Slip in the side entrance of Hawthorn Arts Centre, up the rainbow stairs, slide left and you'll find yourself in our Youth Hub.
After a warm welcome from our friendly youth workers you'll find couches and beanbags, pool and table tennis tables, computers, a recording studio, free wi-fi and a lizard called Risky.
Errol Desouza is a student at Swinburne University and a regular at the Hub, which he describes as 'like a second home'. 'Being away from my family in Melbourne can be tough sometimes, but coming here makes me feel like I've got a whole new family. The staff are great - they listen to us and care about what we think. It's nice to feel valued.
'Mostly I hang out with my band in the jam room. It's awesome that we can book it for practice. My bandmates are from all different backgrounds and it's cool how music brings us together.'
Errol says he would 'totally' recommend the Hub to others. 'It's a great way to meet new people and try new things. There's always something going on, whether it's fun activities or programs where you can learn skills. Plus, if you're ever feeling a bit lost or need advice, there's always someone here to talk to.'
Anyone aged 10 to 25 can come to the Youth Hub. It's open weekdays from midday (10 am during school holidays) to 6 pm. Besides relaxing, there's a ton of events, workshops and groups to get involved with.
Is this thing on?
Use our sound-proofed recording studio for podcasts, band jam sessions or photo and video editing. Our Bloom podcast, created by young people for young people, is recorded here. And you can learn how to use all the gear at our free 6-week Studio Skills program for ages 15 to 25. It's just started for term 3 and you can join any week.
