Page 2483 - Week 06 - Thursday, 24 June 2010
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young folk participate in this work with artists and professional tutors and members of their peer group to create work that is relevant to them.
The program provides support to children at risk, who are often marginalised and are struggling in many ways with emotional stressors and life stressors, by using artistic expression as a building tool for building resilience in young people. A safe, creative and inclusive environment is provided to students so they can explore issues relevant to themselves. I think it is a fantastic program. It is open to all students up to year 10 and it runs creative workshops in Tuggeranong, Civic, Belconnen and Gungahlin.
Just on youth, I had the pleasure this afternoon to be a part of the official opening of the new premises of the Multicultural Youth Services. The youth services have just moved into larger and more flexible rooms across from here in the Theo Notaras Multicultural Centre. Multicultural Youth Services provide wonderful support to young refugees and asylum seekers.
I listened to some of their stories today, which was quite confronting, and I acknowledge that many of the youth who attend at the centre come to Australia either alone or with one parent. We in our society can only imagine what it means to come here as asylum seekers and refugees, alone or with one parent.
A young man who was part of the opening put out a bit of rap beat and a song and, whilst the beat and having him performing it made for quite a joyous occasion, when you got down to the words they were quite heart-rending. So I thank that young gentleman for sharing his story with us through that music. I think today just confirmed for me as minister how proud I am to support services such as the Multicultural Youth Centre, because they do such good work and they afford support services to a very vulnerable and fragile group of our new Canberrans.
The Assembly adjourned at 5.42 pm until Tuesday, 29 June 2010, at 10 am.
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