Young people from Dandenong will be celebrated and recognised during the inaugural Victorian Youth Week in April, with more than 100 activities running across the state.

City of Greater Dandenong have received a $2,000 Andrews Labor Government grant to run the Greater Dandenong Youth Week Awards 2018 for local young people during the 2018 Victorian Youth Week, which will run from 13 to 22 April.

South East Community Links were also successful, receiving a $2,000 grant to run a project called ‘Creation – Connection – Community’, that will use music and interactive activities to bring young people from the local area together.

This will be the first time Victorian Youth Week is run –  filling the gap after the Turnbull Government scrapped funding for National Youth Week and forcing other states and territories to go it alone.

The successful Victorian Youth Week recipients will organise activities that engage young people and provide them with opportunities to express their ideas and be heard in their community, such as art exhibitions, musical performances, cultural celebrations and forums.

The Andrews Labor Government is providing more than $200,000 to local community organisations, schools and councils to run activities for young people in metropolitan and regional areas during Victorian Youth Week 2018.

It includes over 50 activities in metropolitan Melbourne and nearly 60 grants in regional Victoria.

Activities are aimed at those aged 12 to 25 and will be held in safe environments that are alcohol, drug and smoke free.

The Labor Government’s Youth Policy: Building Stronger Youth Engagement in Victoria sets out a plan to increase engagement with young people and embeds the voice of young people in building an even better Victoria.

For more information about 2018 Victorian Youth Week, visit youthcentral.vic.gov.au/vyw.