Walgett Shire recorded over 2500 participants in it's Youth Week program in April, geared at supporting the area's up-and-coming. 

In a two-week program from 11 April to the end of school holidays on 26 April, young people in Walgett, Collarenabri and Lightning Ridge took advantage of 32 initiatives including cultural exchanges, life skills training and movie nights.  

Part of that involved teenagers from Sydney coming out west to have a yarn with locals.  

"They come up and they do different workshops with us like martial arts, theatre, traditional dancing and culture sharing. So, they share their culture with us and we share ours with them," Walgett Council's Youth Development Officer, Sandra Bladen, said. 

Ms Bladen said young people were involved in developing the programs.  

The two-week program included cultural activities. IMAGE: Supplied

"Our focus was bringing to kids together so they have a voice, and just to show the community what the kids can do with pretty much having the run of the show," Ms Bladen said. 

"We get them together during our youth councils and our after-school programs to ask the kids what they wanted to see during our Youth Week. 

"We sort of spread it out so the kids always have something to do. 



 “We have amazingly recorded our highest number of youth participation to date and couldn’t be happier with the result.” 

Ms Bladen said kids from smaller Aboriginal Villages like Namoi and Gingie were also bused in to take part in the programs.  

Other activities covered youth gardening, healthy eating, animal awareness and a young girls’ program with Wirringah’s Elders Group.