Excellence award for youth

A Wellsford student took out the top award at a week-long Blue Light Life Skills camp at Whenuapai air base last month.

Jackson Lindsay, 17, was one of 27 young people from North Rodney to South Taranaki who took part in the the course, and he was the clear winner of the Excellence award.

The Life Skills camps run several times a year and are run by the NZ Defence Force Youth Development Unit for students aged 14 to 17. The programme focuses on leadership training, practical skills and building self-confidence, with activities including drill, sports, cooking, team building, leaderless tasks, basic first aid, a high ropes course, an escape room and a visit to a Hercules aircraft.

North Rodney Blue Light community youth coordinator Shane Gould said Lindsay’s success was the highlight of a terrific camp, which saw all the participants achieve 13 Level 1 and Level 2 NCEA credits.

“This was the second course of the year, with three other Wellsford students attending one in January,” he said. The Life Skills camps are just one example of a wide range of sports and activities that North Rodney Blue Light organises for schools and communities throughout the region. While their parents might only remember the organisation for its Blue Light discos, local young people these days are more likely to be trying out kayaking, stand up paddleboarding, fishing, air rifle shooting, archery or mountain biking.

Blue Light also runs activity camps, one of the most recent being with Mangawhai Beach School students at Lake Taupo in April, and it can tailor activities to suit individual schools and groups.

Gould said that while activities developed to suit changing times, one thing remained constant – “my jokes are still the same, 28 years later.”

He said North Rodney Blue Light had provided activities for 800 youths so far this year.

“Research has shown activity-based education is an ideal vehicle to develop young people. Taking young people away from the distractions of everyday life has proven to be extremely effective in teaching them ways to improve and manage their lives moving forward.”

Info and enquiries: Contact Shane Gould on 0274 587485 or email bluelight_ wellsford@xtra.co.nz