A youth festival is returning for its fourth year, and organisers say it continues to grow as a unique, community-driven event tackling youth mental health and wellbeing.
The Sunshine Coast’s Nurture Festival will return on September 6, this time at a new location.
Festival and endED co-founder Mark Forbes said the event was born from a desire to bring community organisations together.
“Our charity endED is very community-based and we work with many different community groups, so we are always quick to share any information we get,” he said.
“The person you’re supporting needs to be put first and if you do that then you don’t just engage your own organisation, you engage as many organisations as needed to give that participant the best chance of getting through their journey.”
The idea for the festival was sparked five years ago when Mark and Nathan Taylor from Comunite’z realised there was too much duplication of effort among groups working in isolation.
Since then the event has grown its partnerships and found a new home at Mooloolaba.
“For economies of scale and for a change of landscape, we’ve now moved it to the Mooloolaba foreshores. (Sunshine Coast) Council were keen to activate that area, so it made it more economical to do it there,” Mr Forbes said.
“Plus, it’s obviously taking in our beautiful coastline and beaches. And it also opens it up to more public because of the public thoroughfare that’s there.
“Mooloolaba Rotary continue to be a great Nurture Festival partner and this year, they are providing volunteers to ensure safe pedestrian access to the event.”
One of the festival’s biggest drawcards has been the involvement of Katie Noonan’s Eumundi School of Music, which is back for the second year.
“They’re that excited about it that they actually put Nurture in their School of Music program. So this year they’ll have about five different busking stations set up throughout the event,” Mr Forbes said.
“I remember last year, there was a nine-year-old girl got up on an electric piano … she just blew our socks off. For a lot of the kids, it’s their first chance to perform in public.”
Mr Forbes said youth mental health was “at a critical stage” and that the festival encourages families and children to step away from screens and social media and engage in hands-on experiences.
“One of the things we say to all the community organisations that turn up there is: don’t just hand out flyers – you must have an interactive, engaging activity,” he said.
“It engages the kids and without even knowing it, they’re connecting with an organisation but having fun doing it.”
The event provides vital connections for parents and carers who are often left searching in the dark for support.
“You can be up at one o’clock in the morning researching, googling, trying to find the right support. It’s frustrating and difficult,” Mr Forbes said.
“That’s the other beauty of Nurture: parents and carers can come and find all these community groups together.”
Mr Forbes said some of the most powerful moments have been seeing kids connect with speakers or watching community groups discover each other’s work.
Visit nurturefestival.com.au.
