A Very Special Youth Program
April 21, 2022
On Thursday 7 April, Very Special Kids first ever Youth Advisory Group (YAG) met over zoom and set the wheels in motion for generational change and innovation to take place!
The group is made up of eight enthusiastic, motivated, and inspiring young adult and adolescent siblings eager to express their thoughts and ideas in bold, creative ways.
We asked our Youth Advisory Group what they were feeling most inspired by after their first session together.
“I am inspired by my fellow group members and how we have all gone through really difficult circumstances but we can work together to positively impact the lives of other young people. I just think that it is really beautiful.”
“After the first meeting I was really inspired by everyone’s ideas and excited to see what we do together in the future.”
“I’m feeling inspired to assist young people in finding their voice.”
“Inspiring to see proper and thorough interaction.”
“I’m inspired knowing I have this opportunity to help others and give back to an organisation that has helped me so much.”
“I’m inspired by the nostalgia the connection to Very Special Kids siblings has ignited in me”
“I’m inspired to bounce ideas off others, to make Very Special Kids more accessible, to improve communication and program diversity”
Very Special Kids believes that young people have the right to participate in decisions that affect them. By creating collaborative partnerships with young people, we aim to empower them to share their expertise to help us strengthen our services and improve access to a diverse range of programs.
It is our belief that initiatives designed for children and young people by children and young people are far more effective and likely to succeed. We cannot wait to see what the future holds at Very Special Kids, thanks to the invaluable contributions of these extraordinary young people…watch this space!
YAG has been made possible thanks to the generous contribution of Freemasons Foundation, who donated $50,000 to empower Very Special Kids youth to achieve their dreams.
Rodney Lavin, Chairman, Freemasons Foundation Victoria shares; “As another tumultuous year draws to a close, we are proud to be announcing funding for some incredibly valuable projects that promise to benefit the Victorian community. These grants will support charities to help those in need or empower the youth of Victoria to achieve their dreams.”