Hon Paula Bennett
Minister for Social Development
Associate Minister of Housing

19 December 2013

Break-Away programme a hit with young people

Break-Away holiday programmes are offering thousands of children from high needs communities a fun and busy break over the school holidays.

Break-Away programmes run during the Christmas and Easter holidays, and are delivered by community organisations with support from MSD.

“Since this Government introduced the Break-Away initiative in 2009, almost 95,000 school children from the Far North to Southland have taken part,” Mrs Bennett said.

Children can have a go at things like kayaking, BMX-riding, music, waka ama and art, as well as getting involved in volunteering and confidence building activities.

“The Christmas holidays are a stressful time for parents, caregivers, and children, and for some families affording fun activities isn’t always easy.”

“Break-Away gives young people the chance to make new friends, get out into the outdoors, and have a go at things they might never have been able to do otherwise.”

“Parents and caregivers can also take a breather knowing their children are being looked after in a safe and structured holiday programme, and gaining great new experiences at the same time.”

The Government has provided almost $10 million to date to deliver Break-Away, with almost 30,000 children taking part this year alone.

ENDS

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