Atlas Young Writers Club: 5-15 years

Atlas Young Writers Club is running at Newcastle City Library on Wednesday afternoons this term, for kids aged 5 to 15. It's a free program that runs across four sessions: 21 October, 4 November, 18 November and 2 December, each from 4pm to 5pm.

The sessions follow a set of themes that build on each other over the term. The first is It starts with a BANG, followed by The Keys to the Kingdom, Into the Woods and finally Out to Sea. Each one gives the group a new starting point to write from, so it's less about having a story ready to go and more about working through the prompts as they come.

There's a bit of a twist to how it's run. The club is part of Atlas, a State Library of NSW initiative that runs alongside an Art Club and a Book Lovers Club. Each session is hands-on at the library, but a professional facilitator joins in via Zoom. That means the kids work with the library staff and the other children in the room, while also connecting with a facilitator and other Young Writers Club members from across the state. No previous experience is needed, and all the equipment is provided on the day.

Bookings are essential, so you'll need to get in early. Parents or guardians have to stay in the library with participants aged 12 and under, and contact details are required at booking for anyone under 16. The program is supported by the John B Foundation. It's free, and you'll find it at Newcastle City Library, 15 Laman Street, Newcastle 2300, on those four Wednesdays from 4pm to 5pm.