By MARA PATTISON-SOWDEN
A BAND of Australia’s most promising youth leaders converged on Healesville to plan the future of media in the country.
Staff and volunteers from SYN, the student youth network that offers people between 12 and 25 years old the skills to create digital radio programs on 90.7 SYNFM and television programs on Channel 31, held a three-day conference at Ferngully Lodge in Healesville.
SYN media general manager Tahlia Azaria said Healesville was a great location where the group could plan for the year ahead.
“Every year we hold a camp at Ferngully to set up the year ahead and sort out the roles and positions,” she said.
“We hide them away somewhere with no reception and get them off Facebook so they can focus on the tasks.”
She said the group struck a balance between intensive workshops and free time – including a lot of trampolining – to get the creative juices flowing.
SYN is celebrating 10 years this year, and the group didn’t just focus on what’s happening this year, but also its plans for the future.
“We want to figure out how to get young people in regional area on our channel to make it a state-wide, potentially nationwide youth channel,” Tahlia said.
“Our dream is to get young people, particularly in isolated areas, on air.”
Find out more about SYN online at www.syn.org.au.
