Staying connected
AHorsham youth group’s social bond has strengthened through COVID-19, sparking plans to reach out to more young people across the region.
Young G, which provides a social hub and equal opportunities for Wimmera young people, particularly migrant youth, is now looking to branch out beyond COVID-19.
Group leader Eddie Nsanzimana said the group’s time in self-isolation had highlighted the significance of staying connected.
He said the group was seeking to reach out to more migrant youth and young people in rural towns. “My dream is to see Young G grow,” he said. “I would like to get to Nhill because there’s a lot of migrant youth there – so it would be good to get them involved, alongside more young people in Horsham.”
Mr Nsanzimana said the group had shown a great deal of leadership throughout the pandemic.
“I’ve seen a lot of kids grow in their leadership skills and their confidence has gone through the roof, which is great to see,” he said.
“We have really gotten to know each other throughout COVID-19 because we meet online, have a laugh and get time to share our stories with each other. It’s really brought the group close and built really strong bonds.”
The group found creative ways to stay connected with the community and each other.
Members sent out handwritten postcards to some of Horsham’s senior citizens on Anzac Day.
“We realised a lot of people might be feeling lonely, especially older people who might not have families in town or were already isolated before COVID-19,” Mr Nsanzimana said.
“We just thought it was a great opportunity to promote this multicultural youth group into the Wimmera.”
He said the group was looking for fundraising opportunities when restrictions were over.
“We might start doing fundraising to try to raise funds for our trips,” he said.
“At Centre for Participation we have our own little food van called social pantry – we might use some of the skills we’re learning through COVID-19 to run our own fundraiser shop.”
Young G supports youth of diverse backgrounds and cultures living in the Wimmera.
Mr Nsanzimana, 23, forged the way for Young G in 2014, creating a space where youth could feel safe and comfortable while being involved in the community.
He said his personal experience of moving to Adelaide from Rwanda as a young migrant in 2006 drove him to lead the group.
Mr Nsanzimana said he wanted young migrants in the region to have the same level of support he had when he moved to Horsham in year eight.
“I wanted to give back and do something positive for other migrants, so they don’t have to struggle or experience racism like I did when I was in Adelaide,” he said.
“But at Horsham College, I had a great experience – a really strong support system.”
Mr Nsanzimana encouraged more young people to join the group.
“If you want to get involved, meet people, have fun and go on camps, go to Centre for Participation and fill out an expression of interest – it’s free, there’s no cost in being part of Young G,” he said.