OUR HAF PROGRAMS

What is HAF?

HAF stands for Holiday Activities and Food Programme. It is a government-funded programme that provides eligible children and young people with access to fun, safe and enriching activities during the school holidays.

At Koala Klubs, our HAF programmes give children the chance to take part in a wide range of activities including sports, arts and crafts, team games, enrichment activities and healthy eating education. Children are also provided with a nutritious meal as part of their day.

The aim of HAF is to support children to stay active, make friends, learn new skills, build confidence and enjoy positive holiday experiences in a safe and welcoming environment.

At Koala Klubs, we understand that HAF programmes are about more than providing activities, food and fun. They are also an opportunity to support families by helping them access wider advice, guidance and local services where needed.

To make our signposting clear, consistent and effective, Koala Klubs uses a central signposting lead who oversees all family support information across our HAF programmes. This person is responsible for ensuring that staff know where to direct parents, carers and young people for additional help, and that the information shared is accurate, up to date and relevant to the local area.

Our central signposting lead works with camp teams to identify common areas where families may need support, including food support, mental health and wellbeing, SEND guidance, safeguarding support, financial advice, housing support, health services and local community provision.

Families can speak to a member of the Koala Klubs team at any camp, and staff will refer any signposting requests to the central lead where further information or support is needed. This helps ensure families receive a joined-up response rather than different information from different sites.

Koala Klubs does not replace specialist services, but we are committed to helping families find the right support quickly and sensitively through clear signposting and strong local partnership working.