The region’s third and largest Rainbow Youth Dance was held on April 21 with almost 100 LGBT teens aged 13-17 attending from across 47 suburbs.
Designed by the teens themselves with the theme Supreme Beings, the Rainbow Dance was produced by Youth Authentic and Social (YASS), a federally funded transformative arts and culture program with a focus on marginalised young people on the Central Coast operating under the umbrella of the Naughty Noodle Fun Haus.
Senior Youth worker and program producer Carlee Heise said YAAS is a space where young people are empowered to develop personal resilience, confidence and leadership skills, building lifelong friendships and community circles.
“For some of the kids it’s the first time they have experienced a sense of belonging,” she said.
“The first two dances were hosted with our partner PCYC and this one saw us partner with the Mingalleta Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporation space as a safe venue.
“With almost 20 per cent of our young people also identifying as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, we wanted to honour and bring both communities together.
“The Dance was further supported and staffed by Headspace and the Community Hair Project adding their usual razzle dazzle with makeup booths creating superheroes to boot.”
Also in attendance was Community Elder and Leader, grandparent of the year Aunty Di, as well as Member for Gosford Liesl Tesch and local District Chief Inspector of Police John Zdrilic.
“For many this was the first time post-COVID to dance and make friends or hang out with existing ones,” Fun Haus Creative Director Glitta Supernova said.
The YAAS program recently won the 2023 National annual ABC Trailblazer program for innovative youth initiative and Senior Youth worker Carlee Heise recently presented in Canberra to Parliament.
“This program is addressing systemic barriers and building equity and social cohesion attempting to heal and bring better outcomes and change,” supernova said.
“The Central Coast features nationally for all the wrong reasons and has been living the ramifications of multigenerational neglect long enough.
“Organisations, families, government and police across the region are working their butts off for major and much needed changes.
“The YAAS Youth program was born out of yet another LGBT Central Coast youth suicide – a direct result of relentless and ongoing bullying for multiple years.
“A lack of LGBT visibility has allowed lack of education and alienation to fester and form over time on the Coast; our job is to support LGBT young people front and centre.”
Board co-chair Juan Iocco said leading positive measurable change and progress had its challenges.
“As creatives, to bring about positive change we need to be innovative, resilient and responsive to emerging needs within the community,” he said.
“The YAAS program is intentionally building young people’s social and emotional skills, as well as values like respect, self-confidence and a sense of belonging which are of the utmost importance to create healthy resilient adults.”
Source:
Naughty Noodle Fun Haus