Cambridge Youth Service, WA

We provide a youth drop-in space with youthworker support as well as community-based programmes and activities for young people aged 12 – 25. There is a focus on safe, affordable youth-oriented recreation and social opportunity, and the development and support of youth culture through arts, music and other creative fields.

Major uses of the Centre are education-related (e.g. assignments, research), search for information and recreational/social uses. Young people use the internet to search for employment and accommodation; find information about health, sexual health, mental health and personal issues; correspond with others; contact families in other countries; access youth culture including music, writing and art; stay in touch with home country culture; create films or music; enter competitions and submit art or writing; create art or writing or learn to use applications like web-building, film-making etc. It can also be an important tool for finding out information and connecting with services and others for young people struggling with personal issues like sexual identity.

We have a strong commitment to youth participation and our programmes and activities not only respond directly to young people’s preferences and requests but also endeavour to involve young people at every level from planning to delivery and evaluation. One of our functions is to help young people develop and fund their own initiatives in these areas. The Beanbag Centre not only provides important IT access to young people without private access, but also has enabled us to develop young people’s IT skills and confidence through directed training.