NSW Councils celebrate youth and seniors week with festivals and events

Shoalhaven City Council is preparing for the upcoming Youth and Seniors Festival, with multiple events scheduled to take place around the region while Penrith City Council’s Reimagine Ageing Festival running until 30th April challenges the myth that growing old means slowing down.

In 2021 NSW Seniors Festival is from 13th to 24th April and NSW Youth Week is running from 16th to 24th April. The timing of the events presents an opportunity to offer a range of intergenerational and interest-based activities, to bring together all age groups.

The Shoalhaven region will host over 14 events with many activities being free or costing under five dollars, with events ranging from social gatherings to sport and educational classes.

Shoalhaven City Council is providing seven assistance grants of up to $1000 to local community groups and organisations hosting events or activities that celebrate and support youth and seniors in the Shoalhaven during the weeklong festival running from 13th to 24th April.

Shoalhaven Mayor Amanda Findley is looking forward to the events and hopes it will bring the community together to celebrate with lifelong friends while making new ones.

“This year’s combined festival is an opportunity for young people and seniors to develop new friendships and skills and enjoy intergenerational activities and events that encourage bonding across generations and dispel negative stereotypes.

“We hope that younger people will gain an understanding of ageing and face their own ageing more positively. For young people who do not have grandparents or other seniors in their families, engaging with older adults fills a social gap”.

“Hopefully, older adults will feel energised with a new sense of purpose, especially when they are sharing their experiences and skills. Considering the recent impact of COVID, we also hope the planned activities will reduce a sense of isolation and potentially relieve or lessen depression.

The Shoalhaven Youth and Seniors Festival 2021 combines the NSW Seniors Week theme ‘In our nature’ and the NSW Youth Week theme 'Together more than ever’ to promote wellbeing and mindfulness to support a happy healthy community.

Penrith City Council’s Reimagine Ageing Festival challenges the myth that growing old means slowing down.

Penrith Mayor Karen McKeown notes the festival, which runs from 13th to 30th April, gives over 50s the chance to try something new, brush up their skills and connect with the community in COVIDSafe ways.

The Reimagine Ageing Festival falls within NSW Seniors Festival. It is a chance to say thanks and turn a spotlight on the contributions of our older residents – whether through volunteering, caring for family or passing on their knowledge and experience to younger generations.

Mayor McKeown notes “this year’s NSW Seniors Festival theme is ‘In our nature’ and what recent events have shown me is that in Penrith, it is in our nature to be resilient and, most of all, kind.”

 In that spirit of kindness, Council has worked with a range of community organisations to put together a fantastic 17-day program of Reimagine Ageing events and activities.

Mayor McKeown adds “Council is committed to helping all our residents, regardless of age and ability, to live a healthy, engaged and active life.

“We want Penrith to be a city in which you can get involved, meet new people and be stimulated, no matter what your stage of life, and that’s what the Reimagine Ageing Festival is all about.”  

Seniors Festival activities are offered for people over 55 years old and Youth Week activities are for people between the ages of 12 and 25 years.

To find out more about Penrith’s festivals sessions go to penrith.city/ReimagineAgeing

For details on Shoalhaven’s Youth and Seniors Festival Calendar click here

Image top: Shoalhaven is holding events bringing together all age groups; image above Penrith Council is holding Tai Chi classes for Seniors