Gnarly Neighbours is taking strides in creating a safe space for kids in Seymour, and with a new grant it received, the only way is up.
The social enterprise received a grant of $50,000 from Bank of Melbourne Foundation with the Thrive Community Grant.
Gnarly Neighbours founder Jayden Sheridan said he was stoked to hear that the group was receiving such big support to make the vision of Gnarly Neighbours come to life.
“It’s just been like a long time coming,” he said.
“We’ve just been learning along the way, and so many grants said no along the way, so we just had a lot to learn.
“When they’ve (grants) finally started coming through, and they can see the work we’re doing, it’s like a bit of relief that all the hard work that the whole community and team has put in, and can keep doing, that it’s paying off.
“Now we can keep doing the work we intend to do, and also just show that we’ve got merits to the work we’re doing and how important it is.”
With the new grant, Gnarly Neighbours is launching Skate to Create.
“From skateboarding to creating,” Mr Sheridan said.
“Creating a safe space for the kids to come after school on a Friday, and also creating things by having creative workshops and stuff like that.”
Skate to Create will be a weekly activity at Gnarly Neighbours, with bi-weekly creative workshops.
“Kids coming in, they can always have something to do and get active and get creative,” Mr Sheridan said.
“We’re one day away from having activities every single day.
“We were doing private lessons, but we think it might be more meaningful to have a low-sensory day too.”
Mr Sheridan said it was important to have a low-sensory day to make ‘the Neighbourhood’ accessible and inclusive.
“We’re looking at grants to go for, now that we can have a low-sensory skate or creative session for the ones that are the neurodivergent, that might have ASD or ADHD,” he said.
“No music, we’re not going to be loud, so rather than building something with hammers, or something, we’ll be using clay or something like that.
“Being the ‘neuro-spicy’ ADHD myself, those things that might cater more to the stim (stimulating) of brains.
“I call it nerdy, but they’re kind of like things that grab the attention of young people that might have things that can’t sit in that box and do the normal, plain thing.
“I think it’s safe space for all ... I think no leaf left unturned, kids, I feel especially to give the tools to go through later on in life.
“I think it’s very important to make sure everyone has a safe space for this amount of possibility, creativity and individuality.”
To Mr Sheridan, kids are the future of the community, so creating a space for them is ingrained in Gnarly Neighbours’ vision.
“I think there’s a lot of people that look for band-aid solutions, and when there’s a problem they slap a band-aid on it,” he said.
“My biggest thing is prevention, which is something I scream from the rooftops when I started Gnarly Neighbours.
“Now, we are creating that prevention, which is going to lead to a longer lasting and better future for our community.”
With more great things coming Gnarly Neighbours’ way, Mr Sheridan couldn’t help but thank the community for its support.
“I want to thank the community for all the work, and trusting in this crazy idea that I had, somewhat even delusional,” he said.
“Honestly ... we’re just getting started.
“There’s a lot more to come.”