By KATRINA BRANDON
SPARKING creative interest, youth program Mountain Track has unveiled a mural depicting causes and concerns close to its heart.
The unveiling was held at Jumbuk Park, with youth, service providers and local politicians making the journey into the hills to celebrate the creation.
Mountain Track is a program aimed at youth experiencing tough times, whether that be youth crime, homelessness, or poor mental health, offering long-term support and educaiton opportunities.
There is currently 15 participants in the program
The program, which some of the youth described as a breath of fresh air and an opportunity to clear their minds, runs twice a week by volunteers and co-founders Laura Myer and David Butler.
Ms Myer is a qualified youth worker with more than 20 years’ experience across various settings. Mr Butler has had a long career in various fields, including trade, military, policing, mining and hospitality.
Recently, youth connected to the program have been working with artist Kyle Brightside of Creative Sparks Projects, collaborating not only on design, but also painting the mural together.
Creative Sparks Projects is based on the Mornington Peninsula, but Mr Brightside has started branching out into different areas of Gippsland, taking a liking to the region.
Gathering in the warmth of the Mountain Track kitchen and lounge, Mr Brightside shared his experience with the camp.
“I run Creative Sparks Projects, an organisation that aims to connect young people back to their communities by using the only tool I have in my toolbar, which is art and creativity,” he told the group.
“The program is designed to provide that opportunity that isn’t available in the world today, for them to feel heard, to feel respected and to feel like they can have a really positive contribution to their communities. The program creates mural assets for the community that truly share the voice and vision from the hearts and minds of the young people who live there.”
Mr Brightside said the mural in Jumbuk was very special to him, especially because of the dedication and investment the youth had in the program.
Throughout the process, Mr Brightside worked with the children, who wanted to own the whole process, giving feedback on the design and revisions.
“All I am trying to do is to tell their story,” he said.
“The fact that they were so invested in that process is just a testament to exactly what the program is supposed to do for young people, which is give them that voice and give them a platform where they feel confident to share their vision.”
Looking at the mural, it is centred on several themes, such as strength and resilience from shared lived experiences, their stories, and remembering those important to them (friends current or past, family, mentors, and supporters).
Other details include their hobbies, such as music, sports, basketball and mountain biking.
Mr Brightside told the group that the youth involved in the project really just wanted to share aspects of their lives that gave them joy and their passions. He said that he has found it is a topic that’s “glanced over a lot”.
According to the Creative Sparks Project website, a National Youth Mental Health Survey showed 62 per cent of young Aussies feel “left out often”. When young people feel connected to their community, they gain the confidence to make positive choices and believe in themselves.
Creative Sparks Projects aims to ignite a sense of belonging – helping young people build resilience, resist negative influences, and take pride in shaping their future and their community.
“It really just showcased everything that I aim to do with Creative Sparks Projects, which is giving young people the platform where they know they get to experience all the benefits of expressing themselves and sharing their stories,” Mr Brightside said.
“On a wider level, (it showcases) what these programs can do for wider communities, throughout areas like the Latrobe Valley, where we can integrate these kinds of programs at a broader sense, out through the community. It represents what matters to the young people.”
He also highlighted that the children involved were enthusiastic about getting the mural on the wall, no matter what the weather was like, even in extreme heat or extreme cold.
Mr Brightside has been running youth-based community art programs for about 10 years, working with schools and youth programs to provide hands-on experience and expand the artistic minds of young people.
Sharing similar values, Mountain Track aims to help local youth expand their skill set through hands-on learning, rather than sitting at a desk, so they can learn the fundamentals of each activity in a fun, interactive way.
Rather than basic math classes and classroom-based structures, Mountain Track allows them to work together to build things through woodworking, 3D printing, and more, while still learning mathematical and team-building skills.
For more information on the Creative Sparks Projects, go to: https://www.creativesparksprojects.org/
For more information on Mountain Track, go to: https://www.mountaintrack.org/
