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Arts initiative gets boost

NANAIMO – B.C. government provides $2 million boost to the After School Sport and Arts Initiative.

Friday the 13th proved to be lucky for the After School Sport and Arts Initiative as it got a big boost from the B.C. government.

Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development Coralee Oakes announced that the the initiative would receive $2 million to double the existing number of program spaces to 15,000.

“I have seen first-hand what a difference these programs make in the lives of kids who otherwise may not have connections to the community,” Oakes said in a press release. “One child characterized it, literally, as life-changing. … It’s about building confidence and life-skills that these kids will rely on for a lifetime.”

The initiative was created to provide disadvantaged children with opportunities to organized activities in their communities after school.

There are currently 150 schools in 30 communities throughout British Columbia offering sport and arts programs through the organization.

The arts portion of the program strives to connect youth to local artists and while building positive self-expression skills through a variety of arts and culture forms.