The Canberra LGBTQIA+ and Allies Prom is a Prom for young people, run by the YWCA Canberra Youth Engagement Team. Through my participation at A to Z, a LGBTQIA+ support group. I have been blessed to work on the committee for the 2018 and 2019 Proms. This role has involved making decisions for; the theme, decorations, food and activities.
A Gender Agenda works with the Transgender, Gender Diverse, and Intersex community in Canberra, to provide support and resources. Through June and July of 2019, I worked with A Gender Agenda as a student intern, to help create; social media posts and marketing videos; and worked as staff during events. Currently I work as staff, working in peer support, social media and project management.
Encampment is a LGBTQIA+ youth camp, run by the Aids Action Council and with the help of volunteers. Through 2018 and into 2019, I worked with the Aids Action Council on Encampment as a committee member and designer. Working at camp as a mentor, and before camp designing the mentor posters and some marketing art.
The YWCA runs Canberran youth programs among many other things. In April 2019 I worked with the YWCA Canberra Clubhouse on the ‘Humans of Tuggeranong’ Program and Exhibition. This consisted of working with young people from Lake Tuggeranong College to mentor and teach them about portrait photography and the process of interviewing strangers. We then exhibited their work at the Lake Tuggeranong Arts Centre.
Through my participation with Bit Bent, a LGBTQIA+ support group run by the Belconnen Youth Centre, I have had the opportunity to be apart of their Art Exhibitions. The latest was the Fountain of Youth Exhibition in February 2019, where my artwork can be seen displayed in their advertising.
Conflux is a yearly Canberran Speculative Fiction Convention, where creatives come together. I’ve worked with Conflux since 2016. In 2017 and 2018 I have also organised the art show. And in 2018 I was the magazine editor and ran Youth day. From 2019 to 2020 I have been elected as chair and have worked into program organisation.
Alistair Ott 