The Dubbo Youth Strategy was initiated by the local community in 2005 with the help of the NSW and Federal governments.

It will now be independently run by a committee made up of members of the community as the Dubbo Youth Foundation.

The committee includes several dedicated community volunteers including chairman Kevin Saul, Anna Yeo, Mike Nolan, Katrina Hausia and Alex Mendham along with full-time project manager Michael Haley.

The initiative was designed to improve the lifestyle opportunities of Dubbo’s young people and get youth involved in sport who would otherwise not have the opportunity.

NSW Minister for Sport and Recreation, Graham West, attended the handover, which included a traditional welcome from Aboriginal elder John Hill and a performance from the South Dubbo Primary School Aboriginal dance group.

“With the assistance of more than $800,000 in Iemma Government funding the strategy is allowing the Dubbo community take control of its sporting future,” Mr West said.

“It works by developing and delivering programs that help young people to engage in community life by participating in community sports and recreation.

“The initiative has already provided support for more than 1000 young people and their families and assisted 14,000 individuals each year to participate in sport and recreational activity.”

To help kickstart the Dubbo Youth Foundation, the NSW Government donated $60,000 to the fund.

Dubbo mayor Greg Matthews attended the handover and addressed the importance sport has in keeping a community such as Dubbo cohesive.

“Most of my friendships were formed from being involved in sports such as cricket, soccer and swimming at a young age,” Cr Matthews said.

“Youth don’t always realise the influence sport can have in their lives and it is often not until people are older that they can look back and see that.”