Community Programs

Cooks Hill LS & SC is proud to not only be a full accessible Surf Club, but also a leader in engaging community groups across Newcastle to offer and educate the public on beach safety. We run these programs, through the assistance of grants and member fundraising, free of charge.

We currently run the following community programs.

• Same Waves

  The program was developed to allow for kids with a disability or developmental delay aged 6 yrs up to young adults to participate in beach activities (modified Nippers Program). This program will help the kids to have fun, learn and participate in activities such as flags, sprints, beach relays, as well as a number of other recreational activities. The Program also sees the kids learn to balance and paddle surfboards and to experience the excitement of catching, for many, their very first wave to the shore whilst under the guidance of the trained coordinators.

• Indigenous Nippers

  Our inaugural program started in November 2017, and ran for three weeks. This program was run free of charge, thanks to a grant support from The Port of Newcastle. The program enabled a community that often misses out on the opportunity to be educated on beach safety, to experience what nippers is like.

• Welcome to the Beach

  This program is run off the back of our successful refugee and immigrant program we have run previously. This program is offered to new immigrants and students who have no beach awareness or understanding of the beach conditions. We aim to engage and educate these members of our community so that they may enjoy our beaches safely during their time in Australia.