Published on Wednesday, 2 July 2025 at 9:41:54 AM
Since launching in July 2024, the Hedland Libraries' ‘Tween Club’ has become a fan favourite with local families, providing a welcoming and engaging space for kids aged 8 to 12 who often fall between the cracks when it comes to community programming.
Beyond supporting the social and emotional wellbeing of Hedland’s tweens, the program has also reinvigorated the libraries’ approach to programming, giving the team an opportunity to diversify their events.
Developed by the passionate team at Hedland Libraries, many of whom are mums to tweens themselves, the idea for the club came from a shared realisation: there were plenty of activities for younger children and teens, but not much for the ‘in-between’ years.
After some further discussions, research and planning, Tween Club was launched with the program offering an event once a month, outside of normal business hours so the group had the entire space to themselves to participate in the activities.
Mayor Peter Carter said the program highlights the Town’s commitment to creating a more inclusive and liveable community.
“The Town is proud to develop and host programs that empower young people to be themselves and form connections.” He said.
Library Officer and team lead for the initiative, Melissa McKelvie, said that the program was built on a genuine passion for making the library an accessible and welcoming place for all.
“We found a lot of the events available to tweens in town were sport-focused, but we knew there were kids out there who wanted something different.”
“The response has been overwhelmingly positive. Most sessions have booked out, with parents praising the inclusive environment and tweens are enjoying having a space to belong, form friendships and simply be themselves in a fun environment.”
“Even in the quiet moments, we noticed kids grabbing books off the shelves and reading, which is exactly the kind of organic engagement we love to see with older kids when using the library” Melissa said.
Plans are now underway to expand the program in 2026, with the team already exploring new ideas.
Tween Club is a free event, however bookings are required. Please visit here for more information.
Back to All News