International Youth Day is an awareness day designated by the United Nations. The purpose of the day is to draw attention to a given set of cultural and legal issues surrounding youth.
"Safe spaces such as civic spaces enable youth to engage in governance issues; public spaces afford youth the opportunity to participate in sports and other leisure activities in the community; digital spaces help youth interact virtually across borders with everyone; and well planned physical spaces can help accommodate the needs of diverse youth especially those vulnerable to marginalization or violence." - UNDESA Division For Inclusive Social DevelopmentYouth
MYAN Australia's vision is that all young people from refugee and migrant backgrounds can access the support and opportunities they need to be active participants in, and contributors to, Australian society.
This is achieved when young people feel safe, included, respected and supported.
We want to see and share the dynamic ways in which young people from refugee and migrant backgrounds identify with safe spaces.
Send us a picture of your safe space with a caption explaining why that is your safe space, and go into the draw to have your image featured in our next mail-out.
These can be pictures with or without people in them. For an example, check out the picture and caption below, submitted by our Queensland representative on the Youth Ambassadors Network (YAN).
“I define my safe space as somewhere I can be honest to myself, about my feelings and aspirations. Being close to nature provides me a place where I can reflect and decide on things happening to me and with me. There is no fear of judgement, retaliation or rejection, my safe space hears me out and gives me strength. A walk amongst the bush alone, or a run along the banks of a river is always therapeutic.” - QLD YAN