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From presenting punk rock in a safe environment to teaching kids about cooking or sex education, the Wollongong Youth Centre has been instrumental in many people’s lives over the last 25 years.
Next Saturday, anyone who has ever dropped in to the Burelli Street hang out is invited back to celebrate its history with live music and art.
Honora Jenkins is proud to credit the centre for empowering her to do things she never thought possible and be the person she is today.
She first became involved in her late teens around the time of the facility’s inception in 1993, and was asked by a friend to help with the Hairy Beanstalk Cafe which created free live music events.
“I remember Sitting in the corridor at Dapto high, on the payphone …. ringing up and booking bands,” Ms Jenkins laughed.
“I was just given opportunities to try things and to be supported and I had an amazing youth worker Sandy O’Sullivan who would just tell me ‘yeah you can do this’,” she said.
“Instead of asking me ‘do you want to try it’, she would just empower me with the fact that I could. To this very day I’m always crediting the time that I had at the youth centre for a lot of the work I still do.”
Over the years she has worked on many community projects with Wollongong City Council, Merrigong Theatre Company and even returned to the centre as a youth worker – all without any formal qualifications.
“All the work I’ve done has come from all of my connecting with community from just doing it,” Ms Jenkins said.
“If I hadn’t had that support as a young person I wouldn't have learnt that you can do it a different way.”
It provided the type of “unconventional” learning that Ms Jenkins needed, thanks to an array of activities with “amazing facilitators”.
She recalled working with now renowned artist and curator Glenn Barkley who was the artist in residence at the youth centre at the time.
Ms Jenkins had been encouraged to paint jeans for an are exhibition and Mr Barkley taught her to screen print onto the denim.
“What was great about that, there was an art room out the back and it meant there was always a young person there who had experience – so I was able to go in and use the facilities,” she said.
Mr Barkley said his time there was “tangential” to the 25th anniversary celebration, but he had fond memories all the same.
“The best thing I ever saw there was American hardcore band Fugazi,” he told the Mercury.
“So good. One of the best things I’ve ever seen band-wise.”
Expression through art, drama and music have been one of the pivotal services at the youth centre. For many it was the first audience they ever performed to or the first concert they ever attended.
Rascal Wheeler, 15, discovered the space in February and has been working with the Ignite team to help produce theatre and music events for all ages.
“Because I have to talk to a lot more people than I normally would be comfy with I’ve gotten a bit more confident,” they said.
“I’m putting myself out there more than six months ago, and if I keep doing it I will continue to improve.”
Rascal has also been getting involved in the regular Rainbow League and loves it. The social group – co-run by Headspace – is for young people who identify as same sex attracted, gender diverse or questioning.
“There are plenty of places around [for support] ... but I wouldn’t say it’s so accessible for adolescents or children,” Rascal said.
“It’s good for anyone to have that group of people who kind of understand what’s happening.”
While the youth centre is based in the Wollongong CBD it continues to run programs around the local government area – including Bellambi, Warrawong, Cringila and Kanahooka.
On offer are an array of workshops like computer coding, cooking, aerosol art and barista courses. They also offer different programs aligned with different partners, like NSW Health to deliver sexual health information, as well as act as a referral service.
Wollongong Council Youth Services co-ordinator Katie Kapp remembers heading to gigs in the auditorium in the early 2000s. Now she helps facilitate them.
“I think the thing Youth Services do really well is meeting the needs of young people,” Mrs Kapp said.
“The program and services we provide are dynamic, fun and innovative, depending on what’s going on in the world of young people.
“To enrich young people is a real individual thing but we’re here to provide services and programs and opportunities to make sure they have the best opportunities in their life.”
The 25th Birthday Open Day runs from 11am to 4pm on Saturday October 13, at the centre – 85 Burelli Street. There will be displays of the Youth Centre’s people and its history, celebration cake, live performances and more.
A Music for the Mind concert will also be held the previous night on Friday October 12, as part of Mental Health Month. Local bands will play from 6pm.
For more information call the Youth Centre on 4227 8222