Central Coast Council’s Youth Services team has won a Highly Commended award in the Creative Communities section at the 2019 Local Government Excellence Awards.

Council won the award for its Creative Engineers @ The Hub program, which runs Battle of the Bands, Discovered, Idea to Screen and Let Me Entertain You.

Council Director Connected Communities, Julie Vaughan, said she was delighted that the Youth Services team had been recognised for creatively engaging young people.

“Creative Engineers @ The Hub was established for young people to expand their vision for the future and connect with the arts industry.

“This well-deserved recognition of Council’s Youth Services team reflects all the energy and time that goes into creative projects engaging young people through The Hub Erina.

“This overwhelming success is largely due to Council’s strong vision which has attracted a myriad of committed supporters, including prominent national music industry insiders Rod McCormack and Gina Jeffreys, the national youth charity organisation Musicians Making a Difference (MMAD), and other local creative businesses such as Macron Music Erina and The Grove Studios.”

Mayor Jane Smith said the award reflects Council’s commitment in the Community Strategic Plan to connect people, build capacity, celebrate and create opportunities for young people to participate in community life.

“It also aligns with our aim to foster creative and performing arts, while working with local leaders to mentor young people in skill development. It’s great to be acknowledged for this and I congratulate our talented youth services staff,” Mayor Smith said.

Creative Engineers @ The Hub Erina comprises Discovered, Battle of the Bands, Let Me Entertain You and Idea to Screen. These professional development programs provide an opportunity for young emerging artists to explore their creativity, showcase their talents and enhance their skills.

It also establishes pathways for young people – connecting them to peers, local networks and industry professionals and provides great prize packages including recording studio time, vocal scholarships and mentoring. Past participants have gone on to The Voice, Australia’s Got Talent and Triple J’s Hottest 100.