Brightening the lives of disadvantaged young people.
We are an Australian based arts initiative, passionate about youth mental health. Our visual art programs are designed to improve the social and emotional wellbeing of disadvantaged young people.
Art is powerful: it doesn’t discriminate, there is no right or wrong, it allows us to be free, and can help us escape from hardship.
Who we work with
Disadvantaged young people (5- 25 years) with less opportunities than their peers. This includes, but is not limited to young people from low socioeconomic backgrounds, living in Out Of Home Care, experiencing homelessness, living with disability, gender and sexuality diverse.
How we work
Our programs bring together young people and their carers, along with local artists, educators and volunteers to encourage personal growth through art making. We use evidence-based approaches to engage young people in a creative process of enrichment and personal development.
Why we use art
The young people we work with experience high levels of stress and are at-risk of developing serious mental health issues. The sensory and tactile nature of art promotes mindfulness and calmness. Art making provides opportunity for young people to explore their thoughts, feelings and experiences.
Where we work
We work in spaces that are accessible, safe, supportive and youth-led. Where possible we work in community based spaces such as youth centre’s or town halls (as opposed to formal settings such as schools). To date, we have worked in Australia, Indonesia, India, Nepal, New Zealand and South Africa.
When we work together,
great things happen.
We work in partnership with established and emerging organisations. Partnerships enable us to train and empower local volunteers to run art programs for disadvantaged young people in their communities.
This year, we aim to further develop partnerships with organisations in Australia, India and Nepal – designing resources, facilitating training and providing art supplies. If you are interested in being one of our program partners, email us. Our hope is to foster knowledge sharing and build capability across the youth services sector.
