Saplings

Service providers in the youth sector have often said that more needs to be understood about the lived realities for young people in conflict with the law. In line with our Throughcare Initiative, Youth Action has been working with the Australian Theatre for Young People to develop a script that centers on young people’s lived experiences of law and the justice system.

Over the past 12 months, Youth Action has been facilitating consultations with young people in conflict with the justice system.  We visited youth service centres such as Midjuburi Youth Resource Centre (Marrickville), Youth Off The Streets (South Western Sydney), Miyay Birray Youth Services (Moree), and the Reiby Juvenile Justice Centre to hear what they wanted the audience to know.  We commissioned Aboriginal playwright Hannah Belanszky to develop a script for a series of vignettes representing the collective stories that young people have shared with us through these consultations.  

We are thrilled to share that the finished play ‘Saplings’ will be performing as part of the 2024 Sydney Film Festival. We are holding a special youth sector performance at 2pm on 2 February 2024 to be followed by a panel discussion and light refreshments.

‘Saplings’ will be performing as part of Sydney Festival between 24 Jan – 4 Feb.

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Youth Action is thrilled to share that the play ‘Saplings’ will be performing as part of the 2024 Sydney Festival. They are holding a special youth sector performance on 2 February 2024 at 2pm to be followed by a panel discussion and light refreshments. 

Youth Action has been working with the Australian Theatre for Young People to develop a script that centers on young people’s lived experiences of law and the justice system. Over the past 12 months, Youth Action has been facilitating consultations with young people in conflict with the justice system. They commissioned Aboriginal playwright Hannah Belanszky to develop a script for a series of vignettes representing the collective stories that young people have shared with us through these consultations. 

‘Saplings’ performed as part of Sydney Festival between 24 Jan – 4 Feb.