Wyoming Community Garden Project
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Value My Culture, Value Me
To celebrate National Aboriginal and Islander Children's Day (NAICD) Koori Connect invited youth and local families to enjoy performances by NAISDA Dance College and bush tucker foods, including Kangaroo and Crocodile. This year's theme was 'Value my Culture, Value Me' and advocates meeting our Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander children's needs to ensure improvements in their long term well being and educational achievements. |
Honesty the key to good politics
When The Express Advocate asked YC Media Video Editor Duncan McFarlane and YC Media Volunteer Joan Victory to list three things they want in a Prime Minister, honesty was at the top of both their lists.
"Just tell us what you are going to do, not what the opposition isn't doing," said McFarlane, who would be voting for the first time in the upcoming Federal election.
A savvy-voter at 74 years of age, Victory says she still finds the process of voting confusing.
"The ballot papers are enormous, it's far too much paper," she said.
"You also have to run the gauntlet now when you arrive to vote, people weren't always so aggressive."
Despite the difference in years between them, both McFarlane and Victory agreed politics needs to be introduced more thoroughly in schools.
"Young people finish school and are enrolled to vote but have little or no political education as a foundation," said Victory.
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YC Radio Awarded for Excellence
How do you solve the problem of hundreds of Central Coast VET Entertainment students needing to complete 35 hours of related industry workplacement with local media organisations only willing to take a handful of students? Easy. You build a youth-run radio station, oversee it with industry professionals and offer it to all VET Entertainment students on the Central Coast.
Recognised this month for its true ingenuity, YC Radio and partnering schools Aspect Central Coast School and St Peter's Catholic College were awarded the VET in Schools Excellence Award at the 2010 NSW Training Awards.
Half-way through it's second year, YC Radio continues to stake out new ground and has recently merged into YC Media, a dedicated team of young media graduates and a trainee, specialising in the areas of graphic design, communications and video editing.
Congratulations also goes to our own Claire Balken, who was awarded Business Administration Trainee of the year. We weren't surprised!
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Ready, set vote!
Just because voting is compulsory in Australia isn't the only reason to do it. Would you like more sporting and entertainment venues on the Central Coast? A better transport system?
Voting is your chance to have a say about things you think are important. Enrol now to vote in the upcoming Federal Election 2010. Be a part of it.
Click here for helpful information on how to enrol, enrolling deadlines and answers to questions such as 'Am I eligible to enrol?' and 'What if I'm going overseas?' |
Tomorrow's Unsung Heroes
Celebrating the educational achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander students, the annual Central Coast Aboriginal Education Pathways Awards has hosted its seventh year with a crowd of over 400 people at Gosford Racecourse.
Local 'Unsung Heroes' were also recognised during the ceremony, paying tribute and due respect to those who have made a significate contribution to their communities in the areas of education, health, social and community welfare and improving services offered to all Indigenous peoples within Darkinjung country.
Event MC and the evening's keynote speaker, high school student Sharni Wellington inspired the crowd with her educational journey as an Aboriginal student. Awarded dux if the year, Ms Wellington shared that success what not necessarily measured by your achievements but the ability to "not let the criticisms of others determine your pathway." |
The Big Noise
“In my view the root cause of all our social problems is exclusion. We must fight to ensure that a large number of people, everyone if that’s possible – have access to this wonderful world. The world of music…”
Dr Jose Antonio Abreu, founder of El Sistema, youth and children’s orchestras of Venezuela
Starting out with no or minimal musical training, The Big Noise Orchestra, comprising of five youth, braved the stage with their instruments last Friday for an inaugural performance.
Beginning in March this year, The Big Noise Orchestra is a collaborative project between The Central Coast Conservatorium, not-for-profit organisation youthconnections.com.au and Wyong Shire Council. It offers early school leavers free music lessons on an instrument of their choice and tuition in basic composition and performance.
Congratulations also goes to all Connectors students who officially graduated on Friday with either a Certificate I or II in General Adult Education.
The ceremony concluded with a final performance from The Big Noise Orchestra, an original composition entitled ‘Our Song’ accompanied by Central Coast Conservatorium Director Chris Bearman on violin and tutors David Kimpton on flute and Kim Cannon on guitar.
A special thanks goes to Novaskill and their team for providing beautiful coffee at another youthconnections.com.au event.
Look out for future performances by The Big Noise Youth Orchestra.
Photos taken by St Edwards College Entertainment student Corey Van Hese
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Can Do Day - A hands-on experience
Piping chocolate mousse, patting animals and potting plants, yesterday over 50 Central Coast students with learning support needs got to try out a trade at Can Do Day.
Held in our training shed at Tuggerah, students explored TVET Access Courses available for study during year 11 and 12 that will contribute toward their HSC. Industry areas offered on the day included Hospitality, Hair and Beauty, Animal Care, Retail, Automotive and Horticulture.
youthconnections.com.au Pathway Advocate and Can Do Day Coordinator, Ashley McGeorge said it was a day to encourage students with learning support needs.
"We want to give these students confidence and get them involved in a TVET Access Course to further their employment options," he said.
TAFE Learning Teacher, Carmel Brown and DET Transition Support Teacher for the Central Coast, Cherie Risti have been in partnership with Central Coast schools for the past 10 years to ensure the success of TVET and TVET Access.
"TVET Access courses are the same as mainstream but are smaller classes and designed specifically for students with learning support needs," said Ms Brown.
Ms Risti said TVET aims to match the vocational needs of our young people and provide additional life skills.
"Students pick up other skills like travel training and socialisation with other kids that aren't from their school," she said.
A Volvo Prime Mover was a major highlight of the day, Automotive Technician and Employee of Volvo Newcastle, Paul Carey gave students an insight into diagnosing mechanical problems with the use of a laptop synchronised with the trucks internal computer.
A special thanks to all TAFE Trainers for their support and assistance on the day, Daniel Leighman in Hospitality, Dianne Greenstreet and Kelly Shorrock in Animal Care, Leigh Coleman in Horticulture and Sonia Jones and Anita Mcmenamin in Hair and Beauty. Special thanks also to Paul Carey, Warren Brain and Phil Sweeney of Volvo Newcastle and to Christiana Mergan of Novaskill for presenting Retail and Meagan Martin and Hospitality students for beautiful coffees and service throughout the event.
Photos taken by Terrigal High Entertainment student Matilda King
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Reconciliation today and tomorrow
Reconciliation is about forming mutual relationships. It’s about working together and accepting everyone for who they are. These were the words of staff member and Djabungandji and Western Kuku Yalanji Man Joey Grauner at a morning tea last week to recognise National Sorry Day.
We gathered to create a greater awareness about the injustices shown to Aboriginal Australians and how together, we can achieve change among all Australians, today and tomorrow.
“You can’t change everybody; you have to start with yourself,” said staff member and Wiradjuri Woman Kylie Cassidy.
youthconnections.com.au would like to acknowledge the members of the Stolen Generations; their families and communities who still live with brokenness and for what you have lost that can not be replaced. We are truly sorry.
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Start building graduation
START Building graduates with Chairman of youthconnections.com.au, David Abrahams, CEO of youthconnections.com.au, Maggie MacFie and Member for Wyong, David Harris.
Congratulations to our recent START Building Graduates of 2010: Jason Edwards, Aaron Hayward, Brandon Toomey, Daniel McGlynn, Charlie Hodgkinson, Christopher McClymont, Shannon Frawley, Daniel Smith, Scott Corbett and James Smith.
These boys completed the project-based course over 5-weeks and will obtain a statement of attainment in basic bricklaying techniques.
Special mention to Brandon Toomey who received the Trainers Choice Award, Shannon Fawley who was awarded Best Attendance Award and Scott Corbett who received YC Industry Link's Best Performer Award.
Watch out for details about the next START Building Course and how you can boost your career opportunities.
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Youth Week Spokeswoman - Nareeda Tinnock
Congratulations to our own Nareeda Tinnock who has been announced spokeswoman for YouthWeek 2010. Nareeda was nominated for her overall commitment to youth employment on the Central Coast. She has been strongly involved in school events such as School Based Apprenticeship promotion, employability skills, mock interviews and career expos.
In 2009 Nareeda was nominated by her TAFE teacher as trainee/student of the year in the NSW Training Awards. She has also completed a Certificate III in Business and a traineeship in Human Resources, Certificate IV. Keen to have a say on youth related issues, Nareeda also flew down to Canberra early this year to participate in the round table discussion with Youth Minister Kate Ellis. |
Aboriginal youth exhibit artworks
As a part of youthconnections.com.au’s Koori Connect programme, ten local Aboriginal youth will experience life as professional artists with their work to be exhibited at The Bouddi Art Gallery in Killcare these school holidays.
The two large murals featuring Angophoras were produced during a six-week combined community art-making project, Mundoe Gudjagang: Footprints of Youth and was funded by Australia Post.
Central Coast Community College, Gibalee of the Wollotuka Institute, youthconnections.com.au and PCYC partnered with Aboriginal elder and artist Kevin ‘Gavi’ Duncan who put forward the dreamtime story of the Angophora tree as the subject matter for the artworks and to target young Aboriginal men.
The Darkinjung story is about the birth of the Angophora, it tells of a group of young Aboriginal warriors who took the law into their own hands and were lured into a village by Biami, the great creator, and speared as punishment. Then Biami dislocated their bodies and planted them into the ground. From these bones grew the bent and crooked Angophora tree, forever encasing the limbs and faces of the warriors.
Duncan said he chose this story because of its relevance to the group of young Aboriginal boys involved.
“It’s a reminder to all young men not to ignore the law and to learn how to treat one another well.”
Whilst exploring Aboriginal culture and how we relate to our environment were key outcomes of the project, Central Coast Community College employee and project initiator Bronwyn Hall said exposing the boys to other education options was also of major importance.
“We wanted to give them a taste of what life on campus might be like,” she said.
So far two of the boys involved have jobs, two more are enrolled in alternative education to attain their year nine equivalent and three have improved their school performance levels dramatically.
After being exhibited at Killcare the artworks will be permanently hung in the foyer at Central Coast Community College.
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Gosford Housewarming
youthconnections.com.au staff at Albany St North housewarming
"It's more like a home than a sterile
office environment", said Skool's Out Coordinator, Sue Groves when asked about
221 Albany St North, Gosford.
It's been almost four months since
youthconnections.com.au's Transitions programmes packed their bags and moved there - a light-filled, brick house that nestles into the neck of Rumbalara Reserve.
However settling in doesn't sound like it's
been a problem, with TTW and Skools Out whipping up plenty of blueberry pancakes
on the new stove, STEPs handcrafting beautiful wooden games and T-Team getting
comfortable in the huge lounge room. It's beginning to look like a home away from home.
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After Skool care takes an excursion!
During Term 1, 2010 Skool's Out students will be involved in a number of activities - visiting CARES Bike safety at Ourimbah, bowling, going to local parks to play a variety of games, cooking and craft activities.
Over the Christmas holidays, Skool's Out and T-Team students had a great time on a number of excursions.
On Tuesday January 12th, 27 students and 9 staff set off for an overnight stay at Jamberoo Action Park. The weather was hot so all the activities involving water were a great relief. Taking these kids away overnight gave both students and staff a great opportunity to get to know each other. Everyone enjoyed themselves thoroughly and were exhausted on the trip home. The following week, we had two day excursions.
On Tuesday January 19th, we went on a cruise around Brisbane Water. On this trip we took 22 students and 6 staff. The weather was perfect as we left Gosford and cruised passed Woy Woy out to Lobster beach and back. On board the crew made us a delicious lunch of fish and chips. Luckily no one was sea sick!
Finally on Tuesday January 21st, we went to Luna Park with 29 students and 6 staff. This was a great day with everyone enjoying the rides and in particular, Cooney Island. The feedback from both parents and students has been great.
Sue Groves - Skool’s Out Coordinator
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Smoking Ceremony: an intimate event
Kevin 'Gavi' Duncan begins the ceremony with a traditional song.
Ceremony participants are cleansed by the smoke.
Belinda Neal with Green Central Apprentices and Trainees
Aboriginal Elders, Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Lands Council, Belinda Neal, youthconnections.com.au staff and board and members of the wider community gathered in a circle at 'Green Central' Mt Penang last Friday for an Aboriginal Smoking Ceremony that acknowledged Darkinjung people as the traditional land owners.
Local Aboriginal elder of the Gumilaroi tribe with ancestry to Darkinjung people, Kevin ʻGaviʼ Duncan held the ceremony.
“Immersing or walking through the smoke is to cleanse not only our own spirit but to cleanse the space around and make it spiritually safe,” he said.
“When someone enters a mosque and takes off their shoes it [smoking ceremony] has virtually the same strong meaning as those types of protocols.”
Awarded Federal Government funding in September 2009, youthconnections.com.au will support 61 apprenticeships and traineeships throughout the development of Green Central.
Clearing of the site has begun and already 18 indigenous and non-indigenous young people are employed as full time, part time or school based trainees or
apprentices in a variety of traditional trades.
Member of the Yein people and youthconnections.com.au board, Dave Ella said a smoking ceremony is an important first step in redevelopment of the site at Mt Penang.
“Weʼre paying respect to the community and the communityʼs protocols as well,” he said.
“Itʼs a good way for non-Aboriginal people to see how we can have this connection with the land and I think everyone left with a happy feeling, which is what you want.”
Click  to watch NBN news coverage of the ceremony
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New programmes at YC
We're getting close to the end of January, which means our new limbs, Partnership Brokers and Youth Connections (not to be confused with our organisation) have been part of the Youthconnections.com.au body for a whole month! For those of you who aren't sure how they work, here's a 'look in'...
Partnership Brokers will work within their region to build strategic and sustainable partnerships between education and training providers, parents and families, community groups and business and industry, rather than short-term, one-off associations. Partnerships should deliver mutual benefits that make the relationship viable in the long term and support young people to reach their potential and make a successful transition through school to further education or training and work. Partnership Brokers are not expected to work directly with young people, but to build relationships between these key stakeholders that enable them to identify the needs of young people, make classroom learning more meaningful. For more details please contact Marcus Watson via email: marcus@youthconnections.com.au
The Youth Connections Programme will provide a flexible, individualised and responsive service to assist young people who are most at risk of disengaging from education or training and therefore not attaining Year 12 or equivalent and not making a successful transition to further study, training or work. For referals please contact Lyn Cooper via email: lyn@youthconnections.com.au
These programmes are integral parts, functioning together to sustain the whole...
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YC Industry Link kick starts the tradies of the future
Federal Member for Dobell Craig Thomson, Construction Apprentice Chris Dorn with Parlimentary Secretary for Employment Jason Clare in Youthconnection.com.au's pre-vocational training shed. (Left to right)
Jason Clare, Craig Thomson, Chris Dorn and CEO of Youthconnections.com.au Maggie MacFie supporting Kickstart on the Central Coast.
Year 11 student of Tuggerah Lakes Secondary College at the Entrance, Chris Dorn is one of many young people on the Central Coast to be given an apprenticeship under the new Kickstart government benefit.
Completing a school based apprenticeship in construction Dorn said he is looking forward to this opportunity.
“I’ve wanted to be a construction worker all my life,” he said.
Apprentice Kickstart is a part of the Keep Australia Working initiative and boosts the bonus employers are paid in the first year from $1500 to $4850.
Youthconnections.com.au are hoping to get apprenticeships for 40 young people on the Central Coast under this program.
Parliamentary Secretary for Employment Jason Clare and Federal Member for Dobell Craig Thomson visited youthconnections.com.au to support this endeavour.
“This is a great result and I encourage other local businesses to take advantage of the bonus and make sure the Central Coast gets its fair share,” Mr Clare said.
Apprentice kickstart will be available to employers who take on a traditional trades apprentice aged between 15 to 19 from 1st December 2009 until 28th February 2010 or until 21,000 bonus payments have occurred over this period.
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igreen
Youthconnections.com.au has started igreen, the first Home Sustainability Assessment Course for young people on the Central Coast! St Peters Catholic College VET coordinator, Pauline Dibb, and Youthconnections.com.au igreen project coordinator, Mal Smith, launched the inaugural group which trains construction students in methods of assessing and advising on home energy efficiency and sustainability techniques. Mal Smith said that "igreen would be the first of many Home Sustainability Assessment Courses on the Central Coast."
St Peters Catholic College igreen Students with Jem Rowe inspecting a solar unit
Alex Orr checking storage capacity of residential water tank at Woy Woy
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Blake Gwyn START Building Graduate
Blake Gwyn was awarded 100% attendance and Trainer's Award, along with Timothy O'Leary who received YC Industry Link best performer award at the 'START Building' graduation ceremony last Monday night.
Graduating from 5-week access course 'START Building' along with Mark Albani, Dale Clouton, Joel Duniam, Jake Maher, Mitchell Hamilton, Jake Magnifico, Ryan Miller, Luke Murphy, Ricky North, Peter Smith, Phillip Treglown, James Pickles and Steve Moore, students learnt basic bricklaying techniques.
Students also completed two off-site projects, including paving a 50 square metre driveway and filling in doorframes and window sills with bricks at a residential property in Matcham.
Bricklayer and local business owner Mick Freeburn attended the evening and has taken on a student for work experience.
The next START Building course will begin Monday 16th November 2009.
Please contact Ron Bell for further details ph: (02) 4350 2600.
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Woman in business winner
Youthconnections.com.au CEO Maggie MacFie was awarded Women in Community winner 2009 for the Central Coast Women in Business awards.
Managing Youthconnections.com.au for the past 10 years Ms MacFie's vision for this dynamic community youth organisation is continually growing.
"We don't ever do anything at Youth Connections just for us. We do it because it's the right thing to do at the time and there's an opportunity there,"ť Ms MacFie said.
Business Women Connect coordinated the event and said it was the first time the awards had covered all of the Central Coast.
There were 16 categories including Employee Disability Award, Indigenous Business Award and Lifetime Achievement Award for women who have owned a business for over 20 years.
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