City of Melbourne

The Zone

Boys Group+ : Partnered with and held at the Venny

Boys Group runs during school terms on Friday Nights, where young people hang out, eat dinner, and have fun! Boys Group is a social and emotional support program for young people over 8 years old. Boys Group seeks to provide young people with positive role models and encourages the expression of feelings and emotions. Dinner and transport from North Melbourne are provided. Contact 03 96636733 or email enquiries@ds.org.au

the Venny

The Venny is a free communal backyard and safe space for children aged 5 to 16 located in JJ Holland Park, Kensington. The Venny has been in the park for over 40 years and has a rich history within the Kensington Community. It is a space where kids can engage in risk-taking play, creativity, and connectedness with other young people. The Venny supports children and families helping to fill gaps in systems when they appear. We connect with community, schools, support agencies, families to provide a wrap-around support network.

Boys Group+ is proudly funded by the City of Melbourne

(in)visible

The (in)visible project is a community driven program that connects queer and trans people from diverse cultural and religious backgrounds (QTPOC) aged 16-25 through workshops and events.

The (in)visible crew is made up of QTPOC, who are experts on how well being is articulated and responded to in community. We lead the project in acknowledgement that all too often our service system silos our social realities (be these queer, faith or multicultural).

In collaboration with Minus 18, (in)visible produced an inter-sectional educational resource for school aged young people called “OMG I’m QTIPOC”.

As of late August 2020, we’ve introduced a NEW Youth Peer Leader working with us. Say hello to Korra!

Every fortnight, we meet up to create a space familiar to the attendees. These activities range from:

– Cooking Classes

– Crafting Days

– Panel discussions

– Movie viewings that represent us on screen

– Keynote discussions with QTIPOC leaders

– Pamper days

– Walks in nature

– Learning about other cultures and their queerness

– Engaging with older QTIPOC members

– Make-up classes

– Attending LGBTQIA+ spaces and creating a QTIPOC safe space for attendees

– Creating events that are apart of festivals in CITY OF MELBOURNE

– Video games and pizza

– Queer Iftar

– Reading groups

– Movement and Yoga classes

– Spoken word workshops

– Events centering Queer First Nations Folk

If you have any idea’s on what we should do to support other QTIPOC, send us a message! And if you have any inquires about attending our events (location, price, age, accessibility) also send us a message!

Be sure to check out our Isolation Info-Station booklet in the resources section down below! Over the course of the next few months, we will gather some activities that we think would be great for everyone to access. This will be updated for the remainder of the year whilst we focus on doing programs online due to lockdown here in Narrm (Melbourne).

(in)visible is proudly funded by the City of Melbourne

Individual Support @ the drum

What we do:

We support young people aged 12-25 who live, play, study and work in City of Melbourne in a diverse range of areas. Read on to find out what kind of things we can help with and how it all goes down!

Soo…. how can you help me?

Youth & Family Practitioners can support you in lots of different ways! For example supporting with:

Job applications
CV/ Resume creation or editing
Assistance with High School, Uni and Tafe enrolments
Linking in with community groups, sports clubs, fun youth events etc
Guidance on career pathways
Applications for available Peer Leader Programs
Centerlink application assistance
Alcohol & Drug related support
Family support
Wellbeing and mental health support

There are heaps of different areas people need support in, so if you don’t see what you need on the list above still get in touch and we can figure out how we can work together to reach your goals, or find out what other options are available!

What can I expect?

After calling or emailing intake (see ‘CONTACT’ above) a Youth & Family Practitioner will call or text you and organise a catch up. The first catch up is a chance for us to chat about some goals and areas in your life you would like support in (some people like to brainstorm these goals and areas of support together, others prefer to come prepared with some ideas or a list – either way is fine). We will go through a consent and confidentiality form together (this takes around 5 minutes). You are welcome and encouraged to ask questions along the way – it is important to us that you understand what we talk about. We will chat for around 30 – 50 minutes. At the end we might set up another time to check in/ catch up.

During Covid-19

Individual support will pretty much work the same way as before, however for everyone’s safety we will do phone/ video chats instead of in person catch ups.

A few examples of support young people have been asking for during the pandemic are;

Financial assistance
Rent relief
Assistance with bills
Food packages
Linking in with community etc
Mental health support

If there are other things you need support around that are related to Covid-19 or otherwise you can get in touch and we can have a chat about what options are available and how we can best support you. We acknowledge this is a stressful and unique time right now. You can check out these resources for more information on support available during Covid-19 and stay connected with the drum here – @thedrummelb

Individual Support @ the drum is proudly funded by the City of Melbourne

Queerspace Youth

Queerspace Youth is a peer-led program for Queer, Trans, non,binary, Intersex, Gender Diverse or questioning people aged 16-25 years old.

We run fortnightly groups and regular events including mental health and sexual health workshops, movie nights, art and music workshops as well as skill and capacity building activities where you can hang out and make new friends and build community.

Queerspace Youth is funded by the City of Melbourne and Queerspace

Who runs these programs?

During Covid19 lockdown, young people from QSY submitted artwork for our first collaborative zine (pronounced like magazine). A self-published collection of queer and trans art in isolation. To have at ‘Alone, Together: Queer Art in Iso’ see our Resources below!

Queerspace Youth is proudly funded by the City of Melbourne

Young Men’s Program- Carlton

What can you expect?

The Young Men’s program provides spaces for male-identifying people to play sports, create music, and connect with their peers and The Drum staff for support. The program targets young men aged 12 – 25 from public housing estates; however, all young men are welcome to attend. The Young Men’s team provides well-being check-ins and various supports to all attendees. Contact 03 96636733 or email enquiries@ds.org.au

How to get there

YMCA Carlton Baths is located at 216/248 Rathdowne Street in Carlton. Let the YMCA staff know you’re with the drum and they’ll point you in the right direction.

Get there by PT:

Buses 250 and 251 stop outside Carlton Baths.
Bus 546 stops around the corner on Alexandra Parade, a 3 minute walk away.
Tram 1 or 8 takes you to Stop 113 Lytton Street/Lygon Street, a 5 minute walk away.
Buses 200 and 207 stop on the corner of Johnston and Rathdowne Streets, a 7 minute walk away.

Consent/Registration Form

If you are under 16, you will need a parent, guardian or carer to sign the form. If you are over 16, you can complete the form yourself.

Head over to our resource section to download the registration form and bring it with you to our program! Or, you can turn up and get a paper form from one of our Youth Development Practitioners.

Young Men’s Program- Carlton is proudly funded by the City of Melbourne

Young Men’s Program- North Melbourne

What can you expect?

Can we help you attend?

If you are shy you can give us a holla and one of our friendly Youth Workers will help you feel comfortable and welcome.

Getting there:

The North Melbourne Community Centre is located at 49/53 Buncle Street North Melbourne off Boundary Road.

You can use these Public Transportation options to get there:

The 402 bus stops on Macaulay Road, near the Melrose Street shops
5 minute walk from the Macaulay train station
10 minute walk from tram 57 at the Boundary road stop (near 7Eleven).

Is permission required?

Short answer – yes. Click on this link to complete simple registration form.

ALSO – You can just turn up and meet other young people. If you start attending regularly we will ask you to complete a registration form.

Why do you need to complete a registration form?

the drum’s registration form should have all the deets you and you parent/guardian or carer need.
The form outlines what the activities are, including our and your responsibilities.
We also need emergency contact details, we usually don’t need to use them, but just in case we need to contact your parent, guardian or carer.
The form also helps us know any spiritual, health and well-being needs you may have.

If you are under 18 the registration form needs to be signed by your parent, carer or guardian to complete registration form.

If you are over 18 you can sign this for yourself but we’ll still need some emergency contact details.

We absolutely keep your information confidential and we respect your privacy.

If you want to be super organised and bring the registration form on your first visit to the program click here. Otherwise, we can provide a paper copy when you attend the program.

Young Men’s Program- North Melbourne is proudly funded by the City of Melbourne

Underground Women’s

What can you expect?

Underground Women’s Program is a diverse, empowering, fun, and engaging program based on youth interests and activities such as cooking, arts and crafts, sports, games, school holiday programs, self-defence, dance and so much more. Underground Women’s is for young women aged between 12 – 25 who live, work, or play in the City of Melbourne. We welcome all young women to join us and make some fun memories in our program. contact 03 96636733 or email enquiries@ds.org.au

Is permission required?

Short answer – yes, pick a registration form up on program.

ALSO – You can just turn up and meet other young women and if you start attending regularly we will ask you to complete a registration form.

Why do you need to complete a registration form?

the drum registration form should have all the deets you need, and also for your parent, guardian or carer. The form outlines what the Underground Women’s activities are, including ours and your responsibilities. We also need emergency contact details, we usually don’t need them, but just in case we need to contact your parent, guardian or carer in case of an emergency. It is also useful to know – and if we don’t ask – we don’t know about any spiritual, health, dietary and wellbeing needs you may have.

If you are under 18 the registration form needs to be signed by your parent, carer or guardian to complete registration form.

If you are over 18 you can sign this for yourself but we’ll still need some emergency contact details.

We absolutely keep your information confidential and we respect your privacy.

If you want to be super organised and bring the registration form on your first visit to the program. Otherwise, we can provide a paper copy when you attend the program.

Locations

2022- Underground Women’s Program

North Melbourne Community Centre 49 – 53 Buncle Street North, North Melb. We move around the centre but you will be able to find us in either the drum youth space, the stadium, games room or kitchen.

Carlton – Two locations:

1. Carlton Baths- 216/248 Rathdowne St, Carlton VIC 3053

2. Kathleen Syme Library – 251 Faraday Street Carlton. Rooms vary based on availability so make sure you check on the screen located at the front to see which room we are in.

Can we help you attend?

If you are new to the program (or you know someone) who might need some encouragement or support to attend, just give us a holla and one of the drum’s friendly team members can help this happen.

Who runs these programs?

Samira Ibrahim- (Youth Development Practitioner)
0448 154 986
samira.ibrahim@ds.org.au

Leyla Pacheco- (Peer Leader)
0436 118 514
leyla.pacheco@ds.org.au

During Covid19

During the pandemic we’re doing a bunch of exciting online programs including Self-Care on Wednesdays, and Games & Chats every Thursday.
To join us, check out our Instagram , or contact Sian!

If you’re interested in a Carepackage during this time, please dont hesistate to get it contact as well!

Underground Women’s is proudly funded by the City of Melbourne