Sudbury youth get leg up on summer jobs

An unconventional part-time job awaits some youth in Sudbury this summer.

Youth have the chance to become stilters at local festivals and events as part of the new Kazzzam Stilting Troupe started by community arts group Myths and Mirrors.

A member of the organization said she hopes the stilting job will get more kids thinking about a future in the arts.

"These sorts of things are viable careers, so to give them the opportunity to experience that and to give them employment in the summer that is a lot of fun," Sarah King Gold said.

A 15-week stilting workshops is currently underway, with most registrants between the ages of 12 and 19. The sessions aim to teach youth the basics of stilting, as well as to help them develop dramatic characters and costumes.

One of the participants is Amanda Brennan, 19.

"I think it's really exciting because I really need a job," she said.

"It sounds like a lot of fun that I would gladly do for free, but getting a job is just a bonus."

King Gold said theyve already had expressions of interest from a number of festivals including the Northern Lights Festival Boreal.

The last time Myths and Mirrors had a stilting troupe was a decade ago.