Gordon Reid (Robertson, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to celebrate and congratulate YAAS, the Central Coast's only dedicated LGBTQIA+ youth program, on their first birthday. YAAS is a transformative arts and culture program for young people aged 12 to 24 living on the central coast, with a focus on those with diverse identities and abilities. YAAS stands for Young, Authentic and Social and was developed by the Naughty Noodle Fun Haus, the region's leading contemporary arts and culture organisation, a registered charity with a constitutional mission to deliver positive impact across urban vitality, civic pride, social cohesion, community engagement and development of local creative ecology.

The YAAS program uses creative workshops, celebrations and social groups to promote positive mental health and provide a space for young people to connect with their peers and have their identities affirmed and celebrated. It also won the national ABC Trailblazer 2023 award for the most innovative youth program in the country. YAAS held their first social group last year on R U OK? Day and had nine young people in attendance. Since then, YAAS has expanded across multiple areas on the Central Coast. They've had almost 400 young people attend these social groups over their first year, and that doesn't include additional youth accessing the school holiday programs. YAAS is at the frontline of positive social change, and the demand for this service is evident, with participation at their events quadrupling initial expectations. It is a vital and valuable program, and I commend and support the program.