Creating opportunities for the Central Coast’s young people

Our Youth Services team includes qualified youth workers who provide information, support, advocacy and referral to young people. The team creates and promotes opportunities for young people to develop their aspirations, skills and talents via a range of innovative engagement programs.

Council is committed to investing in our young people as they represent the future of our region. We are committed to creating new opportunities for connection, creativity and inclusion ensuring the Central Coast is a place where they can establish positive lifestyles, learn and develop new skills and find employment.

Creative Engineers Program

The Creative Engineers program received a Highly Commended honour at the LGNSW 2019 Awards in acknowledgement that the program provides an opportunity for young emerging artists to explore their creativity, showcase their talents and enhance their skills, linked to a strong community of artists, performers and musicians in the region to improve access to industry networks and target markets. The program explores creative career and industry opportunities, enterprise development and event production.

Creative Engineers @ The Hub Erina provides opportunities for creative cultivation and leadership for young people with:

Battle of the Bands

Battle of the Bands is a professional development program and competition for up and coming bands, ages 12 to 24.

Register your interest for Battle of the Bands.

Discovered

Discovered is a professional development program and competition for aspiring singers and singer/songwriters aged 7 to 24. The program helps young singers find their voice, develop their skills and step up to the microphone.

Discovered graduates have been featured on The Voice, Australia’s Got Talent and Triple J’s Hottest 100 and have progressed to become creative industry leaders and entrepreneurs both on a national and international level.

Register your interest for Discovered.

eMerge

eMerge is an emerging artist/curator professional development program to deliver collaborative exhibitions.

Big Chair project:  Young people are working on three chair projects for Budgewoi, Canton Beach and Terrigal as part of the Big Chair art trail for the local region.

Register your interest for eMerge.

Idea to Screen

Idea to Screen is a professional development program for young emerging film makers exploring the stages of pre-production, production and post-production.

The first episode of the project series created with emerging film makers received seed funding through Create NSW and aired on ABC iView in April 2018 as part of Youth Week.

Let Me Entertain You

Let Me Entertain You is ongoing professional development for young people interested in the entertainment industry and supports events that are planned, driven and delivered by young people.

Register your interest for Let Me Entertain You.

Music Pathways Program

Music Pathways Program is exclusively for young creatives who have come through our Central Coast Council Youth Services creative programs.

The music pathways program aims to support development, networks, strengthen the live and local music scene, experience through performance opportunities, increase exposure and audience base.

School Holidays

A range of exciting programs are run every school holidays.

Youth Week

National Youth Week is held in March/April each year and showcases the talents and achievements of young people from a national, state and local community level.

School-based programs

A rich range of programs and activities are available – from managing rage to how to cope with bullying. Each is designed to help young people develop life skills and take their interests further.

Youth Services School Programs

Find out more or how to book a program to come to your school, contact the Central Coast Council Youth Services team at youthservices@centralcoast.nsw.gov.au.

Youth Centres

Our Youth Centres offer young people a safe and exciting base to interact and participate in a range of free or low cost programmes while providing support, advocacy and referral.

Find out more about our Youth Centres.

Central Coast Youth Interagency (CCYI)

The CCYI meets monthly and consists of youth services and interested providers across the Central Coast. The interagency has a focus on advocacy for youth, networking, training opportunities and more.

The Central Coast Youth Interagency Directory

Visit our Central Coast Council's Community Directory page for community groups, support services, government departments, sports clubs, charities and service clubs that support the local community.

NGURA – meaning ‘place’

The Ngura program was developed in partnership with Mingara Recreation Club to help address issues that young Indigenous people face on a daily basis. These include cultural identity, education, employment opportunities, self-esteem and racism.

Delivered in selected high schools every year, the program aims to increase awareness of the importance of physical activity and health issues that affect Indigenous Australians. During the course the students cover topics including aboriginal life expectancy, nutrition, leadership and maintaining pride in their Aboriginality.

Central Coast Youth Strategy

Council has worked in collaboration with the Central Coast Y4Y (Youth Action Team) and consulted with over 1600 young people and youth services to develop the Central Coast’s first ever Youth Strategy.

The Central Coast Council Youth Strategy 2019-2024 is designed for local youth, by local youth and provides the strategic direction over the next 5 years for the delivery of contemporary youth services, programs, activities and events that meet the needs of a diverse population. It’s a plan for Council to work alongside the local youth sector, schools, young people and the community to make the Central Coast an even better place.