In the wake of the YWAM Medical Ship tour passing through Townsville, Youth Street has seen a steady growth in attendance at the dynamic Saturday program. Over the past 5 years, attendance has ebbed and flowed, yet the vision has stayed the same: To equip the next generation to live healthy lifestyles and believe that they can make a positive difference in the world.
Fiona Saxby, longtime Youth Street Coordinator for Townsville, commented on the increase stating, “We’ve seen over 80 crew attend each of the past 3 Saturdays, and back in June we saw a record 300+ people attend the “Compliments of Gus” rock band show.”
When asked why the kids keep coming back, Fiona replied, “Youth Street is a safe, fun, positive environment where young people can come and be themselves. They are valued and believed in by the staff, respected as individuals and encouraged to excel in their different skill sets.”
A typical Saturday finds the team of around 50 volunteers who staff the program hard at work from 2 P.M. till 10 P.M. running dynamic teams focused around music, art, dance, skate and sports. In the later part of the evening, Youth Street Live often kicks off with a live rock band and a charismatic speaker presenting positive messages. Afterwards there are games in the auditorium, skating on the YWAM skate ramps, and movies in the Youth Street cafe.
Just to keep things interesting, Youth Street Live often features themes such as Gameshow Night, Pacman Night, or Gladiator Night. Below is some footage from the most recent Gladiator night held 2 months ago.
One of the highlights of running Youth Street has been watching the growth in the young people’s lives. “The Youthstreet crew members are so excited to be here,” said Fiona, “and we see a lot of the older ones that are developed and a bit more mature in their values mentoring the younger youth in positive ways! As Youth Street moves forward we will continue to champion young people, help them see that they are worthwhile, and give them opportunities to connect with friends locally, nationally and globally through Youth Street teams, Youth Street camps and international outreaches.”
With 2010 only halfway through, there is much more growth and fun to be had! Upcoming events to look forward to include a pirate theme night, a “Not For Sale” community outreach day raising finances for fighting human trafficking, and the famous “5 Day Escape” camp that runs from the 26th September – 2nd October. If you want more info, check out the Youth Street facebook group.
In closing, here is a video of a typical day at Youth Street taken by one of the staff. We hope you enjoy!
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