MP supports Umina youth festival

A festival for young people, aged 12 to 18, is to be held at Umina oval once a month for three months.

The first event will be held on January 25 from 2pm to 7pm.

Member for Gosford Ms Liesl Tesch is supporting the festival.

She said she was working in conjunction with Evolution Youth Services and Regional Youth Support Services to ensure the Youthfest was a success.

Support Services youth worker Ms Virginia Walshaw characterised the festival as aiming to address antisocial and criminal behaviour that occurs at Umina oval.

She said the January event "aims to bring local government, community organisations, youth services, sports clubs and businesses together to proactively address the antisocial and criminal behaviours that occur at the Peninsula Recreation Precinct by way of positive activity choices, information and referral support, safety tools and community engagement opportunities".

"Summer Youthfest will feature support services, sporting outreaches, gaming and other activities, food and freebies for the Peninsula's young people," she said.

Ms Tesch said she wanted to encourage local sporting organisations to be involved in the event.

"If there is anyone from a local sporting group who would like to be involved in this event to show local youth that there are positive activities they can engage in, I would encourage them to come forward," Ms Tesch said.

She said any interested groups could obtain more information about the event from her office in Blackwall Rd, Woy Woy, or from the Regional Youth Support Services.

SOURCE:

Media release, 10 Jan 2018

Virginia Walshaw, RYSS

Interview, 11 Jan 2018

Liesl Tesch, Member for Gosford

Reporter: Jackie Pearson