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USC student organises huge community festival
Thousands of people are expected to attend the Fusion Festival at Cotton Tree Park, Maroochydore, on Sunday 5 October, thanks to the efforts of University of the Sunshine Coast public health student Sharna Taylor.
Sharna, 26, organised the community festival while on a work placement with Community Focus Association Inc in the aim of boosting community well-being and promoting Mental Health Week (5-11 October).
The free event, from noon to 7pm, will feature non-stop music and entertainment, workshops, sporting demonstrations, markets and food stalls, and information about the mental health services available on the Coast.
Sharna said participation in community activities was an important aspect of community well-being, so she encouraged festival-goers to try out sports and other social activities that will be on show.
Among them will be belly dancing, circus school, Latin and Indigenous dancing, yoga, tai chi, meditation and sports like AFL, rugby union, cricket, sailing and kung fu.
“There should be something for everybody,” she said. "Sport and music and the other activities are great ways to create a positive atmosphere where people can interact and feel part of the community.”
Sharna began planning the festival during a five-month work placement that ended in June but has continued working voluntarily to ensure the festival will be bigger and better than last year’s event.
She received strong financial support from the Sunshine Coast Regional Council and many other donors, and was assisted by fellow students and USC staff.
The University of the Sunshine Coast will next year introduce a new degree in Community Mental Health aimed at upskilling those working in health related areas.
This degree will provide the knowledge and skills necessary for effective mental health service work in the community, with special emphasis on recovery skills, mental disorders and their impact, care planning and community capacity building.
— Terry Walsh