Students involved in our Future Youth Initiative (FYI) service had the opportunity to take part in a new digital media production course, known as the Digital Hub, offered for the first time this term. Over ten weeks, students learned skills in digital photography, video production and writing for the web. Then they put these new skills to the test by developing their own online portfolios.
FYI provides case management and a range of programs that help young people who are at risk of, or who are disengaged from school to work towards completing their schooling or taking up a vocational education course to get them onto an employment pathway. The service does this by building up foundational skills in independence and wellbeing.
FYI Program Manager Jo Zeitz says that with the widespread use of social media and mobile technology among the young people in her program, she saw a need for a course to help students further develop their digital media skills.
“Many of the young people in our program are creating and sharing digital media every day on their phones and computers,” said Jo. “We wanted to make sure they understand how digital media is used in positive self-branding and how these skills are used in the workplace.”
Each week the students met for two hours to learn a specific skill and then applied it by working on a short project. Lessons included personal branding; digital photography basics; photo editing; video production; stop motion animation; and writing for the web. .
“I really enjoyed learning how to edit videos, that was pretty cool,” said Digital Hub student Victoria. As an avid skateboarder, Victoria chose to highlight her skills in an instructional video she created as part of their video production lesson. Will, another Digital Hub student, has been working on a short documentary about the FYI Café in Glenunga.
As the Digital Hub wraps up next week, some of the completed projects will be available on the FYI website.
To learn more about Future Youth Initiative and the full list of programs that are offered, visit our website at www.rasa.org.au/fyi or contact us on (08) 8377 5400 (Marion) or (08) 8245 8100 (Hindmarsh).
