July school holiday programmes at the Y will be half price for those who enrol early, across Greater Wellington,
Palmerston North and Whanganui. This initiative is part of a wider push to help get New Zealand families back on track
after the impact of the Covid-19 lockdowns. The nationwide YMCA network has launched Let Kids Be Kids, which is uniting
YMCAs around the country in breaking down barriers to healthy, happy, Kiwi families.
The team at Y Central has committed up to $50,000 in subsidies so kids all over the region can attend YMCA holiday
programmes for half price when they enrol before June 26. In addition, programmes will be onsite only, rather than with
added-cost excursions, to keep them affordable for local parents.
“We’re hoping to help families where one or both parents have lost hours, or lost their jobs altogether,” says Amy
Moreland, Children’s Services/Safeguarding Manager. “There are a lot of families struggling and we’re doing what we can
to help them get back to normal.”
Any child enrolled in a Y Central holiday programme before June 26 will pay only 50% of the usual fees – plus additional
savings from staying on site. There’s a total of 10 programmes in the region, with around 400 children attending for at
least one day in the July holidays. Kids can participate in sports, crafts and activities all based around a daily
theme, which might range from Myth Busters to Lost in the Jungle to Pyjama Day.
“The social factor is what the kids enjoy the most, according to all the fantastic feedback we get on our holiday
programmes,” Amy says. “They find a whole new group of friends who don’t go to their school, and they learn the skills
to get along with a wide range of people they’ve just met. And all our programmes are built on the core YMCA values of
caring, honesty, responsibility and respect.”
The nationwide YMCA network is the largest not-for-profit provider of sport and recreation services in New Zealand.
Together we provide services throughout the country, including indoor and outdoor sport and recreation options, health
and fitness programmes and water-based activities. With over 2.7 million participations nationally in YMCA active
recreation programming (as of April 2020), it is estimated that 1 in 6 New Zealanders is involved in some way with the
YMCA.
If you’d like to learn more about Let Kids Be Kids, and find out how to support the cause, visit our donation page: ycentral.nz/donate.