EPIC by Youth

EPIC by Youth: supporting engagement and connection

Our ‘Engage Program Inspired and Created by Youth’ (EPIC by Youth) works with migrant and refugee people aged 12 to 25 years to support their continued engagement and connection with family, friends and community.

EPIC by Youth and our Empower Youth program provide participants with a culturally supportive environment to foster a sense of belonging and help encourage positive choices and community networks through free social, recreational, educational and cultural activities. The program is led and informed by young people, including local youth leaders.

We work with around 600 young people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds each year as part of the EPIC by Youth program.

Key activities include:

• youth leadership group
• homework club
• advocacy action groups
• life-skills workshops which focus on things like swimming, mental health, food and cooking
• financial literacy
• personal development
• leadership camps

The program has been delivering support young people in the south-east suburbs of Melbourne for more than 10 years and is supported by local and state governments. Local secondary schools also support and refer students on to the program.

EPIC by Youth has demonstrated outcomes including increased access to opportunities for meaningful social connection, resulting in improvements in positive relationships and increased self-esteem, confidence and wellbeing.

School holiday programs

Want to have some fun with other young people next school holidays? Then our range of school holiday activities is for you!

Each school holidays we run a variety of programs and activities aimed at keeping young people in our community active and engaged. These activities range from soccer clinics through to our annual Beach Day activity in the summer which focuses on water safety skills in a fun and interactive environment.

Most importantly, our school holiday programs gives participants an opportunity to exercise their team building skills and strengthen connections with other young people.

The EPIC by Youth and Empower programs are funded with support from the Victorian Government and VicHealth.