By Holly McGuinness
A new youth program announced last week aims to sew a strong bond between young people in Brimbank and the wider community.
A series of Youth Artistic Sewing and Creative Arts Workshops to be held in Sunshine engaging up to 400 participants .
Open to those aged between eight and 16 years old, participants from multicultural backgrounds will be offered the opportunity to learn sewing skills with Sunshine based organisation Kontiki Cultural Women Empowerment (KCWE).
Participants will be taught to design and create their own garments, while also connecting with each other, the community and their culture in a bid to combat disengagement and provide a safe educational space.
The State Government has provided $49,000 in funding while KCWE has offered $38,00 of in-kind support.
The grant is part of the Victorian Government’s Crime Prevention Strategy.
Minister for crime prevention Anthony Carbines said the grants help local organisations reach more young people.
“Kontiki Cultural Women Empowerment’s workshops are a great example of innovative ways to help bring young people together and provide them with the skills and support they need to live rich, successful lives” he said.
Round two applications are now open with up to $50,000 available per project over two years.
