Coming up: Friday 5th February - Live bands at the Youthie featuring Romero’s, Red Letter Day and 4 Degrees Hotter. Entry cost is $6 and the event is from 7-10pm.
Saturday 6th February - Pool Competition 2pm and Table Tennis Competition 4pm.
Wednesday 10th February - Youthweek planning meeting at the Youthie from 4pm.

Calling all writers, artists and creators: Culturalista Volume 5 is open for Submissions. Submissions close February 28th (no word limits, no restrictions). The theme for the next issue is hope and we welcome all creative responses and interpretations. Hope, it can be an amazing thing, but what does it mean to you? A great opportunity to get published, with prizes up for grabs! Culturalista is a collaborative project that publishes the diverse voices of Australia in a printed and online zine that reaches thousands of people throughout Australia. Submissions can include: paintings, photography, stories, or anything else that we can print! Previous issues of Culturalista are available at www.culturalista.org.au. Don’t blame the media become the media.
Contact info@culturalista.org.au for further details.

Give up alcohol for a whole month? We double dare you! FebFast is a national health and charity campaign that dares Australians to banish the booze during February, the shortest month of the year. After the indulgent festive season, FebFast gives your liver a break while raising money for organisations that help young people with serious alcohol and drug problems. Giving up grog for 28 days can seem daunting to some, so in 2010 FebFast “double dares” you – sign up for FebFast with a friend, partner or family member and do it together. Funds raised from FebFast go to The Australian Drug Foundation, Youth Substance Abuse Service (VIC), Ted Noffs Foundation (NSW and ACT), Mater Hospital Adolescent Drug and Alcohol Withdrawal Service (QLD) and several community organisations. During February, FebFasters will receive a range of discounts and goodies including free Step into Life group fitness sessions, discounts at GNC LiveWell stores and Endota Spa, and concession price tickets at Moonlight Cinema. Kick-start your fundraising by paying the $25 ($10 concession) registration fee, then create your own page where your friends and family can donate online. All donations over $2 are tax deductable. While FebFast is a challenge, we don’t want to spoil the party – participants can purchase a date stamped ‘Time Out Certificate’ to celebrate a special occasion with alcohol. Take up the challenge and sign up today at www.febfast.com.au.

Think before you post: ‘Think before you post’ is the theme of Safer Internet Day 2010, the international cybersafety event supported in Australia by the Australian Communications and Media Authority. Safer Internet Day is the annual event which aims to raise awareness about the safe and responsible use of online technologies by children and young people. It is organised by Insafe, an international network for internet safety.  The ACMA will hold a number of activities in the lead up to Safer Internet Day which takes place on 9 February 2010. For more information about Safer lnternet Day and the Cybersmart program or for copies of internet safety resources, please call the Cybersafety Contact Centre on 1800 BB0 176 or email cybersafety@acma,gov.au. The cybersmart website can be found at www.cybersmart.gov.au.

Youth Services Toolkit: In 2009 Communities NSW Sport and Recreation developed a free online resource called Youth Services Toolkit which is aimed at assisting community youth workers and sporting clubs. Our aim is to have this resource widely used throughout the community to help empower sporting clubs and volunteers. The website can be found at www.youthservicestoolkit.com.au.