By KATRINA BRANDON
UPLIFT collective held a free pop-up event at Mid Valley Shopping Centre, Morwell, where youth, carers and parents could enjoy the sunny afternoon.
With about 80 people in attendance, the event gave those in the community the chance to socialise, while also chatting with services that they could use or might need.
Attendees were able to enjoy sausages, prizes, self-care buckets, art activities, dodgeball, spike ball, henna, inflatable games and music. While the event was aimed at 12 to 25-year-olds, Morwell local Joy Stiles said she enjoyed the event alongside her family.
“It’s great for the youth. I know that on the site that it was aimed at 12 and older, the younger children here are enjoying it,” she said.
“It’s really for any age and a free event just brings people in the community together and makes them aware of what is available as well.”
Uplift organiser Den Lim from Community College Gippsland said that through word-of-mouth and local school visits, the event has started to build up.
“It’s really heartening to see that young people (are) interested in engaging and socialising. We have got a lot of different activities happening,” she said.
“We would be happy if there were 20 or so people, but I am really pleased with how the event has turned out.”
The event was made possible by funding from the Latrobe Valley Authority. Ms Lim told the Express that for those who had missed the event on September 10, there will be more coming in the near future.
Services at or involved in the event included Latrobe Health Assembly, Community College Gippsland, United Muslim Sisters of Latrobe Valley, Latrobe Regional Health, Artists for Kids Culture, GippSport, Crime Stoppers Victoria, Berry Street, DS Sports, headspace, Gippsland Youth Space, Ladder, Skills and Jobs Centre and GCASA from the Uplift collective.
