A FREE day-long camp for youth will be held in Ballarat next month in a bid to empower young people to express themselves through art.
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The inaugural Junior Youth Arts Camp will feature the interpretation of various moral themes through music, painting, and drama. It will also include team-building activities, crafts, storytelling and discussion.
The initiative, part of the Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program, is primarily aimed at those between 12 and 15, but program co-facilitator Elliott Vreeland said it is also open to those who are slightly younger or older.
“Eleven is okay, even people who are 15, 16, 17 years old – we’d like to work with them because they are the best people to run this kind of program. The less the age gap, the more effective the learning space,” he said.
Mr Vreeland said it’s “absolutely critical” that youngsters develop a sense of moral understanding during the early teen years.
“At this age it’s obviously a very rapidly changing time in their lives and by the time they are 15 they’re able to make (important) decisions. It’s more about allowing them the space to practice talking with one another, deciphering social issues and working out ethical things and consequences,” he said.
“By the time they’re 15 they will be able to express themselves and through that expression they will be able to improve their own behavior in the community around them.
“Power of expression is tied to our thoughts, our thoughts are tied to our words and our words are tied to our actions. It’s kind of developing that whole cycle.”
The Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program, a global curriculum, is grassroots-focused and aims to empower participants to get into the mindset of serving their communities while forging friendships with others their age.
The Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program arts camp will be held at Delacombe’s Doug Dean Stadium on July 16 between 10am and 4pm.
The free event includes lunch, with RSVPs required through the jysepballarat@gmail.com email.