The Melbourne Storm ‘In League In Harmony’ Youth Summit took place recently, with a collection of youth delegates from the local community coming together for a day of cultural celebration and reflection.
The summit is an initiative of the Melbourne Storm Pacific Outreach Program, which is support by the Victorian Government through the Broadmeadows Revitalisation Board and the Centre for Multicultural Youths’ Le Mana (Empower) Pasifika Project and WYPIN.
Victorian Government Minister for Prevention of Family Violence, Community Sport and Suburban Development, Ros Spence, and the Member for Broadmeadows, Kathleen Matthews-Ward, attended the event held at the Broadmeadows Town Hall.
Youth advocates and ambassadors from Mount Ridley College, Hume Central College and Craigieburn Secondary College all took an active role in the evening, exchanging cultural learnings as well as discussing the importance of community.
In total, the Storm Pacific Outreach Program engaged with 320 young people in the Broadmeadows community.
The event promoted social cohesion by addressing issues such as social disengagement, racism, gender inequality and bullying; empowering youth to be agents of change for a more cohesive society.
It also provided recommendations to the current youth advisory groups to create other mini-projects and events that tackle issues raised at the summit.
This year’s theme of awaken your ‘inner navigator’ explored the notion of self-reflection and highlighted the importance of culture and community, especially amongst the young leaders of their respective communities.
The summit explored topics such as ‘My Skin, My Culture’, ‘My Mental Health’ and ‘My Community and Relationships’, with the hope of giving young people a platform to share their experiences and stories.
The Melbourne Storm In League In Harmony program promotes opportunities for the youth to develop social skills in addition to fundamental playing elements, with those in the program empowered to acknowledge, appreciate and celebrate diversity amongst their peers and wider community.
