On the Radar
On the Radar is a long-term arts project designed to facilitate dialogue between young people and police, improve safety and increase community connection in the western suburbs of Melbourne.
The 2009 pilot was run in conjunction with Melbourne City Mission’s Youth Enterprise Hub. It consisted of a range of activities including a youth camp with Victoria Police and workshops at the Braybrook Community Centre, the Western English Language School and Sudanese Australian Integrated Learning. The processes were mediated by the Playback West theatre group to ensure both the young people and Police emerged with a greater understanding of the others’ experiences. This program then led to a a cultural presentation at the Footscray Police station, performances at the Braybrook Big Back Yard and the Off-Street Party in Sunshine and two films, a music video with a rap song written by one of the young people and refugee narrative drawn from the experiences of one of the students from the Western English Language School. Western Edge also contributed to the creation a DVD dramatising one of the stories told by the young people during the camp, and including chapters outlining young people’s and police responses to the story and an outline of legal rights and responsibilities when dealing with the police.
The 2010 program will include:
1. Two camps that enable intensive interaction between Police and young people in a contained and safe space where relationships between them can develop. Playback Theatre techniques will be used to allow Police and youth to share stories about the difficulties they have had with each other and issues they have experienced concerning community safety.
2. After School and Holiday workshops. A series of workshops will develop the ideas and material initiated at the camps into a rap song, music video and cultural training presentation. 2009 participants will take leadership roles under the guidance of project workers. The rap song will reflect the insights of young people about their lives and their local community. It will be written and performed by young participants with the assistance of professional rap artists and stand up comedians. The song will provide the inspiration for an accompanying music video which will be produced to accompany it.
3. Cultural Training Presentations. With these the young people will educate police about their cultural beliefs, practices and experiences. This will be presented at the Footscray Police station training day and at the second On the Radar camp.
2010 Camp
In August 2010 Western Edge organised a camp for young people from the Western suburbs and Police. The camp was also attended by Playback West, who used Playback theatre techniques to facilitate the safe and open sharing of stories among the participants. Here are three of their stories.
Kitchen Culture
Run as part of On the Radar in 2009, Kitchen Culture was a collaboration between Western Edge and members of the Youth Enterprise Hub’s Youth Advisory Group (comprised of 8 Braybrook residents between the ages of 15 and 20). Kitchen Culture entailed compiling an anthology of recipes, anecdotes, illustrations and interviews (from local young people) based around the theme of food and cultural/family traditions. Working collaboratively with artists from Western Edge, the participants chose materials from the book to be turned into a segment for radio in the form of radio play, spoken word and sound-scape. Participants received mentoring in writing for radio and in performing their own work. The resulting segment was broadcast on 3CR and published on CD.
Kitchen Culture Radio Play 1: Stirring the Pot
Kitchen Culture Radio Play 2: Chewing the Fat
Credits
Workshop Facilitators: Ben Grant, Emilie Collyer & Helen Huynh
Recording & Sound Design: Ben Grant
On the Radar Project Credits
Project Director: Cymbeline Bühler
Coordinator: Cat Sweeney (2010) & Dave Nguyen (2009)
Performance Director: Casey Nicholls (2010) & Jo Trevathan (2009)
Performers: Playback West (Ezeldin Deng, Abraham Adet, Joana Pires, Mazna Komba and Vladimir Keca).
Filmmaker: Paola Bilbrough & Stuart Mannion (2010) & Isabelle Brown (2009)
Participate:
If you would like to participate in On the Radar please call Cat Sweeny on 9362 0046 or email: cat@westernedge.org.au
