The school holiday activities officially wrapped up at the Cobar Youth & Community Centre on Sunday with a Skate School and demo session taking place.
It was one of a long list of activities ‘Youthie’ staff had organised that helped to keep Cobar kids busy over their summer school holiday break.
Cobar Shire Council’s Youth Development and Community Services Coordinator Brytt Moore said it was great to see all of the activities they offered were well attended.
“The Nerf Gun Wars were the best, they kept re-booking for those,” Brytt reported.
“We also offered water slides, cooking classes with Abby Fairfull, jewellery making workshops with Meike Griffiths, painting classes with Seigrid Peters, indoor soccer and basketball skill sessions and games and also training sessions with our staff member Toea Wisil, who is an Olympic sprinter.
“They loved the trampoline crash mat day and had a lot of fun with fire hoses on another day.
“Our staff worked hard to come up with some brilliant out of the ordinary, all-inclusive activities and it was brilliant to see they were so well received.”
Brytt said it was great to see lots of kids in the centre each day, including a few kids who she noticed had stepped out of their comfort zones and had joined in activities they probably had never done before.
“We had some local kids who I haven’t seen playing any team sports before joining in and learning new skills.
“You can really see that it’s helping to build their self-confidence,” she said.
Even though school has returned, Brytt said the kids are still keen to hang out at the Youthie after school.
“Our drop-in arvos are well attended as it’s the “cool” place to hang out, literally!”
Brytt said that during the days the centre is a bit quieter but that won’t be for very long with family playgroups set to recommence along with organised activities for seniors.
“Our seniors group walk two times a week and also play table tennis.
“There’s a few people using the squash courts each week and our kids and men’s basketball competitions are getting underway.”
She said they were also hoping to get some organised sport happening—indoor soccer, indoor netball, indoor mixed netball, squalleyball and a squash competition, however she needs help with umpires and referees to make this happen.
Other upcoming activities at the centre include a girls defence class and a trivia night organised by the youth council.
“There’s lots going on here for people of all ages to get involved with and we’d really love any help with organising, especially with the sporting competitions,” she said.