Extra-curricular activities
Things to do all year round
There are many activities for children and young people in Barnet. The 'Things to Do' directory is a comprehensive list of activities for young people all over Barnet.
It is published every year and includes information about youth centres and youth projects. Holiday activities and Barnet Summer University for young people aged 8-25 years can also be found online at BASE or Summer University website
If you want to know more about activities for young people, please call the FYI team on 0800 3898312
BASE is a new on-line directory of activities for young people aged 11 - 19. Below is additional information on some of the activities:
- School councils
- Duke of Edinburgh Award
- Camping
- Hollywood Bowl
- Warner Village Cinema
- Getting Fit Staying Fit (Barnet Leisure Centres)
- Music
- The Youth and Connexions Service
- Free community sports programmes
- Air Training Corps (ATC)
School councils
Most schools in Barnet now have a school council comprising pupil representatives to discuss school based issues or sometimes national and local issues which impact on the school. Elections for representatives are held annually and training is available for young people wanting to be a representative.
In some circumstances, school council representatives can be involved in candidate interviews for certain posts within the school, including senior managers and heads. In the Barnet Healthy Schools Scheme, school councils are used to deliver needs analysis of key issues to be addressed in health - often school council representatives are involved in core team meetings.
For further information see you school notice board, where minutes of meetings and photos of reps are sometimes displayed.
What’s next?
The Youth Board have links with the existing schools councils and other youth groups in Barnet.
Drama and Dance
Finchley Youth Theatre, 142 High Road, East Finchley, N2 9ED
- Email: liz.sacre@barnet.gov.uk
This friendly youth theatre for young people aged 11-19 (up to 25 years for young people with a learning disability or physical disability) has dance and drama programmes for all young people.
No experience needed, and you don’t have to carry out an audition to join, you just have to want to get involved. There are also regular performances and classes in technical theatre. Contact the youth theatre to get more information about what is going on. The youth theatre is part of Barnet Youth and Connexions Service.
Duke of Edinburgh Award
The Duke of Edinburgh Award is a voluntary, non-competitive programme of practical, cultural and adventurous activities, designed to support the personal and social development of young people aged 14-25, regardless of gender, background or ability. It offers an individual challenge and encourages young people to undertake exciting, constructive, challenging and enjoyable activities in their free time.
It is a four-section programme with three progressive levels:
- Bronze – age 14+
- Silver – age 15+
- Gold – age 16+
Visit: www.theaward.org (external link) for further information, or
Email:
Camping and Residential Adventure Holidays
This is a low-cost, good, fun holiday, and usually between a group of you it’s possible to get together a tent and other bits and pieces you need. Otherwise many outdoor equipment shops hire out tents for a reasonable price. If you want some advice, contact your local Youth Services. For details on campsites ask at your local Tourist Information Centre.
Why not check out this campsite?
- Moat Mount Outdoor Centre and Camp Site
- Barnet by-pass, Mill Hill, London NW7 5AL
- Tel: 020 8906 9499
- Email: moatmount@yahoo.co.uk
You can contact the Finchley and Hornsey Rambling Club for information on local walks.
- Telephone: 0208 883 8190
- Address: 33 Links Road, Cricklewood, London, NW2 7LE
Do It 4 Real organise summer camps for young people, where campers get the chance to take part in a range of activities, including:
- Rock climbing,
- Street dance,
- Surfing,
- Kayaking,
- Paint balling and much more
- Tel: 01629 592 530
- Web: www.doit4real.co.uk/
- Address: Trevelyn House, Dimple Road, Matlock, Derbyshire, DE4 3YH
Hollywood Bowl
Great Northern Leisure Park, Finchley High Road, N12
- Tel: 020 8446 6667
- Open: Monday - Sunday, 10am-late.
- Price per game: peak/off peak, adult £4/£3, junior £3/£2.25
- Disabled facilities: disabled access
Warner Village Cinema
- Great North Leisure Park, Chaplin Square, London N12 0GL.
- Tel: 020 8446 9344
Getting fit, staying fit
Here are some ideas:
- Collect some mates together and form a five-a-side team or two. It’s surprisingly easy to hire a court at many local leisure centres (if there’s no open space near you), and not too expensive if you split the cost. Get that bike out! It’s a brilliant way to get around, very good for your general fitness, weight and legs, and it’s free; but wear a helmet in town
- Walk, don’t drive. Traffic surveys tell us that in central London average speed is about four to six miles an hour and not much faster in many suburban areas. You can match that on your feet!
- Join a club! Get down to your local leisure centre and find out what’s happening. You’ll find everything from swimming to kickboxing. You don’t always have to sign up, you can often pay as you go if you’re not sure whether you’ll like a particular activity.
Barnet leisure centres
Why not check out what is going on in Barnet leisure centres - you'll find sports facilities and organised activities.
Music
Whatever you’re looking for, check out the menu to see what’s going on. There are numerous websites that can give you all the news on entertainment, music, dates and venues, gossip on your favourite artists, you name it!
Here are just a couple:
To find the best website for your type of music, www.uk250.co.uk gives you a list from classical to rock and pop. This site also has an index for all categories ranging from entertainment to sport, computers and all sorts!
Youth and Connexions Service
The Youth and Connexions Service offers you things to do, places to go, friends to meet and a chance for your views to be heard. It also offers information, advice and guidance on everything from careers, education and training to personal and health issues.
Find out what you can do and what you enjoy. We offer lots of things to do:
- Sports,
- Music,
- Drama,
- Arts and crafts
- Camping.
We also run holiday activities and a Barnet Summer University for young people to get involved in a range of different programmes.
You might also like to get involved in a local festival or the local Youth Board. We have four youth centres, two young people's drop-in centres, and a youth theatre plus various activities happening in other places in Barnet.
We work with many different voluntary youth projects in Barnet, including Rolling Base, the mobile youth centre on wheels, and IPOP who work with young people with disabilities. Details of these are on our Youth Support pages, BASE and Things to Do in Barnet.
Youth and Connexions
Building 4
North London Business Park
Oakleigh Road South
London
N11 1NP
- Tel: 020 8359 7819 / 7847
The Air Training Corps (ATC)
Cadets in your local Air Training Corps (ATC) and Combined Cadet Force (CCF(RAF)) are enjoying flying, gliding, going on camps, taking part in all kinds of action, adventure and sports. It’s great fun too, with the opportunity to enjoy an enviable social life and make many new friends. How far are you from having a good time?
Air Cadets, aged 13 to 18 and their supporting staff get the opportunity to participate in a large range of stimulating and rewarding activities. Where else could you learn to fly aerobatics, visit Royal Air Force Stations, tour foreign countries, play sports from local to International level, learn the skills to lead expeditions, become a target shooting marksman, gain your Duke of Edinburgh's Awards, canoe through white water, assist your community, join a band, learn aviation subjects, go caving, parachute, climb, sail, ski...?
Contact details:
HQ Middlesex Wing Air Training Corps (external link)
- Telephone: 01895 815622
- Email: wadomiddxwg@uxbridge.raf.mod.uk
Or,
Staff Officer For Barnet (Squadron Leader Paul Thomson-Clark)
- Tel: 077 333 22 336
- Email: middxwgptc@ntlworld.com
Children, young people and families
Email this pageLast modified by: Karen Raingold on 17/11/2009