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Youth projects hit the mark

In Huon Valley, Australia's southern most Municipality, local youth are a high priority. Although not far from Hobart, a lack of public transport means young people in the district experience much the same difficulties in accessing facilities as youth in more remote areas of the country.

With this in mind, Council's Youth Services Department makes an effort to provide opportunities local young people would not otherwise have. Two projects providing the district's young people with fascinating skills are the Huon Valley Youth Video Festival and a wooden boat building project.

By providing equipment, sponsorship of professional artists and other assistance, Council assists Huon Valley teenagers to learn to produce, film, and edit videos featuring topics of their own choice.

David Perez, Youth and Community Development Officer, said that the Festival is not a competition. The emphasis is on participating, learning new skills and developing an interest in video as a vehicle for communication of ideas, opinions and views. Now in its second year, the Festival will culminate in a public screening of the final work at the Town Hall later in the year.

One topic which has attracted the interest of the young film makers is the boat building project which has been conducted in Huon Valley for some years. To date, three new boats have been built and three more restored by local youth assisted by the Franklin Shipwright's Point School of Wooden Boat Building. This ancient craft is gaining new interest in what was becoming a dying art in the district.

Soon work will begin on building a nine metre whaling vessel recalling what was once a major industry in the district. With numbers of whales building in recent years, David Perez points out , this time round, the sailors will be shooting with cameras not harpoons! The projects have been highly successful. When Council began five years ago, it attracted just 15 young people, now it can barely keep up with the numbers wishing to participate.

For further information contact David Perez, telephone (03) 6264 1211.

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