By CAMERON LUCADOU-WELLS
WHAT DO YOU THINK? SCROLL TO BELOW THIS STORY TO POST A COMMENT.
IT’S a chance to see the world through young, though not necessarily rose-tinted, eyes in the south-eastern suburbs of Melbourne.
A ‘photo voice’ exhibition at Heritage Hill Gallery will show the snapshots of young people from Community VCAL programs at LINK, Doveton LEEP and Keysborough Learning Centre.
Greater Dandenong Community Health Service health promotions co-ordinator Sarah Jury said the students, with the guidance of a professional photographer, were instructed to take shots of the positives and negatives in their lives.
Some of the positive images focus on quality-picture street art and friends at VCAL.
Dislikes included themes of violence, feeling excluded or bullied, litter and graffiti tags on street art. “From the feedback of teachers, the students loved to have a way to express themselves,” Ms Jury said.
“They’re excited by the prospect that people will come and see their work.”
The artists’ explanatory notes will also help youth and community services workers to learn what’s going on in young people’s lives. Ms Jury said the project aimed to engage with young people to help them achieve their full potential.
“Photo voice is evidence-based and widely used throughout the world to engage young people and to see what the young people are seeing.”
Ms Jury said social exclusion was a health issue. “The high levels of disadvantage, youth unemployment and poor educational outcomes prevalent in Greater Dandenong put young people at more risk of disease and mortality.”
She said Community VCAL participants were selected because they were often disengaged or at great risk of disengaging from mainstream schooling. “It is essential that young people, who are at risk of disengagement, have a voice.”
The exhibition is at Heritage Hill Museum, 66 McCrae Street, Dandenong, from June 18-27. Details: 9793 4511 or visit heritagehilldandenong.wordpress.com.
For all the latest breaking news, visit greaterdandenongweekly.com.au. Follow the Greater Dandenong Weekly on Twitter @DandenongWeekly.
