Youth Week and school holidays at Camden Libraries bring creative workshops, science experiences and youth activities across Camden, Narellan and Oran Park this April.
Autumn arrives gently in Camden. The air carries the mild coolness that settles after summer, and the streets move at a slower pace once school terms pause. In the library buildings across the region, however, the quiet hum of study gives way to a different energy. Tables that usually hold laptops and textbooks become workspaces for sketchbooks, paint palettes and small creative experiments.
This shift marks the beginning of Youth Week and school holidays at Camden Libraries, a series of workshops and gatherings that unfold across April in the welcoming spaces of the region’s public libraries. For young people aged from early teens to young adulthood, the program offers something quietly valuable: time to explore interests, share ideas and try unfamiliar skills within spaces already woven into everyday life.
Youth Week And School Holidays At Camden Libraries Begin With Creative Exploration
The first week of activities arrives alongside the school holiday break, when students trade structured timetables for open afternoons. At Narellan Library, one of the earliest sessions invites young artists to explore the expressive world of comic illustration.
The Comic Book Drawing Workshop, held on Wednesday 8 April, gathers participants aged 13 to 18 around sketchpads and pencils. The room gradually fills with quiet concentration as characters take shape on paper – heroes, villains and imaginative worlds sketched into life.
The following afternoon shifts the focus to colour and movement. At Camden Library, the Watercolour Free Paint session offers a slower rhythm. Participants experiment with washes of pigment, watching colours spread softly across textured paper.
Practical Skills During Youth Week And School Holidays At Camden Libraries
Creativity is only one thread in the program. Some sessions turn toward practical knowledge that young people carry into everyday life.
At Oran Park Library, the Car Maintenance Workshop introduces participants aged 16 and over to the basics of vehicle care. Under the guidance of instructors, the session explores practical tasks – checking fluids, understanding warning lights and recognising the mechanics that keep a car running safely.
These hands-on sessions bring a different kind of engagement. The atmosphere shifts from artistic focus to practical problem-solving, yet the shared experience remains the same: a room of young people learning together.
Elsewhere, at Narellan Library, a Mini Book Making Workshop invites participants to construct small handmade books. Pages are folded, stitched and decorated, transforming simple materials into personal keepsakes.
Youth Week And School Holidays At Camden Libraries Continue With Youth Week Events
As the school holidays continue, the calendar transitions into the official celebrations of NSW Youth Week – a statewide initiative recognising the creativity and voices of young people.
During Youth Week and school holidays at Camden Libraries, the program expands to include storytelling, technology and creative expression.
One highlight is the Writing Workshop at Narellan Library, where participants aged 13 to 18 explore narrative ideas and storytelling techniques. Some arrive with notebooks already filled with fragments of stories, while others begin with blank pages and tentative first lines.
Science And Discovery During Youth Week And School Holidays At Camden Libraries
Beyond creative writing and art, the program also reaches toward the wider universe.
In one session, participants connect virtually with the Australian Space Discovery Centre, where a guided online experience introduces the science of space exploration. Screens illuminate with images of satellites and distant galaxies, turning the library room into a temporary window onto the cosmos.
Later in the week, a Planetarium experience at Oran Park Library transforms an ordinary space into a miniature night sky. Inside the portable dome, stars scatter across the ceiling while young visitors learn about constellations and planetary motion.
Spaces For Community And Conversation
Not every gathering in the program is focused on a specific skill. Some simply create room for young people to spend time together.
At Camden Library, the Camden Youth Room session opens the doors for conversation, games and relaxed social interaction. It’s a reminder that libraries often serve as one of the few public places where young people can gather safely without expectation or pressure.
A Creative Ending To The School Holidays
As the final days of the program approach, one of the most colourful sessions arrives.
At Narellan Library, the Tie Dye Tote Workshop transforms the room into a vibrant swirl of colour. Fabric bags twist and fold under careful hands before being dipped into bright dyes. The results are unpredictable – spirals, bursts of colour and patterns unique to each participant.
When the workshop ends, the tables slowly return to their familiar order. Yet traces of the week remain: painted figurines, handmade books, notebooks filled with story ideas.
Young people step back into the rhythm of school and daily routines carrying small pieces of what they discovered – a new skill, a creative idea, or perhaps simply the memory of an afternoon spent exploring something unexpected.
Event Details
Event: Youth Week and School Holidays at Camden Libraries
Dates: 8 April – 24 April
Locations:
- Camden Library
- Narellan Library
- Oran Park Library
Selected Events Include:
- Comic Book Drawing Workshop – 8 April, 2–4pm (Narellan Library)
- Watercolour Free Paint – 9 April, 2–4pm (Camden Library)
- Car Maintenance Workshop – 10 April, 3–5pm (Oran Park Library)
- Mini Book Making Workshop – 13 April, 3–5pm (Narellan Library)
- Writing Workshop – 15 April, 2–3pm (Narellan Library)
- Podcast Workshop – 16 April, 1–4pm (Narellan Library)
- Mini Figurine Painting – 17 April, 2–3pm (Camden Library)
- Assistant Dogs Australia Information Session – 17 April, 2–4pm (Narellan Library)
- Australian Space Discovery Centre Virtual Visit – 20 April, 1–2:30pm (Narellan Library)
- Planetarium Experience – 21 April, 12–3pm (Oran Park Library)
- Camden Youth Room – 23 April, 2–4pm (Camden Library)
- Tie Dye Tote Workshop – 24 April, 3–4pm (Narellan Library)
Bookings & Information: https://library.camden.nsw.gov.au