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