News

Providing a safe space at the Big Pineapple Festival

Dec 17

Providing a safe space at the Big Pineapple Festival

In its first year back, Youturn joined the Big Pineapple music festival to host and manage a Sensory Space and Chillout Zone at the festival on the Sunshine Coast on Saturday 19 October at the Pineapple Fields in Woombye.

The Big Pineapple Festival has been a significant event on the Sunshine Coast calendar for many years, providing a strong economic boost to the region, and a great experience and opportunity for locals. Excitingly, after a short break, and the cancellation of many other music events, festival organisers brought the festival back for 2024.

Providing a calm space in a busy, vibrant, and loud festival environment is vital in increasing accessibility and inclusivity, enabling people with autism, anxiety and other sensory difficulties to access and participate in these events.

Youturn’s YourSpace, is a sensory space and chill out zone, providing a safe, low-level stimulation and grounding zone for our neurodivergent festival goers, or those who may be feeling overwhelmed, overstimulated, or anxious.

With support from local Sunshine Coast Councillors, Cr Winston Johnston, Cr Terry Landsberg, Cr Christian Dickon, and Cr Maria Suarez, along with in-kind support from Don’t Stop the Party, and EPM Print Group, Youturn were able to bring this space to the Big Pineapple Festival.

YourSpace offers carefully selected lighting, textures, colours and experiences, as well as weighted blankets, sensory items, and ear defenders available for festival goers to utilise. Thanks to this support, sensory packs were also made available by Youturn, including items such as earplugs, fidgets, sunglasses, and water that festival goers could take with them to ensure they were able to enjoy rejoining the festival.

We were so grateful to be able to provide this safe and welcoming environment to those attending the festival, and were overwhelmed with positive feedback on the day. Many expressed their gratitude for the space, and shared that if the space hadn’t been available, they would have otherwise had to leave the festival due to feelings of anxiety and panic.

Youturn is trusted to create safe, inclusive and supportive communities. To find out more about how Youturn can support, head to youturn.org.au/what-we-do

Registered Charity logo
HDAA Certified Organisation logo

Our organisation is a company limited by guarantee. We are registered with the Australian Charities and Not for Profit Commission (ACNC), classified a Public Benevolent Institution (PBI) with Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status.

StandBy Support After Suicide is a program of Youturn Limited

Contact us

HOW CAN YOU HELP

DONATE

Youturn supports young and vulnerable people of all ages across Australia, committed to ensuring that they have access to secure and affordable housing, and enjoy optimal mental wellbeing.

Youturn would like to acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as Australia’s First People and Traditional Custodians. We value their cultures, identities, and continuing connection to country, waters, kin and community. We pay our respects to Elders past and present and are committed to making a positive contribution to the wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people, by providing services that are welcoming, safe, culturally appropriate and inclusive

Youturn is committed to embracing diversity and eliminating all forms of discrimination in the provision of health services. Youturn welcomes all people irrespective of ethnicity, lifestyle choice, faith, sexual orientation and gender identity.

image preload bg menu image preload button white image preload border white image preload orange shape image preload pink shape image preload yellow shape image preload teal shape
Cart
  • No products in the cart.
Skip to content