Young people in regional New South Wales are being encouraged to get active, learn new skills and have fun with friends these winter school holidays.
Regional youth can enjoy free or heavily subsidised activities including arts and craft workshops, sports days, and social clubs as part of the NSW Government’s $10 million Holiday Break Program.
Minister for Sport Stuart Ayres said a number of free sport and recreation activities are included to help keep kids active during the winter break.
“These school holidays there are 16 camps across regional NSW that include meals and activities such as archery, BMX, orienteering, problem solving skills and more,” Mr Ayres said.
“Holiday Break camps are a fantastic opportunity for regional youth to challenge themselves and learn new skills, and I encourage all parents to register their kids now and give them an experience they will never forget.”
The program is also supporting 34 leading arts, screen and cultural organisations. Funding for the program is part of the State Government’s commitment to making the arts more accessible to young people across regional NSW.
Minister for Regional Youth and the Arts Ben Franklin said the programs will enable young people to enjoy a wider range of activities.
“We have a vibrant youth arts sector in NSW that covers many forms, and this is reflected in the wonderful array of workshops that will be on offer for young people during the winter school holidays,” Mr Franklin said.
“We are investing in our innovative arts, screen and cultural organisations and making their ambitions a reality, while also improving access to high quality and diverse experiences for children and young people.
“These inspiring sessions provide an important opportunity for young people to find their passion, develop new skills from professional artists and explore exciting forms of self-expression and collaboration.”
Catapult Dance Choreographic Hub Director Cadi McCarthy said the program will allow her team to deliver a series of week-long contemporary dance sessions.
“Young people aged 12 to 24 from across the Central Coast and Lake Macquarie regions will learn from nationally acclaimed choreographers who will teach and create new collaborative dance performances,” Ms McCarthy said.
“The program is focused on inclusivity, collaboration and creativity and we urge all young people to get involved and come along.”
Isabella from Goulburn participated in the SongMakers program over the autumn school holidays, which provided mentoring activities for budding songwriters and music producers in regional NSW.
“I absolutely loved this course – it has inspired me to write more original songs already,” Isabella said.
“Getting professional help for free was such an amazing opportunity that I got to experience and I would recommend this course to everyone.”
Discover what local activities are on near you and read more about the program guidelines
