Boxing program takes aim at disengaged youth in Clarence Town

Leaders at Trudinator Training are getting ready to start youth sessions with the goal of engaging youth and giving them a positive outlet for their emotions and energy.

The program started in late 2023 with sessions for adults and now its owner, Trudi Wood, hopes to get kids interested giving them an outlet for exercise.

"I want to get kids off the street and just give them something to do, give them an interest," Ms Wood said.

"It's just giving kids something to do, keeping them off the streets and giving them some self confidence, teaching them some boxing drills and self defence."

Ms Wood said that she had tried to run youth classes in Clarence Town before but due to the timing of the sessions they didn't attract enough people to continue.

Trudinator Training is held at Clarence Town School of Arts Hall and now Ms Wood hopes the new time of 5pm to 5.45pm every Thursday will give the kids a better chance to engage with the program.

Ms Wood thinks this sort of outlet is important because she had once been one of those kids that fell into bad habits.

"Kids are getting caught up in the wrong crowd and they're getting up to mischief. In my childhood all I did was train so I know how important it is," she said.

"There's kids out there doing drugs and alcohol and vaping and all that stuff and I think they just need someone to train with and have someone to talk to.

"Especially being someone that's actually been there myself, I can relate to these kids."

One of the aspects that Ms Wood hopes will help Clarence Town youth is the accessibility of her programs.

"It's all about fitness, fun and mental health," she said.

"It's not about what size you are or being competitive or anything like that. It's all about mental health and supporting each other.

"It's for guys and girls. Times are hard, times are tough. You can easily slip into depression."

Owner of Clarence Town Post Office, Dannii Jeffery has been a huge part of the push to get youth boxing started in Clarence Town.

She said that it all comes back to the Dungog and District Chamber of Commerce's newest push to engage the youth of the shire.

"It all goes back to our chamber meeting about the youth in town and things like that.

"We're just trying to bring different kids together and encourage learning to respect each other and get on with everybody," Ms Jeffery said.

"We're trying to get every kid, not to like everybody but not to be nasty and learn to cope with whatever they get thrown at."

The children's sessions will start with a trial period in the June school holidays and if successful then they will continue to run after school sessions.

For more information visit Trudinator Training's Facebook page.