Future shots, sustainability film challenge for young Victorians

Future Shots is a short film challenge to all young people living in Victoria.

Tackling one of the most important issues affecting the world today: SUSTAINABLITY

The challenge is to make a film of three minutes or less, of any type or genre that addresses the key question:

Sustainability: What’s it all about?

Future Shots is looking for creativity, inspiration, discussions and solutions.

You are encouraged to explore, interpret, and then commit to film your personal ideas about sustainability, what it means to you and your community and how you think it can be achieved.

Films entered into Future Shots by the 21 September, 2009 will be placed in the draw to win either a Sony HandyCam or an Ipod Touch.

If you have already completed a short film under three minutes on sustainability don’t miss this opportunity to be in the draw for another great prize.

Read the Future Shots guidelines to make sure your film meets the requirements, and enter.

More info at Future Shots. And yeah you should be under 21 years of age…;)

Mercy Corps: Healthy Food Carts For Kids

“Food carts seem to line nearly every street in Jakarta. Indonesia’s capital is home to 13 million people, many of whom rely on these ready-to-eat foods sold in neighborhood streets and alleys. The low cost and convenience make them an attractive option for families who are often too busy to prepare food or lack facilities, fuel or transportation to purchase and prepare raw foods…many [children] get a food allowance from their parents, which they usually spend on the vending carts lining the school property, hoping to get a cut.

The options are pretty unhealthy….

…Mercy Corps is working with five entrepreneurs to build food carts that serve nutritious snacks using recipes designed by our health team. The carts are being designed…according to criteria that should make them attractive to small children. For instance, the carts will be colorful, clean and showcase their offerings at a child’s eye level.”

Mercy Corps exists to alleviate suffering, poverty and oppression by helping people build secure, productive and just communities.

Livewire Launches Siblings Community To Support Brothers & Sisters

Livewire Siblings, a new online community, where young people aged over 10 and under 21, who have a brother or sister living with a serious illness, chronic health condition or disability can support and connect with one another.

Livewire Siblings (http://siblings.livewire.org.au) is a free, safe and supportive community where young people can meet and chat online with other siblings who understand what they are going through. The site allows them to share experiences as well as gain skills and knowledge to help them feel more in control of their situation.

Currently, there are approximately 585,000 siblings, aged over 10 and under 21,  of people living with a serious illness, chronic health condition or disability in Australia. These young people often face unique teenage challenges, and suffer a heavy emotional burden – experiencing feelings of isolation from the rest of their family and their peers; as well as guilt, confusion, anger, jealousy.

Many siblings are as emotionally vulnerable as their brother or sister as they deal with feelings of loss, anger and sadness, and come to terms with the consequences of their family’s situation. What’s more, they often receive less parental attention than their ill siblings and take on increased household responsibilities as they help their parents cope with looking after their sick brother or sister.

Prominent child and adolescent psychologist, Dr Michael Carr-Gregg, says “The sibling relationship is the single most important relationship that a chronically ill young person will have – in terms of its duration and intensity – and the psychological impact on the sibling can be as significant, if not more, than the psychological impact on the patient.

“Up until very recently, siblings needs have been overlooked and ignored, and I commend Livewire for recognising the importance of this formerly invisible group,” he concluded.

As part of Livewire Siblings, young people can chat online with other siblings, create blogs, read content and information created just for them, check out the latest music and games, post in forums and have their say!

About Livewire.org.au

Livewire.org.au is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Starlight Children’s Foundation and is supported by funding from the Australian Government under the Clever Networks Program, Starlight Children’s Foundation and in-kind support from Livewire’s launch partners.

2009 Class Clowns National Grand Final

The 2009 National Class Clowns Final will be held on September 15 at the Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne. Featuring Triple J’s Dave Callan as emcee and special feature act Celia Pacquola (2009 Comedy Festival Age Critics Award). Judges include Colin Lane (formerly of Lano and Woodley), Councillor Cathy Oke (City of Melbourne), Wes Snelling and Gideon James (Melbourne Comedy Festival producer).

Since March this year the Melbourne International Comedy Festival has been hunting down the funniest teenagers across our wide brown land for its annual Class Clowns Competition. We’ve been tracking a rare breed of teen – witty, smart, in Years 9 to 12, willing to perform five minutes of original comic material in front of a crowd and most importantly, they had to exhibit freakish levels of hilariousness!

Taken under the wing of some of the Festival’s finest comedians at group workshops, scores of Class Clownists were given the chance to polish up their stand-up routines, sketches, musical acts and other shenanigans prior to performing in heats around the country. After a series of heats, finals, semi finals and state finals, the cream of the teenage crop has been selected – and are ready to be unleashed – at the Class Clowns National Grand Final.

Twelve of the nation’s sharpest school-aged comic acts will battle it out for their chance to not only be crowned the most hilarious teen act in Australia, but to also pocket $1000 in cash plus and another $1000 for their school.

www.classclowns.com.au

Date: Tuesday 15 September
Time: 1:30pm
Venue: Beckett Theatre, Malthouse Theatre – 113 Sturt Street, Southbank, Melbourne, Australia
Tickets: Full $18, Concession and Groups $12
Bookings: (03) 9685 5111 or www.malthousetheatre.com.au
For group bookings email info@comedyfestival.com.au

MySchoolAct is an Australian first for online high school music competitions

A school assignment like never before!

Do you want to be the next world famous music star, but just don’t know where to begin?  Now launched MySchoolAct – is Australia’s first ever online high school music and creative talent competition…and they are calling for YOUR submissions!

Hosted by ex-Idol host James Mathison and supported by Sony Music Australia, the comp allows high school students to showcase their talent via an interactive Web site – www.myschoolact.com

What’s more, they’re not just looking for music acts – MySchoolAct is searching for talented ‘behind the scenes’ creatives such as video producers, managers and songwriters.  There is more than $150,000 in prizes up for grabs, including:

• A recording deal, commercial album release and music video from the team at Sony Music Australia

• Two full scholarships for a Diploma in Audio Engineering or Film making at any of the 6 SAE Institute campuses in Australia and a Diploma in Graphic Design at any of the 3 Qantm College Campuses in Australia

• $15,000 publishing deal with Sony ATV for the best original songwriter

MySchoolAct’s Music Director, John O’Donnell is the man responsible for helping young Aussie artists such as Missy Higgins, Operator Please, Silverchair and Jebediah on their rise from the classroom to the top of the charts, and he’s back on the hunt for the next big thing.  “Whether you’re an aspiring rock star, singer/songwriter, hip hop stylist or music video director, MySchoolAct provides the opportunity to share and develop your talents in a digital forum. I can’t wait to see what Australia’s youth have to offer.”

Put yourself in the running for the ultimate career kickstart, log onto www.myschoolact.com and get your act together!

SANE launches website for teens affected by mental illness

SANE has launched a new website – itsallright.org – to support the half a million Australian teenagers affected by mental illness in their family.

Executive Director of SANE Australia Barbara Hocking says, ‘this is often the untold story of mental illness – the impact on teenagers who have a brother, sister or parent with a mental illness such as depression, schizophrenia, bipolar or an anxiety disorder.

‘These teenagers are a high risk group – they’re not only managing the confusion and powerlessness of a family member’s mental illness but, without support, are also more likely to experience mental illness themselves. This can be a vicious circle that can be difficult to escape. Many may feel they are the only ones this is happening to and that they cannot ask for help.’

itsallright.org aims break this cycle by giving control back to teenagers through information and reassurance. The website centres on the stories of four teenagers, told through online diary entries, who have a family member with a mental illness. The website also provides factsheets and podcasts about mental illness and treatment as well as an online helpline for teenagers to ask their own questions or seek support.

OzGirl

OzGirl is an online interactive web drama conceived, directed and produced by 19 year old VCA film student Nicholas Carlton.

Starring Sophie Tilson (Sadie), Shanrah Wakefield (Megan) and Richard Askin (George) the show tells the story of Sadie as she moves from country to city to stay with her prima donna cousin Megan in Melbourne.

For more on the show, including free episodes from the entire first season, check out the show’s website: http://ozgirl.tv/

Class Clowns Teenage Gala

Teachers don’t appreciate your sense of humour? Looking for a different outlet to channel that pent-up exuberance? Look no further as Class Clowns, the Melbourne Comedy Festival’s annual competition for secondary students, is on the hunt for the zaniest kids in Years nine to 12 at school -and we encourage a bit of tomfoolery in our class.

In 2009 we’ve revamped the timetable with the Class Clowns tour hitting the road between May and July (Term 2 for most cities), alongside the Comedy Festival’s national Roadshow tour.

Punters at the Melbourne Comedy Festival on April 24th will still get a chance to see Australia’s most riotous kids at the brand new Class Clowns Teenage Gala. This is an L-plated version of the Comedy Festival Gala, showcasing some of the best Aussie comedians under 20.

When the national tour kicks off in May, Class Clowns will hold workshops and performances in every capital city and major regional areas in search of the most hilarious secondary school aged acts in the country.

Teenagers will be given the opportunity to work alongside some of the Comedy Festival’s finest comic talent, polishing up their own original five minutes of stand-up, sketch or musical comedy for a real live public performance hosted by a professional comedian. The cream of the teenage crop will fly to Melbourne in September to hit the main stage at
the 2009 Class Clowns National Grand Final with a $2000 first prize up for grabs.

For heaps of background material on Class Clowns including highlights from last year’s Grand Final and the national schedule, visit http://www.classclowns.com.au

LISTING INFORMATION
Venue: Melbourne Town Hall, Main Hall
Date: Friday 24 April
Tickets: Full $18, Concession $12, Groups of 6 or more $12, Laugh Pack $12
Time: 1:00pm
Bookings: Ticketmaster 1300 660 013 or www.comedyfestival.com.au

Teen Youth Bushfire Support – Thursday March 26 Toolangi VIC

The “Get Real Empowering Youth” organisation works with Journey trauma counselling, and is welcoming all youth who were impacted by the bushfires to come and receive support for free on Thursday March 26 at Toolangi, Victoria.

The Journey tools are tremendously effective with helping people process the deep painful trauma caused by loss, death, anger, fear of the unknown, and feeling like life has turned its back, so that they can come to a place of acceptance, and for some to just breathe easy again.

These are the kinds of issues that could already have had a “shutdown” effect on youngsters that if left unresolved, can remain for life, stored inside the cell memory of the body and affecting the life of the youngster, friends and family.

If you know of families with youth who have been affected by Victoria’s bushfires, please send them this information.

They will experience a truly welcoming embrace, where they can rest their head and let go of grief in an extremely safe, supportive, and empathetic way.

NB: Following teen youth support, the Journey Outreach and its practitioners will be holding free on-going trauma healing days in the months of April, May and June, as well as setting up fundraising stalls and offering on-going trauma support in the areas every month for the whole year ahead. I’ll send out information regarding this in the following weeks.

For details and bookings – Tam 02 668 44663
mb 0402 556 711
e: info@getreal4youth.com

SYN is seeking young artists to submit their ideas…

SYN is seeking young artists to submit their ideas to make our radio studios come to life!

Youth community media organisation SYN Media just turned 6 years old.  We’re producing youth radio 24/7 as well as two TV programs and heaps of online content and, though we might not like to admit it, our physical spaces are looking a little rough around the edges.

It’s time for a facelift!

We’re opening the hefty task of livening up the SYN studios to our audience and members by asking them to design a mural for our radio studio wall.

Artists between the ages of 12 and 25 are encouraged to submit designs for the wall of SYN’s radio studios in Melbourne.

The competition is open from 9am February 15th to 6pm March 15th and designs will be shortlisted and then voted on by the people that count – SYN broadcasters.

All paints and supplies will be provided for the execution of the mural and the chosen designer will receive a $150 Obese Records gift voucher to spend on new paints or new tunes.

For competition regulations and the info about the dimensions of the studio wall, artists should email info@syn.org.au

For more information contact:

Emma Sharp
Assistant Manager
p: 03 9925 4778
e: info@syn.org.au
w: www.syn.org.au

SYN is proudly Melbourne’s only independent youth media organisation.