New youth centre opens during this year’s Orange youth week

The opening of a new youth centre at the PCYC is the highlight of this year’s Orange Youth Week.

Orange City Council’s Services Committee Chair Ron Gander said the centre would be a hub for young people to access service providers but it’s also a safe space to hang out, play air hockey, listen to music and play board games.

“It’s a place where they can go to unwind but there will be representatives from a broad range of organisations in a nearby area so it gives young people an option to seek help or advice if they want to,” Cr Gander said.

“Otheriwse it’s just a great space designed for young people where they can relax and catch up with friends.”

This year’s Youth Week aims to include young people of all backgrounds from those who like art and culture to those who enjoy sport and recreation.

From Friday March 31 to Sunday April 9, there’s also events and activities designed to educate young people about how to cope with mental health struggles as well as information on education courses and access to youth related services providers.

Cr Gander said this year, young people in the council’s Youth Action Council (YAC) would be taking their skills directly to schools where they would host a series of workshops.

“The team are joining with mental health service providers to present drama performances about issues affecting young people, such as bullying,” he said.

“It’s the first time the group have been able to do this kind of thing during Youth Week because the last two years it’s been held during the school holidays.

“It’s a great opportunity for young people to not only, get out and about and meet others but also get some advice about what they might want to study after school, how to prepare for a job interview or even just meet people in organisations that might be able to help them out.

“It’s also going to be about fun.”

This year’s Youth Week will open with the launch of the new youth centre room in the PCYC building in Seymour Street on March 31 and will feature a range of activities such as a Cinema Under the Stars by Youth Hope, a Totem Skate School session, a netball gala day and a sports carnival as well as an art class in the Orange Regional Museum.

Information and a timetable of events will be posted to the Orange Youth Action Council Facebook page in the coming week.

• Friday March 31 – PCYC youth centre launch and 80 years of PCYC celebrations
• Saturday April 1 and Sunday April 2- a youth team entered in the Relay For Life called the YACers
• Monday April 3, Tuesday April 4 and Wednesday April 5 – mental health presentation in schools
• Thursday April 6- job search skills workshops
• Friday April 7 – Cinema Under the Stars
• Saturday April 8- art class at the Orange Regional Museum and the Yindyamarra Cup sports day.
• Sunday April 9- Netball ‘come and try’ gala day and the Totem Skate School

FUN FOR ALL: A skate school is part of 2017's Youth Week.