We hope our website provides you with the information and/or questions that you have about Out of School Programmes. If you still have questions after browsing the site please use the 'contact info' button.
Thank you
The Team at O.S.C.A.R. Network in Christchurch Inc.
To go directly to find a programme in your area - click here
O.S.C.A.R. - Out of School Care And Recreation is a generic term that describes care and recreation programmes for (usually) primary school age children run out of school hours. Any programme that operates out of school hours is generally referred to as an 'OSCAR' programme, it may have OSCAR in the name or no reference at all - it is still an Out of School Care And Recreation programme.
The name OSCAR was mooted by Margaret Hayman, Colleen Young and Margreet Stronks. The name Out of School Care And Recreation reflects the need for safety and care together with constructive and creative leisure pursuits.
O.S.C.A.R. was founded by Margreet Stronks in 1986. Trained as a tutor in Child Development she saw the need in her own community. By involving the Christchurch City Council and the senior teacher at St Albans School, the community development model of the St Albans community became part of the establishment process for O.S.C.A.R. in St Albans.
An afterschool programme also existed at Beckenham School around this time.
OSCAR services support the needs and rights of the child to be cared for and to access leisure activities that are age and culturally appropriate. In this way OSCAR provides a support for families in their need for quality care and recreation as more pressure is placed on parents to work, be in training or re-train through the Governments 'Making Work Pay' Policies.
OSCAR Network in Christchurch works to ensure that OSCAR staff and management receive ongoing training, support and development of their skills.
Services operate before school, after school & school holidays for children aged 5-13yrs. Not all programmes operate all services and we have tried to provide as much information as possible on each of our members programmes in 'Programme Information', for details of costs and registration on the programmes, contact the programme direct. Each programme is run individually by different people - these include non-profit community groups, private owners, church groups, childcare centres, sports groups, YMCA and local council.
Most programmes are Child, Youth & Family approved and have a set of minimum standards and guidelines they follow - you can check these standards on the CYFS website www.cyf.govt.nz/documents/oscar.pdf