40 Melville Street, Hobart TAS 7000 GPO Box 211, Hobart TAS 7001
ABN 50 169 561 394
MEDIA RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Projects assist young
people to build pride in
Brighton community
An enterprising group of young people will this week celebrate their achievements
after volunteering their time and talents to an innovative series of projects aimed
at building a stronger local community.
Young People in Action (YPiA) is a new mentoring and engagement project based in the Brighton municipality. The project brings together young
people in partnership with Red Cross and the Jordan River Learning Federation.
YPiA supports young people to build connections and pride in their community while working on a variety of projects.
The successful projects include:
Cleaning up the Jordan River
Developing an activity pack to encourage students who are disengaging from education to maintain contact with their school
Facilitating soccer clinics
Developing interactive play areas for primary schools in the district
Music and jamming sessions
With the help of adult mentors during the year, 24 young people from YPiA undertook a two-day mentors’ course, learning how to problem-solve
and how to work as part of a team.
The group was divided into three teams to implement the projects. All the local primary schools, as well as the PCYC, Gunn Street Childcare Centre
and Bill and Friends drop-in cafe
signed up to take part.
The project teams spent about five months working with more than 140 children and connecting with a variety of adults in the Brighton
municipality.
“One of the frequent comments made by the young mentors was about making the community a safe place to live so that children living there
would have an easier time than they did,” said Red Cross Manager, Community Services, Russell Penman.
“They were also keen to prove that given the right chance and opportunities in life, young people living in Brighton can achieve amazing things.”
40 Melville Street, Hobart TAS 7000 GPO Box 211, Hobart TAS 7001
ABN 50 169 561 394
The responses to the young mentors from primary school students was really good to see, said Jenni, one of the adult mentors involved in the
project.
“For example, when the young mentors asked the children what they would like to see more of in their community, they said things like: ‘We want
more smiles’ and ‘My friends are the best things about where I live’,” she said.
The children’s art activity with YPiA resulted in strong messages about young people’s aspirations for their community. All the artwork will be
proudly displayed at the Brighton Civic Centre.
Participants are keenly looking forward to building on the successes of 2010 and further developing YPiA projects in 2011.
When: Wednesday, 20th October, 2010
Time:
12.30pm
Where: Brighton Civic Centre
Bridgewater
People available on the day:
Group Manager, Community Services, Red Cross: Russell Penman
Principal Bridgewater High School: Rosanne McDade
Young People in Action (YPiA) Mentors.
For more information, please contact Kate Marshall, Red Cross media adviser on 0448 326 335
NEWS 
