Youth take lead role in Cooma Hub upgrade
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Creativity and enthusiasm were overflowing as a group of young people came together to start planning for the upgrade of the Snowy Monaro’s premier youth space.
A working group comprising Snowy Monaro Youth Councillors, high school students and young adults will lead the way in redesigning the Cooma Hub.
The group had its first meeting last week following expressions of interest being called for the working group in May.
The HUBgrade project will see this much used community facility transformed into a modern, more accessible space for young people to meet.
Initial designs for the revamped Hub will see a designated study area and office space that are home to improve IT equipment.
Snowy Monaro Regional Council Youth Mayor, Will Wright, said the working group is looking forward to helping improve this space as it’s such an important community asset for young people.
“The young kids participating are keen to work on this project. They’ve brought some great ideas and we will keep brainstorming across the six sessions of the working group,” said Youth Mayor Will Wright.
“The young people involved have welcomed being included in the design stage and having a say. It will be fantastic to see local kids take this project through from initial blueprints to a welcoming youth space.”
The working group will participate in a series of co-design workshops to plan the future of the space.
Students from St Patrick’s Parish School in Cooma are also assisting in the upgrade with students from the senior arts class providing input into The Hub’s interior design.
The Hub is a longstanding partnership between Snowy Monaro Regional Council and The Y (formerly YMCA NSW). The space provides recreational, educational and personal development opportunities for young people aged between 12 and 17.
Council and The Y received a $169,000 grant through the NSW Government’s Stronger Country Communities Fund to deliver the HUBgrade. The working group has already started putting their ideas to paper with designs coming together for the new outdoor area, performance space and youth consultation room.
A portable stage will be installed to strengthen The Hub’s reputation as a venue for aspiring local musicians.
Feeding off the working group’s ideas, the final design for the HUBgrade will be led by a young, local architecture student.