financial recognition and support further studies in their chosen arts field. Applications are open to Greater Bendigo residents aged 25 years (on 30 May, 2013) and under who show talent and a desire to continue in their chosen art field.

The Awards offer prizes in four categories:

• Visual Arts Acquisitive Award $1000 and $250 highly commended (judged exhibition)
• Digital Media Scholarship $1000 and $250 highly commended (judged exhibition)
• Literary Scholarship $1000 and $250 highly commended (judged on application)
• Performing Arts Scholarship $1000 and $250 highly commended (assessed on application)

Applications for the 2013 Awards close Monday 20 May.

Winners will be announced by the Mayor at the RAW Arts Exhibition opening at Dudley House, Thursday 30 May.

An online entry form is available at yobendigo.com.au or download the2013 Information, guidelines and Application Form here (PDF 174 KB).

For information contact the Arts Officer, 5434 6000, or email raw@bendigo.vic.gov.au