Seymour-based youth group and social enterprise Gnarly Neighbours opens new hub in the neighbourhood

What started as a youth group offering skating lessons and a safe place for young people has grown into a full social enterprise, with plans to expand across the country. 

In 2019, Jayden Sheridan founded Gnarly Neighbours by taking skateboards down to the local park and running some lessons, with the ambition of making the central Victorian town of Seymour a more positive environment than the one he grew up in. 

Three years later the group became a registered charity, and quickly gained traction across the country for their innovative approach to youth engagement. 

Well regarded as a leader when it comes to working with young people, Mr Sheridan has now been nominated as the 2024 Young Australian of the Year for Victoria. 

Earlier this year Gnarly Neighbours and Mr Sheridan also opened The Neighbourhood: a cafe, skate shop, print shop and indoor skate park space. 

The aim is  to create a safe community atmosphere for Seymour, while tackling youth unemployment.

The end goal is to create paid employment opportunities for 58 young community members each year through short and long-term employment opportunities, as well as work experience for school students.

"We will give them a go at everything — hospitality, retail, printing production, design and coaching for those who want to learn how to coach," Mr Sheridan said. 

He hopes the young participants will be able to take their skills and experience from The Neighbourhood and use them as a pathways to full-time employment.

"A big thing for me is confidence; a lot of kids can lack confidence and just not know how to do things and where to start," he said. 

A 'fun and chill' place to work

One of the many young people working at The Neighbourhood is Skye Peckham.

She is 18 and recently moved to Seymour with her mother from the Victoria town of Rochester.

Ms Peckham has mostly been working as a barista for The Neighbourhood and says she has enjoyed being part of a relaxed and easygoing team

"It's been real fun and chill, it's not as stressful as other jobs and it has been interesting," she said.

Ms Peckham said the process of finding work has felt stressful and overwhelming in the past, but The Neighbourhood has been welcoming, and working there has helped her feel like a local. 

"I feel like I already know a few of the locals … there's a lot of recurring people [visiting The Neighbourhood], young cool people, so it's like I am already part of the community whereas back in 'Rochey' it took a while to finally get to know people," she said. 

For Mr Sheridan, The Neighbourhood is not just about creating jobs, it is also about making an accessible space that can be enjoyed by the whole community.

On top of their famous skate lessons, the space means Gnarly Neighbours can also offer everything from twice-weekly before-school breakfasts, to games afternoons.

"It's about giving kids an endless amount of opportunities to explore things, and when they get bored of something and throw it over their shoulder the next positive thing is in front of them," he said.

Mr Sheridan is hoping to expand Gnarly Neighbours to other regional and rural towns around the Australia, and sees Seymour's The Neighbourhood as the first of many.

"Each neighbourhood can be different, like it might not have the skate shop or the print shop per se but it might have a barber or something else that caters to the town's needs," Mr Sheridan said. 

Community buy-in

Gnarly Neighbours has become something the community has embraced, with many local families and businesses involved, and some even contributing to rent and running costs to get The Neighbourhood off the ground.

"Many hands make light work, there's just so many people in the community that just come together," Mr Sheridan said. 

Liz Tregenza, partnership manager at Our Place Seymour — an education, health and development initiative for children and families experiencing disadvantage — said Gnarly Neighbours has had a "huge impact". 

"Jayden and his team have an extraordinary practice of hearing the voices of children, which is quite exemplary, and he always provides a consistent safe space for children," Ms Tregenza said.

"Everything that Jayden does is cool, so he breaks down the barriers for those who struggle to engage with services."

Mr Sheridan himself says his initial ideas for a youth group have led to something much bigger than he ever thought possible.

"I just imagined a shed with some ramps in it … not a full skate park and coffee shop," he said.