Youth Week showcases region’s future

This year’s Youth Week will help bring the area’s young people together, according to four 16-year-olds who are helping to organise the week’s events.

Youth Committee members Gracia Ngoy, Jessica Harris, Renae Chapman and Nathan Arnold said Wollongong’s Youth Week 2008, which runs from Saturday, April 5 to Saturday, April 13 will help show off the talents of local young people and provide an outlet for fun in a very positive environment.

“It’s a good example for younger kids – and it’s putting (young people’s) talents to good use – it exploits them in a good way,” Ms Harris said at the official launch last week.

This Saturday, April 14 will be a high point of the Youth Week celebrations, as Ground Control, a day of punk music and skateboarding hits Wollongong Youth Centre.

The celebrations will continue throughout April and include a circus, Brazilian martial arts, cheerleading, drumming and flag making workshops.

On April 21 local graffiti artists will be invited to redesign the ‘Youth Week’ wall in the Youth Centre’s forecourt.

Youth Committee Member Nathan Arnold said the week is also a way to familiarise young people with the Youth Centre.

“Youth Week is an opportunity to show these kids what the Youth Centre has to offer,” he said.

This year Youth Week has been organised to co-incide with Seniors Week, to encourage interaction between the two groups.

For Youth Week information visit www.wollongong.nsw.gov.au.