Chifley Police District and Youth Command officers have joined forces to stage a series of fun and engaging activities to keep Kelso youth occupied throughout the school holidays.
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The first day of the Chifley Youth Mentoring school holiday program commenced on Tuesday at the Kelso Community Hub, and will return to the venue on Tuesday, January 11 from 10am to 1pm for children aged five to 12.
Chifley Police District youth officer Senior Constable Rachael Joyce said the program is part of a wider goal to prevent youth in low socioeconomic areas from turning to crime in later life.
"As a youth officer, my main role is to not only deal with young offenders, but also prevent children from run-ins with the law through early intervention," Senior Constable Joyce said.
"These school holiday programs provide a vital opportunity for at-risk children to meet with members of the local police force in a safe and relaxed environment."
Senior Constable Rachael Joyce said the program has returned after a two-year wait due to COVID-19, and a lot of time in the lead-up was spent generating interest throughout the local community.
"We reached out to six local public schools to let their students and families know it's on, stressing the point that it's a free activity for kids in the local area," she said.
"They can play sport, participate in arts and crafts, play video games on the PCYC truck, and there's lunch and snacks provided."
Senior Constable Joyce said the program has proven popular with the Kelso community in the past.
"We attracted around 25 kids when we ran this two years ago, and the sheer variety of activities on offer ensures the program caters for a diverse array of interests," she said.
"Each child deserves a fair go, and we want to ensure these children can stay on the right track and avoid getting caught up with the wrong crowd."
For more information, visit the Chifley Police District Facebook page.
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Sam Bolt
"I'm not in the business of telling people what to do. I'm much more in the business of describing things, situations and stuff like that and leaving them out there, and you can make up your minds about them." -Nick Cave
"I'm not in the business of telling people what to do. I'm much more in the business of describing things, situations and stuff like that and leaving them out there, and you can make up your minds about them." -Nick Cave
