Three hundred people people and 11 schools gathered at the Phoenix Youth Centre on Friday, August 18, for a networking event run by The Western Bulldogs Foundation and mental health service, Orygen.
Western Bulldogs Foundation youth and schools manager Hannah Singleton said the day was an incredible success with lots of great responses.
“We had 11 schools across five council areas including Maribyrnong and Hobsons Bay, as well as 40 organisations that were stall holders on the day,” she said.
“From Maribyrnong we had Footscray High School, Caroline Chisholm Catholic College and Maribyrnong College and from Hobsons Bay Laverton High School and Bayside College.”
Ms Singleton said the purpose of the event was to encourage youth support.
“We wanted to do a youth event to support, advocate and showcase the amazing young people in our community,” she said.
“The youth expo was created to connect people post COVID, we partnered with Orygen to bring in the mental health aspect, to advocate and destigmatize mental health through our panel component of the event.
“The expo was a really great opportunity to promote and provide opportunities for young people to have a chance to connect and network, to really promote and help them with their own mental health after such isolation that has been experienced.”
Ms Singleton said the 40 organisations were gathered from the west, which was the expo component of Youth Fest in the West.
“The second part was a panel comprised of different community leaders and members to talk a bit more formally about mental health.
“We planned it to be during the school day to really encourage young people to network with other young people as well as teachers, and that was a really positive outcome.”
Jennifer Pittorino
