Having a holiday from your school or work can be a time filled with relaxation and recreation but for many people, it can also bring some challenges.

Being separated from friends, colleagues and our connections can sometimes bring on feelings of loneliness or isolation and can break some of our positive routines.  Having a few tips on staying focused on the bigger picture and keeping up with the things you have put in place is a good way to keep your relaxing positive, have fun and stay in a good space. This Reachout holiday toolkit offers lots of tips on what to expect and what to do to stay strong and maximise the enjoyment of your spare time.

You may try Setting a goal for your drug use over for this time to keep on your path. Sometimes when others are “cuttings lose” over the holiday season, being around drugs and alcohol can be hard, here are some tips for saying no to friends. Also if you have been in a helpful routine that has kept your use down it is also a good idea to think about what may come up and plan for the risky or tough times.

There can be a lot of pressure placed on families around the holiday season which can be stressful and sometimes it can seem as though others are having more fun than you. Often the most fun are the free activities like going to the beach, playing cards, having a picnic or a sleepover at a friend’s place. With a little planning, this time can be a great recharge and an opportunity to get together with people you care about.

Here are some activities that you may be interested in over the holiday period.

Surf Camps at Lorne are a great way to learn how to swim and catch a wave!

YMCA School holiday Camps are renowned to be awesome

Outwardbound have some fantastic youth and family friendly adventure programs

Whats on in Melbourne has lots of different events for all ages and is constantly updated 

12  Holiday activities for teenagers – for some extra inspiration

Free Holiday Activities provided by local councils are often really fun and a great way to meet others in your area