Newsletter header
March E-News 
In this issue
Latest News
Workshops
Courses, Programs & Activities
Outreach Program
Byron Youth Service Team



Twenty Years of Byron Youth Activity Centre.

 

For over twenty years the Byron Youth Service has operated from the Youth Activities Centre (YAC) in Gilmore Crescent, advocating for young people and providing programs and facilities to support them and their families. The YAC was built by the community.

At the front of the building a plaque states "For and on behalf of the Youth of Byron Shire." It is dated 11th March 1995, when the building was officially opened. 

 

 ... we want to continue providing services... and you can help us!

 

On the 11th of April we are holding a fundraiser to Save the YAC - Spirit of the Bay 2! We will also be at Bluesfest charging mobile phones and making sure young and old are safe to drive with our breathalyser stall.

 

Check our website www.bys.org.au on how you can help!


 
Last week we sadly said good bye to Karen Ford who ran the Links to Learning programs over the year. We wish you the best on your new ventures! You will be missed at BYS! 

 

From all of us @ BYS

 

Byron: 6685 7777

Mullum: 6684 3086

www.bys.org.au  

 

Like us on Facebook 

 

Latest News


THANK YOU

Thank you to Walter & staff from Suffolk Park Pharmacy for the $100o donation received from the community!

Thank you to Byron Herb Nursery for your kind donation of herbs and flowers for our Horticulture Course. Still have spaces if you want to get involved! 

Also a big thank you all the businesses that have our Donation Boxes on their counters:
Green Garage,
Suffolk Park BP
Ozigo Food Court
Beach Hotel
Byron Pharmacy
Dolphin Office Choice
Sunrise IGA
Fishheads
Dennett's IGA Mullumbimby
Great Northern Hotel
Mitre 10 Byron Bay

Every dollar helps us help young people!

MULLUM COTTAGE
The Widows Cottage has 43 young people attending programs each week with a variety of activities. Two of the girls' groups have decided to begin an emotion box project, the boys are keen for food and physical skills based activities and Antonia from SCU has been doing a mini forum with each group to get their thoughts on the impact of tourism on young people growing up in the shire.


One of the strategies that has been implemented at the Cottage to try to keep programs operational has been to ask parents who are able to contribute $15 per school term
to help cover the cost of our healthy, active living program, which in part means that all participants eat food together. Thank you to all the parents who have responded
and a special thanks to Fernleigh Springs who made an extra donation and an offer of a ceramic container and water.




Another funding strategy that the Cottage is pursuing is making a short movie to place on a Crowdfunding site. We are very lucky to have David Lowe and Eve Jeffery from Cloudcatcher Media bringing their expertise to the project and big thanks and respect to the young people that have agreed to being interviewed so far.

Anyone who has kitchen cooking utensils, (as in saucepans, frying pans etc that are in good condition) that they would care to donate for young people to use at the Cottage please contact Deb on 0409170062. We are also in need of two new couches that are in reasonable condition.

Last Thursday was my last day with BYS and I just wanted to acknowledge and give thanks to such a wonderful organisation that has challenged me as well as rewarded me in so many ways.  Unfortunately due to government cutbacks my job is no longer funded but we still have a crew of amazing passionate staff and volunteers working so very hard to keep this organisation running.  There are still some fantastic programs on offer for our youth and we all trust that the funding will come and we can again grow and offer more and more support to our youth.  I just want to say thank you to all the people I have met working with BYS.  The young people, the volunteers, the people/businesses who donate their time and money and of course the staff have all been such an inspiration to me and it has been a privilege to work within such a positive environment.  You will never be rid of me, I can now donate my time and I encourage anyone who has not been involved to look and see how you can support this place and in turn support the young people who I have seen benefit so much from it.

 

Karen Ford

 



Fundraising News

Our Fundraising Prospectus 2015 outlines some of the key projects we hope to achieve over the next few years!
All donations over $2 to BYS are tax deductible.
We welcome all donations big and small!

  Donate now
Workshops

BYT logo

CHANGING LIVES THROUGH YOUTH THEATRE


 

Byron Youth Theatre will be presenting their incredibly powerful piece titled PASH! at the second Positive Adolescent Sexual Health conference to be held in Byron Bay at the beginning of June.
Covering a range of sexual health topics from S.T.I's to sex and the law, BYT's performance and accompanying workshops drew maximum participation and was rated as the most beneficial part of the entire conference last year by youth audiences.
Details will be available from http://healthynorthcoast.org.au/
Meanwhile we continue to research and devise our new piece called ALTERED STATES whcih focuses on illicit drug use.  We wish to thank those who have already been interviewed or have visited us to share their experiences and expertise in this area.  If you have a story to share please contact Lisa on number below
This production will go to schools in May and will travel further afield thanks to a grant from Northern Rivers Community Foundation.
BYT members are excited to be going to Blues Festival again this year as 'The Brain" having chats with festival goers on having fun and staying safe!!
We are currently looking for a volunteer to film and edit some short interviews and compile a sound grab file for our production.  We have equipment we just need a fabulous person to help.
Please contact Lisa on 0403023693 for all enquiries.


Courses - Programs  - Activities 
  
BARISTA COURSE
Coffee image

Tuesday 17th March  - 4 to 7pm
$50
 Ages 15 to 24
Byron Youth Activity Centre
1 Gilmore Crescent Byron Bay
To book a place call Steffie on 6685 7777

Thank you to Byron Bay Coffee Co for donating coffee for our courses!
 


 

STEER logo 

 

The Safer Learner Driver Course is a combined theoretical and practical Course for under 25 year-old learner drivers who have completed 50 hours of log book driving hours. The Course involves two Modules:

  • Module one: A three-hour facilitated group discussion on how to manage risks on the road. This will involve a maximum of twelve participants and will be delivered by a facilitator.
  • Module two: A two-hour in-vehicle coaching session to develop low-risk driving strategies. This will involve two participants and a coach.

Participants who complete the course will receive a bonus of 20 hours credit recorded in their learner driver log book.

 

COURSE NOTES:

  • STEER is an RMS authorised Course Provider
  • It is anticipated Course sessions will be run weekly in various locations throughout the Byron Shire. 
  • The Course costs a total of $140 for both modules.
  • Participants may enjoy completing the Course with a friend particularly for the in-vehicle session. NOTE: individual participants will be matched with a suitable partner in Module 1.   
For more information please contact:
Steffie on 6685 7777 or email [email protected] 
or book directly www.steerproject.org.au

      

 

 
Outreach Program

STREET CRUISE
  BYS bus

Cruising the Byron Shire on Friday nights from 8pm till 12am.  

   

THANK YOU TO ALL OUR AWESOME SPONSORS!!!!

BYRON CAPTURED WATER

and

BYRON BAY POLICE  

for allowing us to park the bus on their property!  

 

Your donations are invaluable!

 
Click on link below to donate!

Give Now  

Byron Youth Service Team

Management Committee

  David Kyd                              Chairperson
Jonathan Edwards                        Director
Teeya Blatt                        Vice President
Ian Leggo                                Treasurer
Freya Tripp                              Secretary
 Mark Smith                                Member
Caston Smith                              Member
  John Imbrogno                              Member
  Stephanie Sims            Staff Representative

Byron Youth Service Workers

 Jonathan Edwards                                                Director
 Deb Pearse                               Mullum - Youth Connections
Rosalie Bryant                          Byron - Youth Connections  
Stephanie Sims                                    Fundraising/Events
 
David, Jemma, Traci, Lotte, Jesse
Casual Youth Workers

     

Community Project Workers 

Steve & Liz                                               BCC Flexi-School
Chad Kolcze                                             The Uncle Project
 Lisa Apostolides                      BYT Youth Theatre Co-ordinator
Nicqui Yazdi                                  BUDDI CDAT Co-ordinator
Phil Preston                                  STEER Project Coordinator