Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Work smarter with a Pro licence Learn More

Art & Entertainment | Book Reviews | Education | Entertainment Video | Health | Lifestyle | Sport | Sport Video | Search

 

The Cube changing attitudes for Youth Week

Abilities and achievements: The Cube changing attitudes for Youth Week

To mark the lead-up to Youth Week (23rd - 31st May), collective impact agency The Cube are reframing the youth and disability sectors, and challenging perceptions surrounding young people with disabilities.

Demonstrating that the young people they work with have identities and cultures outside of their disabilities, The Cube are facilitating a series of youth-led and delivered events in the lead-up to Youth Week that celebrate young people’s achievements and abilities.

The first successful iteration of a collective impact agency in New Zealand, The Cube works closely with a number of partners to ensure young people with disabilities are provided with the best services, opportunities and experiences possible. ‘By youth, for youth’, The Cube is co-governed by a Youth Engagement Group (YEG), who are at the forefront of the agencies decision making, ensuring all programmes cater to and further the interests of their peers.

Working to ensure all The Cube’s events are valuable for young people, Events Ninja Savanna Steele has organised events that challenge the public’s perceptions of young people with disabilities, and showcase them for their skills, talents and achievements. “Young people with disabilities don’t want to be pitied, they want to be empowered,” she says. “The sector has come further than simply praising ourselves for doing things that able-bodied people do. We’re challenging both ourselves and others to expect more, do more and celebrate our successes.”

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

With support from local artists and contributors including Calypso Paoli Photography, Kingsize Studios, French Revolver Studio and Waitemata Local Board, Savanna has coordinated Re-Imagine, a photography exhibition that recreates iconic album covers with members of the Cube’s Youth Engagement Group. David Bowie, the Beatles, Drake and Adele, among others, have been replaced with young people with disabilities, but the photographs don’t demonstrate their subject’s disabilities, rather encouraging the viewer to see the person that exists outside of these.

“The young people we work with want to reframe how they’re seen by the public,” says Catherine Cooper, National Director of The Cube. “We want our youth to be viewed as real, accomplished, capable people with goals and aspirations besides those that are defined by their disabilities.”

This involves a paradigm shift in public opinion, and to facilitate this, the Youth Engagement Group are running workshops to help the public see through the eyes of young people. Aimed at employers and education, health and public sector professionals, the ‘I Am Not A Tickbox’ workshops will broaden perceptions of young people with disabilities, remove barriers and demonstrate the benefits of inclusion and seeing young people’s potential.

However, real change is also reliant on young people applying high standards to themselves. “Our youth aren’t content with just doing the same things that everyone else does,” says Savanna. “We don’t want the public seeing their achievements and thinking they’re accomplished because they’re in a wheelchair, or have cerebral palsy, or are blind. We want the public to think they’re accomplished because they’re accomplishing amazing things, regardless of any disabilities.”

Consider Cam Calkeon for example who, from a young age was told that he may not walk or talk due to having cerebral palsy. Cam had other ideas, however, being one of the founders of The Cube at a young age, then going on to set up Carabiner youth mentoring to help his peers. He’s now touring the world as an inspirational speaker, sharing his motivation with others.

The Cube will launch Re-Imagine at 6.30pm, Tuesday May 19th, at Silo 6. The launch, entirely organised by young people, promises a fantastic evening of art, food, discussion and entertainment, and will be attended by artists and contributors involved in the exhibition, young people and their families, Cube staff and partners and members of the local community.

ENDS


© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Culture Headlines | Health Headlines | Education Headlines

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • CULTURE
  • HEALTH
  • EDUCATION
 
 
  • Wellington
  • Christchurch
  • Auckland
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.