This album was a special present for those who contributed money to our
highly successful crowdfunding campaign hosted by Chuffed.org. Over the
course of a few months we managed to reach our $6,000 target, with half
our target being met thanks to a very generous dollar-for-dollar matching
scheme courtesy of the Inner North Foundation. We also received generous donations this year from Northcote High School via the Young Changemakers program (another initiative sponsored by the Inner North Foundation). The coming year will see our youth programs further invest in local
musical talent with structured instrument tuition.
We also expanded our youth programming this period, launching a program designed specifically for young women aged between 18 and 25.
The focus has been to teach the art of DJ’ing, a multi-modal practise
offering pathways into the music industry. Led by an excellent teacher
(Maquarie Fletcher), we have had two classes so far, and many of our
new graduates are now doing paid performances in venues all across
Melbourne. This has been an excellent offering, giving young women an
opportunity to explore their talents in, what is normally, a male dominated environment. Participants are particularly appreciative of the
supportive environment and the networks they have been able to create. Further sessions will be planned for the up-coming period.
We look forward to the coming year and expect to see new many programs and continued creative excellence from our young people
The success of our cooking program, promoting an understanding of multicultural food and healthy eating, has been a particular highlight. Clubhouse members have been learning to prepare a range of sweet and
savoury dishes, including Indian curries, vegetable lasagnes, coconut slices,
chicken pies, Greek meatballs and a range of other meals. Due to the success of this program and the enthusiasm given to it by the young people
involved, we are increasing the amount of cooking sessions offered each
week.
Alex Last, Youth Work/Clubhouse Coordinator
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