Byron Bay articles of interest.

INITIAL RESPONSE FROM THE SCHOOLIES HUB COORDINATOR, NICQUI YAZDI, TO THE NEWS OF BYRON SHIRE COUNCIL REMOVING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO THE BYRON SCHOOLIES SAFETY RESPONSE HUB in 2013 – “With all of the current high profile alcohol issues in Byron, it comes as a serious blow to the community that Byron Shire Council have essentially pulled all of their support for the Byron Schoolies Safety Response HUB this year. For the last four years, the HUB has provided much needed assistance during this high traffic time, not only to the visiting schoolies, but also to the local community, in making sure that the safety issues of having 10,000 extra young visitors here, are attended to. To clarify for the community [...]

For the youth of Byron!! Hey it’s YOUTH WEEK this week and there’s some special events coming up at the YAC – the first of which is the Youth Week Youth Forum – “Things are getting dire * have your say about the Shire” – happening from 6-8pm at the Byron YAC on Thursday 11th April… The adults of Byron have been having their fair share of ‘community forums’ of late… now it’s time to hear from the young people!! Free yummy food too!! Get along and tell us what you think about the state of affairs in Byron these days!!

On Saturday January 12 the YAC Amphitheatre is set to come alive with with the sounds of 20 young hardcore and metal bands in the first festival of it’s kind, the Which Way Festival. It will feature many of the bands who have played at the YACROCKCAFE at the Byron Youth Activities Centre on Friday nights throughout 2012. The Which Way Festival on Saturday January 12 was the brainchild of James Heath, member of local young hardcore band Like Cannons. James wanted to do a fundraiser to help to purchase more equipment for the bands to use on Friday nights. His idea spread like wildfire, with nearly 20 bands signing up to play the festival within a week! Currently the [...]

The YACROCKCAFE will tonight host a Hardcore Party for the launch of Cringe The Binge – National Weekend Of Action! The YACROCKCAFE is a music based drop-in for high school and uni aged young people which happens every Friday night at the Byron Youth Activities Centre (YAC). Since it kicked off in March this year, the YACROCKCAFE has seen young bands from as far away as Launceston & Melbourne hit the stage each week, with many of the bands coming from Byron Shire, the Gold Coast and Brisbane. On average, each week, four bands play between 7 & 10pm. The YACROCKCAFE is supported by BUDDI (Byron Underage Drinking & Drug Initiative – Community Drug Action Team), Byron Youth Service and [...]

YOUNG PEOPLE URGED TO PLAY IT SAFE DURING SCHOOLIES WEEK 2012 -  AUSTRALIAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION AMA President, Dr Steve Hambleton, said today that school leavers could enjoy their much-deserved fun and relaxation during Schoolies Week 2012 without resorting to binge drinking, which can often lead to other unhealthy or unsafe behaviour. The Schoolies Week season commences from 17 November in NSW and Queensland, with other States to follow in coming weeks. In the lead-up to Schoolies Week, Dr Hambleton will tomorrow officially open the Cringe the Binge National Weekend of Action in Byron Bay, one of the most popular destinations for school leavers looking to unwind after their exams. Cringe the Binge is a community-wide Byron Bay movement that is [...]

THIS WEEKEND SEES THE LAUNCH OF A NATIONAL CAMPAIGN TO HAVE ALL AUSTRALIANS RETHINK THEIR BINGE DRINKING HABITS AND DONATE TO AN INITIATIVE THAT IS SET TO EDUCATE YOUNG PEOPLE ABOUT THE ISSUES OF BINGE DRINKING. Cringe The Binge is the brainchild of Byron Youth Service, leaders in the field of providing essential youth programs and initiatives in Byron Shire for over 25 years. Following on from their massive success with Project U-Turn over the last few years, Byron Youth Service are launching Cringe The Binge – National Weekend of Action from November 9-11, which will be an annual weekend asking all Australians to Cringe The Binge and donate funds that will go towards developing education programs for young people, [...]

New initiative from Byron Youth Service – Cringe The Binge – was launched nationally last Friday, with hundreds of people turning up to the official media launch in Apex Park in Byron Bay. Pictured here is BYTE member (Byron Youth Theatre in Education), Lily Jo Smith with posters for the RISE event, happening as part of the Cringe The Binge National Weekend of Action from November 9-11 What is Cringe the Binge? Cringe the Binge is a grass roots initiative that aims to reverse youth binge drinking by supporting individual and community action. It is time for all of us to work together – families, communities, young people and government agencies to change the culture of binge d inking in [...]

THERE ARE NO EXCUSES FOR BORED TEENS IN BYRON BAY ON FRIDAY NIGHTS! THE YACROCKCAFE IS GOING OFF! The YACROCKCAFE is a music cafe for high school and uni aged young people, at the Byron Youth Activities Centre. Open every Friday night, music teachers and mentors are available in the Loud Room from 5-7pm some Fridays, followed by jam sessions and performance opportunities for young bands and musicians on the YAC stage from 7-10pm… There are also special gig nights with special guest artists… The Byron S.A.E. provide sound engineering students on work-placement to manage the sound for these events and a full PA is set up onstage every week for performing artists to use. Young bands and musicians can [...]

Since it started on March 9, the YACROCKCAFE at the Byron Youth Activities Centre, has seen over 100 young musicians and bands take to the stage. For many, it has been their first public appearances. The YACROCKCAFE is a music-based safe-socialising weekly drop-in program for teenagers, that happens on Friday nights from 5-10pm. The YAC stage is set up each Friday with a full PA system, which is managed by sound engineering students from the SAE, on work placement. The idea of these nights is to encourage young bands and musicians to get together and play music to a live audience in a drug and alcohol-free youth-friendly space. There have been a number of special party nights, including workshops from [...]

This July Byron Youth Service is celebrating 25 years as the primary provider of youth services in the Byron Shire.  Yay!  We figure that’s reason enough to put on a few special events and activities to celebrate and acknowledge that “Young People Matter” in our community. As many adults would recall, the teenage years are often a time of great change and turbulence for young people.  Not only are their bodies and brains rapidly developing, but their social networks and views of the world are forming also.  They are making sense of a rapidly changing and often challenging world.  They are thinking about their future and their place in the community – what they might like to ‘do’ or ‘be’ [...]

On June 23 the streets of Byron Bay will see it’s first SlutWalk.  The main idea of SlutWalk is that it is a protest against explaining or excusing rape by referring to any aspect of a woman’s appearance. On January 24th, 2011, a representative of the Toronto Police, during a lecture to college students, gave shocking insight into the Police Force’s view of sexual assault by stating: “women should avoid dressing like sluts in order not to be victimized.” The reaction to this statement has since started a world-wide grassroots movement challenging rape culture, victim-blaming and slut-shaming, and working to end sexual and domestic violence. Over the last 16 months, SlutWalks have taken place in almost every country in the [...]

VIBADELIX One Earth ~Arts Music & Environment Festival For the third year running Vibadelix Arts, Music and Environment Festival will be presented by Rock the YAC Productions at the Youth Activity Centre. Our theme this year is One Earth – Get ‘Fracking’ Aware! – We are fundraising to combat Coal Seam Gas mining in the region. We are calling out to all interested performers, musicians, visual and creative artists and environmentalists to perform, exhibit or speak at the festival and run creative and environmental workshops. Vibadelix will be a vibrant celebration of community spirit, raising awareness on environmental issues featuring an eclectic mix of music, bands, DJs, Singer/songwriters, circus, theatre performances, market stalls, an art exhibition and creative workshops on [...]

@ ‘Stukelele’ aka Stu Eadie from ‘Uke Mullum’ and Steiner music teacher Tom Whitaker will be bringing a special free ukulele workshop to the YACROCKCAFE, followed by a whole night of funky young uke players taking to the stage! Ilona Harker is coming to play some tunes too!!! Cecilia Brandolini is also on the night’s line-up, fresh from taking off third place in the Tweed Battle of the Bands with her brother Gabe. Cecilia will be joined by her sisters Bridget and Monica, who also all performed in the Bluesfest Groms Buskers Comp this year and at the Bluesfest itself. Alexandra Dickson Matilda Dods, Leila Karni, Leah Garnett-Carol, Maya Duel, Giri, Billy, Lali Gill and more! are on the line-up [...]

Kevin cringes at binges Former prime minister Kevin Rudd has lent his weight and his 1.1 million online followers to back a Byron Youth Service (BYS) initiative to tackle binge drinking among the young. During a surprise visit to the BYS centre in Byron Bay on Friday to hear about its national project Cringe the Binge and how the federal government could help, Mr Rudd immediately offered to do an on-the-spot video clip to post on YouTube for his legions of fans to promote the campaign that day. Accompanied by Richmond MP Justine Elliot, Mr Rudd said the project aimed to raise consciousness that binge drinking ‘is a problem and can stuff your brain’. After watching a video presentation of [...]

YOUTH WEEK PARTY AT THE YAC!! Tonight’s the night!! Huge line-up of local young talent! Open mic happening throughout the night too, so let all your young folk know that if they wanna come down and play a few songs, they’re welcome to do so! There’s heaps of instruments available to use or they can bring their own! Artists playing tonight include Reilly Fitzalan, Chelsea June, Loki Hough & Elliott Cooper Brain, Vanessa & Arna Rogers and Ben Meek & the Paper Navitators!! MC for the night is Byron’s own Dancin’ Man Thomas Franklin, get out your dancin’s shoes and ROCK ON DOWN TO THE YAC and do some dorking- Tommy style!! They’re starting early, 5-10pm…. It’s a Celebration of [...]

Byron Bay’s YACROCKCAFE @ the YAC are celebrating Youth Week with a massive free party for local youth on the 20th of April. The YACROCKCAFE kicked off back in March with a HUGE party. The Youth Week Party is looking at being even better! MC for the night is Byron’s very own Dancin’ Man Thomas Franklin. Young performers booked to play the party include Gabe & Cecilia Brandolini, Reilly Fitzalan, Vanessa & Arna Rogers, Ben Meek & the Paper Navigators, Chelsea June & Zep Hamilton and Loki Hough & Elliott Cooper Brain. YACROCKCAFE Coordinator Nicqui Yazdi said “All of these young musicians are incredibly talented and most of them have just played at the BluesFest. Gabe Brandolini is now living [...]

Art, music, employment and grant funding for young people’s projects are key themes for this year’s National Youth Week activities in Byron Shire. National Youth Week is the largest celebration of young people in Australia and this year’s theme isImagine. Create. Inspire. Council’s youth activity officer Belle Arnold said the Byron Shire Youth Council has been working with staff and community groups to deliver a fantastic line up for Youth Week 2012. National Youth Week (NYW) 2012 is on from Friday 13 April to Sunday 22 April 2012, with events running all over the country. The first Byron Shire FREE event will be the Youth Arts Exhibition, Friday 13 April from 6 to 8 pm.  The evening will showcase 90 entries from the [...]

With the 23rd BluesFest about to get underway, we thought we should give you a few tips on how to make it an easier experience… Take some sunscreen… The sun can be hellish if you’re spending 5 days out in it! Buy some gumboots! Available in every second shop in Byron! The BluesFest has another nickname in wet weather…. MudFest! And whatever you do, leave your thongs at home… there are thousands of them eternally buried in the ground out there from last year! Make sure you drink lots of water! There are hydration stations everywhere! Leave your dog at home… Unless you are a police person and your dog is a drug dog! And don’t try and pat the [...]

Do you want to volunteer to do some good things in the community? Then head on down to the Volunteers Expo at the Community Centre on Thursday… Keep your eye out for the BUDDI stall… BUDDI (the Byron Underage Drinking & Drug Initiative-Community Drug Action Team) needs volunteers for the new YACROCKCAFE, a teen music cafe at the YAC every Friday night; the Byron Schoolies Safety Response Schoolie HUB and other community events… Are you up for volunteering?? Head on down and sign up to be a volunteer! BUDDI – the Byron Underage Drinking & Drug Initiative-Community Drug Action Team BUDDI was formed under NSW Health Community Drug Strategies Program and is auspiced by Byron Youth Service. BUDDI Team membership [...]

“VOLUNTEER AND BE A STAR” BYRON BAY COMMUNITY CENTRE ‘Connection to the community makes you feel good, useful and wanted’. Byron Bay at the heart of the Shire is filled with many different people who volunteer to make the community a wonderful place to work and play. On March 15th 2012, the Byron Community Centre is hosting the second Byron Shire Volunteer Expo. An exciting community celebration showcasing organisations in the shire that rely on volunteers as part of their workforce.Volunteer contributions keep the community vibrant and alive. The Byron Shire has an amazing diversity of organisations that need volunteers - from art projects to theatre, landcare, music performances and community events. The Expo will showcase these organisations and provide an opportunity [...]

YACROCKCAFE Opening on March 9th at the Byron Youth Activities Centre – Music-based Drop-in for Teens Something exciting is about to kick-off for young people in Byron Bay on Friday nights. The YACROCKCAFE is a free weekly music-based drop-in program for high school aged young people on Friday nights at the Byron Youth Activities Centre. The YACROCKCAFE will commence on Friday March 9th with a special opening night party sponsored by Project U-Turn. Guest artists on the night include awarding winning young band Lifeline, Mitchell Smith (X-Factor), Cecilia Brandolini, Loki Hough and Haven Hough. There will be giveaways from surf and skateboard company, Bone Machine, including a custom made skateboard and t-shirt packs and free pizza from the new Byron [...]

BYRON SCHOOLIES SAFETY RESPONSE -WRAP UP FROM THE HUB COORDINATOR The third year of the Byron Schoolies Safety Response and the Schoolies HUB has come to an end. Once again this year, it has been a very successful event, helping to protect the local community and keep the youngest of our visitors safe while they were here on their special end of year 12 celebrations. Not everyone in the Byron community is happy about these types of celebrations, in fact, many would say that this type of rite of passage is unnecessary and should be stopped. Unfortunately, there’s pretty much nothing that can be done to stop Schoolies, so the best we can do, as a community, is to respond [...]

A scene from Schoolies 2009 at Main Beach, Byron Bay. The area is expecting 10,000 teenagers. IN A FEW days as many as 10,000 schoolies will descend on Byron Bay to celebrate finishing year 12. In an effort to keep the teens safe, the Byron Schoolies Hub will be open from this Friday and will remain open 24 hours a day for 18 days. Hub co-ordinator Nicqui Yazdi estimated half the schoolies who came to Byron were under the age of 18. Because they were unable to get into clubs and pubs many of them ended up drinking on beaches and in parks, Ms Yazdi said. Police will have a high presence in Byron during schoolies and will set up [...]

The first dedicated Byron Bay Surf Festival – ‘Surf Culture Now’ with major events taking place over 3 days in and around our beautiful Byron community. Form Fri 21st until Sun 23rd October people from all around the world will have the opportunity to be part of a non-competitive celebration of our diverse and unique surf culture in all its form and glory. This community festival where most events are ‘free’ (just like surfing is) is held in different venues & locations all around town; the Community Centre, Railway Park, Retrospect Galleries, YAC, Top Shop, Woodies Surf Shack, Stone & Wood Brewery, Pass Cafe, and last but not least beautiful Wategos Beach. Pure stoke overview - Byron Surf Festival: •                Music: Andrew Kidman, Dan Hannaford, Haldanes [...]

Schoolies is less than 6 weeks away now. 10,000 school leavers from all around Australia are coming to Byron to celebrate the end of Year 12. This year the Byron Schoolies Safety Response is offering free training to any volunteers who sign up before the end of October. These are certificate courses in Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) and Senior First Aid. The first 2-day YMHFA training will take place on October 31 and November 7 at the YAC. There will be a sign-on night and reunion at the Owl & Pussycat on October 24 from 6-8pm. This will be a chance for new volunteers to get together with past volunteers and sign up for this years HUB. There [...]

Byron schoolies working group has not heard from promoter IT IS rare for a Byron Bay development application to receive a unanimous response, but that appears to be the case for a proposed schoolies event in Byron Bay later this year. The rather cheeky proposal has managed to raise the ire of all members of the schoolies working group, including the police and council, by inferring support from key schoolies stakeholders who all say they have had no contact from the promoter. A proposal for a doof party lists the Byron Youth Service, Byron Underage Drinking and Drug Initiative (BUDDI), Project U Turn and volunteer support groups, the Red Frogs and the Byron Schoolies Safety Response team all as potential [...]

Rukkus Skate Competition 2011 Sunday 18 September Mullumbimby Skate Park $5 Registration from 11 Comp starts at 12 No Drugs or Alcohol Bring on the sunshine

LET’S GO FOR A WALK ~ Young Women’s Health Conference Wednesday 24 August 2011 ~ 9.30am – 3pm ~ Bangalow A&I Hall For young women 13-25 years of age. Why a Young Women’s Health Conference? The idea to run a conference for young women came from two different groups of local young women. The aims of this conference are: • to offer a safe space to get together express concerns about destructive relationships and behaviours around peers, young men, families, sexuality and substance abuse; • to provide relevant and useful information for young women to empower them to make positive choices that lead to healthy success relationships; • to help young women to develop and explore skills and strategies to handle [...]

Paul Waters; Kate Reed; Neroli Jager; Di Mahoney; Mike Clark; Nicqui Yazdi; Graham Pearson; Darren Pearson and Luke Mooney display a Project U-turn poster and petitions. DISCOUNT liquor chain Dan Murphy’s has hit back at claims its proposed outlet in Byron Bay will fan the flames of alcohol-fuelled violence that plague the popular tourist town. Public relations manager Simon Berger challenged opponents to prove how Dan Murphy’s presence was different to current liquor outlets. “What we’re doing is bringing choice to Byron Bay but we recognise we have a responsibility to the community,” he said. “Over 90 per cent of our customers are over 25 and we have a track record of responsible service … we will have over 30 [...]

A BYRON Youth Service (BYS) project aimed at helping young people learn the skills they need to find employment or to establish their own enterprises has been given a boost thanks to a $250,000 grant from the Federal Government. The grant is part of a $16 million Gillard Government boost to community programs encouraging strong communities, leadership and volunteering. Federal Member for Richmond Justine Elliot said the funding would provide practical help for people facing social and personal challenges and also help strengthen communities through locally-developed initiatives. “The Byron Youth Service grant will assist young people to develop their knowledge, skills and community connections in the development of small businesses and community projects,” she said. “It will connect them with [...]

Taking delivery: Ian Leggo, BYS treasurer, is in the driver’s seat with passenger Nicqui Yazdi, BUDDI co-ordinator. From left to right, Di Mahoney, director BYS, Lisa Fensom, youth worker and Deb Pearse, youth worker, Jemma Brunell and Richard Heazlewood-Ross, BYS chairperson. Looking out of the van, Bridget Perry. Photo Hans Lovejoy This week Byron Youth Service (BYS) takes delivery of its new Toyota 12-seater minibus for use as a mobile youth outreach service aiming to prevent and reduce youth crime around the Shire on weekends. The Turning The Tide On Local Youth Crime project will start on Friday April 1, which is the start of National Youth Week, visiting townships of the Shire on Friday and Saturday nights and engaging [...]

The New Byron Youth Service Bus This week Byron Youth Service (BYS) takes delivery of its new Toyota 12 seater minibus for use as a mobile youth outreach service aiming to prevent and reduce youth crime around the Shire on weekends. The “Turning the Tide on Local Youth Crime” project will be commencing service on Friday 1st April, which is the start of National Youth Week, visiting townships of the Shire on Friday & Saturday nights and engaging with young people that are hanging out on the streets.  The aim of the new service is to reduce the likelihood of young people, particularly those under 18 years of age, becoming involved in criminal activities such as alcohol & drug related [...]

Renee Simone was forced to move from Byron Bay to Lismore to live after it became impossible to find a property to rent or buy. IN HER last six years living at Byron Bay, Renee Simone moved house 15 times and was homeless three times. Then things got hard. Ms Simone fronts popular local band Blackbirds and has sung backing vocals for Xavier Rudd, she is a qualified occupational therapist and, during those six years between 2004 and 2010, worked with young people at the Byron Youth Service. But a decent job, solid qualifications and brushes with fame are not enough to put a roof over your head at Byron Bay. At least, not any more. Ms Simone told a [...]

Principals of Byron Bay Property Sales Graham Dunn (left) and Jeremy Ben- nett are all smiles after recently selling two multi-million dollar properties on the same day. THE sale of two multi-million dollar Byron Bay properties on the same day last week has injected confidence back into a tough real estate market. The two properties, both of which achieved record prices of more than $6 million, were sold by the principals of Byron Bay Property Sales, Graham Dunn and Jeremy Bennett. “We exchanged contracts for both properties on the same day last week and that was prettyexciting,” Mr Bennett said. “It’s a fantastic achievement as the market is really quiet and it puts confidence back in to the high-end Byron [...]

I remember the first doof I went to. I was about 25. It was a three day dance marathon held up at Macca’s campground somewhere in Main Arm. It wasn’t easy to find. In fact, I think that finding it was the first part of the challenge. We traipsed along a winding bush track in the pitch dark for what felt like an hour but was probably only 15 minutes. We couldn’t see it, but we could certainly hear it. A distant throbbing echoed in the forest like the heartbeat of some giant creature. Finally we emerged. A couple of feral fairies wearing fluffy flares crouched around a chai pot in a makeshift teepee at the entrance, gesturing that we make some sort of donation. I left $4 and an angel card affirmation. They smiled their beatific gratitude and handed me a cup. I felt [...]

New liquor store DA questioned. THE lodgement of a new development application for a Dan Murphy’s liquor store in Byron Bay was “sneaky” and designed to minimise public objections, according to a businessman in the town. Darren Pearson, who owns The Cellar liquor store, said the latest application, which was lodged on December 23 and went on exhibition last week, was essentially the same as the DA lodged in late 2009. However, because it was a “new” DA, previous objections would not be considered by the council. “Those submissions will just be filed away. A lot of people will not realise. They’ll think they have already objected and won’t object again,” Mr Pearson said. The latest DA is for conversion [...]

Christopher Dean from the NRCF with grant recipient BUDDI Team Leader Nicqui Yazdi and Luke Karmen MORE than $30,000 in grants to local groups was given out by the Northern Rivers Community Foundation (NRCF) in Byron Bay last night. Thirteen community-based organisations from Mullumbimby to Casino will share the money, which will take the amount distributed by the NRCF to $270,000 since its inception in 2004. Those organisations receiving grants this year include: Uniting Care Casino for their program of having volunteers drive elderly patients to out-of-town radiology or other medical appointments. INTRA / The Buttery for its outreach program encouraging Aboriginal elders to teach weaving and life skills to Aboriginal youth. Lifeline for professional development training for staff in [...]

Byron Bay has enjoyed the company of a more discerning group of school leavers this year, at odds with the media hype surrounding the event. Pictured enjoying schoolies at Byron Bay this year are (from left) Sara Khan, 17, Alexis Jayne, 18, and Sarah Coffey, 18, all from Sydney. BYRON Bay schoolies are fastlosing their reputation for trashing hotel rooms and doing a runner, according to the Byron Visitor Centre. And contrary to popular clichés, it appears the new generation of young school leavers would rather take in a little local culture than binge-drink on the beach. Schoolies this year have been so well-behaved that Byron Bay landlords and property managers are welcoming them back with open arms. With vacancies [...]

The Byron Schoolies HUB in Apex Park by the beach swung into action last weekend. Co-ordinator of the schoolies response group Nicqui Yazdi was very pleased with the response to the call for volunteers to help man the HUB 24/7 untill Dec 6. Over 100 volunteers shifts have now been covered. Local police, Schoolies organisers and the Mayor have all slammed national News Limited reports of brawling in Byron Bay last weekend. Local youth worker and Schoolies HUB coordinator Nicqui Yazdi said it was completely overblown. ‘The result of the reporting is that parents from all around Australia are needlessly worried and have been ringing us asking if everything is alright,’ she told The Echo. ‘Even the schoolies are upset – [...]

The Byron Schoolies Safety Response will be getting a big helping hand from Byron Youth Service (BYS) and BUDDI-CDAT (Byron Underage Drinking & Drug Initiative) for this years school leavers celebrations. BYS and BUDDI received a grant from the NRMA to provide a ‘Summer Safety in the Bay’ campaign and will be launching their program at Schoolies this year. Amongst other things, the NRMA funding has purchased 150 identifiable t-shirts for the volunteers of the Schoolies HUB and also volunteers for other high traffic times over summer, including New Years Eve. In an effort to reduce the amount of disposable cups that were used at last years Schoolies HUB, the NRMA grant will also enable the purchase refillable, biodegradable water [...]

The Byron Schoolies Safety Response will be getting a big helping hand from Byron Youth Service (BYS) and BUDDI-CDAT (Byron Underage Drinking & Drug Initiative) for this years school leavers celebrations. BYS and BUDDI received a grant from the NRMA to provide a ‘Summer Safety in the Bay’ campaign and will be launching their program at Schoolies this year. Amongst other things, the NRMA funding has purchased 150 identifiable t-shirts for the volunteers of the Schoolies HUB and also volunteers for other high traffic times over summer, including New Years Eve. In an effort to reduce the amount of disposable cups that were used at last years Schoolies HUB, the NRMA grant will also enable the purchase refillable, biodegradable water [...]

BYRON shire locals are now putting pen to paper as part of their campaign to get a nightly bus service. The Petition for Byron Shire Night Bus started with a Facebook page earlier this year which now has the support of 800 members. Most recently, a hard copy petition has evolved. Two petitions are available to sign at the Byron Youth Activities Centre and at the Santos Natural Food Store in Mullumbimby. Nicqui Yazdi from the BUDDI (Byron Underage Drinking & Drug Initiative) said more than three pages had been signed at the youth centre since the petition was put there a few days ago. “There are 800 people on the Facebook site and we have got to get the [...]

Schoolies is only weeks away now. 10,000 school leavers from all around Australia are coming to Byron to celebrate the end of Year 12. This year the Byron Schoolies Safety Response is once again recruiting volunteers for the Schoolies HUB in order to help make the young visitors welcome and ensure that they enjoy a safe celebration. The HUB will be open 24/7 for the 18 days of School Leavers Celebrations from the 19th of November until the 6th of December. Volunteers will be rostered on for shifts of 4 hours around the clock. Last year 66 local volunteers worked the Schoolies HUB along with assistance from the Red Frogs and also local organisation YWAM (Youth With A Mission). This [...]

Previous SNAP winners Angel Scarf and Koby Hagenfelds with Steffi from BYS THE Byron Youth Service is once again running its popular photo competition. Young photographers aged between 12 and 24 years who live, work or study in the Northern Rivers are invited to participate in the third SNAP competition. The competition is free and will culminate in a public exhibition at the Byron Youth Activity Centre (the YAC) on November 18. SNAP will offer more than $5000 in cash and prizes. The competition will include eight categories reflecting various visions of ‘night or day’. The winner of the People’s Choice Award will receive $1000 in cash and prizes. Young people will also have the opportunity to sell their work [...]

THE person behind a Facebook page honouring dozens of young people killed on roads in and near Byron Shire says abuse by ‘older’ residents has forced the site’s closure. The page, Byron Shire Youth Road Toll A Tribute To Our Fallen Friends RIP, carried a list of about 35 people killed on roads – mostly young and mostly within the Byron Shire. It included photos of victims, tributes from friends and family members, and road safety messages. It gathered more than 2500 supporters in little more than a week, but was shut down on Monday after the unidentified site administrator claimed to have been lashed by older Byron residents over a post urging young drivers to be careful over the [...]

Operational: Byron youth service worker Deb Pearse inspects the damage to the Mullumbimby Youth Centre after a fire guttered the veranda last week. MULLUMBIMBY’S youth centre is open for business and – with the help of Byron Shire Council – looks set to carry on following a fire that guttered its veranda last week. Byron Shire Council’s executive manager of corporate management, Mark Arnold, said the cost of damage to the historic ‘Widow’s Cottage’ was still unknown but was currently being assessed. “From a first inspection, inside is structurally sound and there are no concerns regarding electrics,” he said. It is thought last week’s fire was caused by a candle being used by two homeless people sleeping on the veranda. [...]

At 10am yesterday, Tuesday 24th August 2010, The Byron Schoolies Safety Working Group met at the Byron Youth Activities Centre, 1 Gilmore Crescent, to sign a ‘Joint Vision Statement’ for this year’s Byron Schoolies Safety Response in November/December. The Byron Schoolies Safety Response aims to provide a safe and secure environment in Byron Bay during the end of year school leaver celebrations using the key messages of Respect, Responsibility and Relax. In 2009, the Byron Schooies Safety Response was born, in response to the need for safety strategies to cater to this ever-growing School Leavers event. In 2009, around 10,000 young people attended their end of Year 12 Celebrations here in Byron Bay over a period of 16 days. For [...]

$127,000 POCA grant recipients – Di Mahoney Director of BYS and Nicqui Yazdi Team Leader of BUDDI at this years Australia Day Awards where Nicqui received the award for 2010 Byron Shire Citizen of the Year Byron Youth Service is celebrating! It has recently secured a 2010 Proceeds of Crime Act Community Grant that will fund a mobile youth outreach service for the Shire, in partnership with BUDDI, the local community drug action team. The “Turning the Tide on Local Youth Crime” project aims to provide an early intervention service for young people on Friday and Saturday nights in Byron Shire and at peak times during events, festivals, schoolies & summer tourism. Director of BYS, Di Mahoney, said “We are [...]

Byron Youth Service director Di Mahoney (right) and Kate Reed, the new co-ordinator of the service’s Project U-Turn. Working with traumatised women and their children in the violent slums of Nairobi for five weeks this year revealed to counsellor Kate Reed just how deep she could “dig”. It gave her, she said, a new sense of perspective of what in life might ‘rattle’ her and how to deal with different situations. Part of a Healing Hands team, Kate said some of the stories she had heard from women in the slums were ‘indescribable’. “The stories the women told me will stay with me forever,” she said. “There is so much violence over there. They are in physical danger every day. [...]

Byron Youth Service and the BUDDI-CDAT (Byron Underage Drinking & Drug Initiative – Community Drug Action Team) got some  fantastic news yesterday…….they received $127,400 from the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) community crime prevention grants to implement  a new project, ‘Turning the Tide on Local Youth Crime’ Amongst other things, the grant will enable the purchase a vehicle for use as a mobile youth outreach service – particularly addressing Fri & Sat nights in the Shire and the additional action that comes with events, festivals & peak tourism. Di Mahoney, Director of BYS said “I would like to thank all of those who supported this application with letters of support and encouragement – and am absolutely delighted that we have brought more [...]