Catch Up: Introducing the Young Designer Program (and more)…

We’re back! And whether or not you have been wondering what Uplift has been up to in our absence from the blogosphere in the last year, we have some exciting new updates we would like to share!

YOUNG DESIGNER PROGRAM

First and foremost, Uplift’s new Young Designer Program (YDP) is getting underway. Beginning on the 1st of June, Uplift will be running a series of five two-hour workshops over a five-week period with The Bridge. The YDP is a new program which teaches creative design, intending to compliment but exist separately to previous iterations of screen printing programs Uplift has run. It has been created to cover a core set of essential skills in the design process, including ideation, Photoshop, pitching, printing and portfolio construction. Ultimately, it is our vision that the YDP open doors to personal and professional opportunities for young people interested in finding creative outlets to express themselves. The YDP is also set to feature two external artists to provide additional expertise and guidance in the process. Stay tuned for more updates as the YDP unfolds!

We are also happy that the launch of the YDP will be hosted by The Bridge. The Bridge is a subsidiary of Project Youth, a non-profit organisation which provides young people aged 12-24 across Sutherland Shire, Georges River and Bayside with a variety of avenues for outreach and assistance in teams specialising in early intervention, education, employment and training, and housing and homelessness. We previously worked with Project Youth in 2019 and we are eager to be involved again with the talented people at their youth refuges. 

YOUTH ACTION PROJECT GRANT SCHEME

In associated news, Uplift is excited to announce that we have received a new grant from the Youth Action Project Grant Scheme (YAPGS). The scheme is a government-developed program which provides grants between $5,000 and $20,000 to projects which assist young people aged 15-24 facing ongoing challenges in fields such as transport, mental health and employment. Uplift’s proposal was accepted by the scheme, providing the project with access to funds to be used in running the YDP. Specifically, Uplift will be using the grant to fund resources to be used in the YDP, including by providing subscriptions to essential software such as Photoshop, Illustrator and Lightroom, essential hardware such as pen-tablets and laptops, as well as physical stationery and the equipment required in the printing stage of the program. We are extremely grateful to the YAPGS for understanding and sharing in the vision we have for the YDP.

Check out the other recipients here: https://www.fya.org.au/yapgs/