We don't think it's fair that our area is defined by disadvantage.
Fusion Sydney South are a group of hard-out Youth Workers. Made up of 3 Polynesians, 2 Lebanese and an Asian, they ARE the young people they work with in Canterbury - but grown up! Coming from a strong desire to give the community a VOICE, they birthed the
YouTube channel - STREET SMARTZ: The dream of creating an official platform for Young Canterbury to change the future.
The City of Canterbury, which is home to 130 different nationalities, has been harshly misrepresented by the media, whom perceive the Canterbury LGA to be an unsafe, highly dangerous area, filled with "inarticulate thugs [turning to] guns and gangs" (Jakubowicz
2014).
This affects young people most as they search for their identity.
The lack of safe spaces in the Canterbury area makes youth vulnerable to seeking support from peer counterparts, getting into the wrong crowds, where drugs and alcohol become a haven away from their non-English speaking parents whose culture cannot meet
eye to eye with the modern challenges young people face.
Fusion Sydney South Youth Services recognise the value of the arts and creativity in assisting communication, togetherness and integration.
In sum - when a young person writes a poem, composes music, constructs an artwork, or choreographs for their dance crew - it is their creativity that provides breathing room for their spirit, giving them an outlet and a VOICE.
To nurture a young person's creativity is to boost their self confidence, as they develop invaluable communication skills and receive accidental therapy through their creative outlets.
In addition to being part of an artistic community, they establish a self-discipline that will help them reach their fullest potential in life.
Solution:
With this rationale we birthed our YouTube channel - STREET SMARTZ!
https://www.youtube.com/user/fssys
We used it as an excuse to meet people in our community! To ask them questions, so they could share their opinions.
Our heart is to nurture potential, teach solid foundations and develop future leaders, and the best years are yet to come, as they lay in the hands the youth of today!
Fusion's office located at 36 North Parade Campsie, has a small backyard that we have constructed blueprints to build a small, basic and open plan studio to provide a PLATFORM to execute our vision for this emerging generation.
Every month we could use this space to hold a Poetry Slam and Music Show to bless the community, and provide opportunity for young people in various areas of event organisation, production, performance craft, human resources and the like.
Every week we could use it as a community space for young people to creatively express themselves.
Every day, the studio will flood with revolutionary ideas and the leaders that carry the future of Canterbury.
What the Team Has to Say:
"We believe that the creative arts is a catalyst for social change." - Di
"We want to build a platform for young talent to thrive and develop." - Ronnie
Our Call to Action
Do you want to see this community become a greenhouse where young people thrive?
We want to build a beautiful, professional, and well-built open plan studio symbolising the credibility, integrity and heart of the Street Smartz Channel. We desire to bless the Canterbury LGA through nurturing young, local talent.
You can partner with us by pledging a donation of $10 and over!
(Crossfit Trainer "Kaveh" has offered Fundamentals Class and 3 months FREE personal training to the
highest donor!)
Help us by sharing our campaign video to get the word out there!
Twitter: @StreetSmartzFSS
or
https://twitter.com/StreetSmartzFSS
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/events/1461328914145918/
www.facebook.com/fusioncafecampsie
