The Territory Labor Government has invested in over 900 school holiday activities throughout the Territory in the upcoming school holidays.
Through the new one-year Regional Youth Activities grants program, $1.1 million was awarded to 20 organisations throughout the Territory, to provide educational and fun activities during the school holidays over the next 12 months.
The comprehensive summer school holiday program will keep children and young people off the streets and engaged in educational and fun activities for six weeks.
The school holiday program will be supported by the Youth Outreach and Reengagement Team (YORET) throughout the Territory. Operating hours for YORET outreach services which were established by the Territory Labor Government in 2017 - will be extended in both Alice Springs and Palmerston. The YORETs will engage with at-risk young people to encourage participation in the school holiday program.
Highlights of the December/January school holidays include:
Alice Springs: 169 activities scheduled including Geek in Residence, pool party, tennis program, Brown St drop-in, late night at the Gap and movie nights.
Darwin: 103 activities scheduled including pool parties, hockey, spiders exhibition, ten-pin bowling, library activities, soccer clinic, and Balanced Choice.
Palmerston: 137 activities scheduled including youth drop in sports, Balance Choice, chill out breakfast, pool party and the library program.
Katherine: 99 activities scheduled including basketball, healthy cooking programs, pool party and movie nights.
Tennant Creek has a range of activities scheduled including movie and games nights, ping pong and disco nights at Youthlinx, arts and craft at the Tennant Creek library, and sporting activities at Anyinginyi.
Most events or activities are free and designed for children (under 12yrs), young people (12-25yrs) and their families.
Many activities also include safe transport home after dark and in some communities, buses are provided to make it easier for young people and their families to engage in the school holiday activities.
Visit the website http://www.youth.nt.gov.au/calendar.html and download a calendar of events to find out what is on in your area. You can also keep up to date with events happening over the December/January 2019 school holiday period by following Youth NT on Facebook.
As stated by Minister for Territory Families Dale Wakefield
The Territory Labor Government is investing over one million dollars across the NT over the next twelve months, to ensure that children and young people engage in fun and positive activities throughout the school holidays.
Keeping our children and young people busy and engaged in educational and fun activities is a great way to build thriving and safer communities. The activities that we have on offer right across the Territory for the summer school holidays will give at-risk young people a safe space to hang out together.
The Territory Labor Government is proudly supporting local organisations, community groups and local government, by offering funding for youth engagement and development activities during this school holiday period.
This is in stark contrast to the CLP who cut funding to youth services, which saw youth crime rise.
