Nambucca Valley Council is taking the lead with a youth-led event initiative thanks to the NSW Government’s Open Streets Program, which offers grants to help create more vibrant public spaces and enliven them with creative and cultural activations.

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The program has been inspired by the Nambucca Valley YOUth Speak Project, which has heard firsthand the issues most important to local youth and the aspirations and project ideas they presented to improve them.

Over 70 percent of the 600 young people surveyed asked for more events and more involvement in planning them.

To support the vision of local youth, Council was successful in receiving $145,000 from the Open Streets program to temporarily transform Wallace Lane and River Street in Macksville into an exciting street festival.

The Nambucca Valley Open Streets Project is calling for young people aged 12-24 to join the Youth Event Crew and lead the naming, design and delivery of the event.

Coordinated by Joel Grimson, an experienced event management specialist with over 20 years’ experience in community events and festivals, the project is being set up to offer hands-on learning experience for young people, whilst involving many of the local suppliers and businesses that come together to make a successful community festival.

“I started off volunteering at events like Global Carnival where I gained experience and insight into how much fun working on events can be,” said Joel.

“This project is a perfect example of how we can inspire our young people to dream big.

“We’re putting together a framework of what a successful and fun event looks like for the Nambucca Valley and then will work with young people to pick and choose the elements they think will appeal to the community and their peers and then take them through how to organise and deliver it on the day.”

Young people will have the opportunities to participate in free workshops leading up to the event and to be mentored in areas of their interest, including running sound systems, lighting, social media promotion, managing bands, performing on stage, creating sets and decor, event photography and running the event on the day.

Young people interested in this opportunity to bring an event to life and learn from experienced mentors are encouraged to apply now.

Visit www.nambuccavalleyopenstreets.com.