Digital storytelling skills
CREATIVE YOUNG PEOPLE FROM DIVERSE COMMUNITIES SHARING THEIR STORIES THANKS TO NEW PROGRAM
Creative young people from diverse Shepparton communities are being given the opportunity to share their stories thanks to a new $1 million program aimed at increasing digital skills among young people of colour.
Two Multicultural Arts Victoria programs — Duniya Behter and Ahead of the Curve — are being rolled out in Shepparton, Bendigo and Melbourne in the next few months.
The Shepparton-based Duniya Behter program is operating out of Mooroopna’s Point of Difference studio.
MAV information explained Duniya Behter as meaning ‘‘the world’’ in Arabic and Hindi.
It is also found in the languages of Swahili, Hazaragi, Urdu and Persian, where it holds a similar meaning.
Behter means working together to make better.
Shepparton MAV creative producer Anita Larkin said the program was a two-stream COVID-19 recovery initiative — one aimed at developing the cultural skills of women, the other aimed at youth through a series of digital communication workshops.
‘‘It’s about creating content that is culturally responsive. It could be shared on social media or shared on websites or through podcasts,’’ she said.
Program digital technician Jonathan Safari, 20, hoped to be using his skills in photography and music production to help young creatives tell their stories.
‘‘I’ll be trying to help them bring their stories alive — either their personal stories or ones about their communities,’’ he said.
Mr Safari has developed his own music, film and photography production skills through YouTube videos and musicstreaming channels.
Program co-ordinator Aby Simaika, 24, said it was an exciting opportunity for culturally diverse young people from country communities to expand their digital skills.
‘‘It’s a great investment for them for their future. With the current climate of everything moving online it’s an awesome opportunity to offer these skills to
IT’S A GREAT INVESTMENT FOR THEM FOR THEIR FUTURE. WITH THE CURRENT CLIMATE OF EVERYTHING MOVING ONLINE IT’S AN AWESOME OPPORTUNITY TO OFFER THESE SKILLS TO LOCAL YOUNG PEOPLE.
— ABY SIMAIKA
local young people,’’ she said.
Mr Safari said the sessions would be held after school at the Macisaac Rd POD studio in Mooroopna.
Ms Larkin said participants would be able to decide on content and how the program was delivered.
‘‘We are working towards having face-to-face workshops and we can also offer commissions so there will be opportunities for young people to create digital artworks and be paid to do that,’’ she said.
Mentoring and production workshops will be held until December.
The two programs are funded through the Victorian Government’s Priority Response to Multicultural Communities During Coronavirus (COVID-19) Program.
● For more information and how to sign up, go to www.mav.org.au/ news/duniya-behter/