Art unites Wentworth youth
Participants were tasked with choosing one of six options that were on offer for the day, which included Wushu (Chinese Kungfu) and crocheting.
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YOUTH month was wrapped up with a bang, literally, in celebration of the youth through artistic expression at the Blue Roof Life Space (BRLS) in Wentworth. To celebrate the talents of young people, the youth of 1976 was commemorated at the event which saw youngsters taking to the stage to showcase their music, dance, story-telling, and poetry skills, in addition to sports and career guidance.
“The BRLS Youth Celebration was aimed at creating a safe space for young people to get together to celebrate and promote arts, the culture of Blue Roof, and unity among the young people in Wentworth. The event was also aimed at sharing the services we offer with the community and remind young people about the sacrifices that were made for us in 1976,” said organiser, Taylene Safedien.
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Participants were tasked with choosing one of six options that were on offer for the day, which were career guidance assessments, Wushu (Chinese Kungfu), hockey, art, dance and crocheting, a fraction of the activities offered at Blue Roof. “It was very challenging choosing who would get to perform on the day because there were many young people who wanted to. This told us that we need to provide more showcases that offer young people a place for their voices and presence to be heard and felt,” she explained.
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“The celebration went better than we could have ever imagined. It took hard work from the BRLS team and volunteers to pull this off. We are glad we did though because nothing beats the feeling of doing something empowering to create a positive step towards bringing change and light into our community and the spaces around us,” said Taylene.
She said the event was also a chance to bond with existing BRLS participants and their families, as well as roping in new recruits, who all enjoyed the showcase, lunch and had loads of fun.
“Being an NGO, it is always difficult to get funding for events. A huge thanks goes to all the people who provided their services for free or at a discounted rate. Also a special thanks to our performers who came through for free on the day, and the community for the support,” she added.
Blue Roof Life Space is an innovative youth space, offering friendship, development, and support. Young people are able to heal through holistic and emotional support, dream by exploring new possibilities through career guidance, arts, and sport and create in a space where they are supported to bring their dreams to life in tangible ways.
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