The program will be available from the end of January 2018 and will allow eligible recipients to receive a $100 voucher that can be redeemed towards the payment of sport and recreation membership or participation fees.

Andrew Formann from the Gunnedah PCYC said the rebates would hopefully encourage more local families to get active.

“Anything that helps get kids to become more active is a positive,” Mr Formann said.

“I think this program will help people get involved in the programs we run here and in turn it will allow us to get creative with some of our programs here at the PCYC.”

The rebates will be available to children in NSW up to the age of 18 enrolled in school from kindergarten to year 12, as well as to registered home-schooled children, and aims to increase participation of children in sport and active recreation to contribute to reducing the prevalence of childhood obesity.

Families will be able to apply for a voucher in 2018 through an online portal within the Service NSW website.

Mr Formann also said the Gunnedah PCYC would soon be hosting vacation care.

“In a couple of weeks we will be hosting vacation care at the PCYC, which is fully child care benefit (CCB) and child care rebated (CCR),” he said.

“From term four this year we started our after school care and that’s going really well and that is fully CCB and CCR rebated.

“Vacation care will officially begin December 11 to cater for any students who finish the school year early.”

Further information on the rebate scheme is available from any PCYC club, at www.pcycnsw.org.au/active-kids or by emailing activekids@pcycnsw.org.au.