Waihi teens score at life skills camp
Course at Trentham helps students on their career paths
“An amazing experience that taught me self-discipline and gave me the courage to stand up and take the leadership of my peers to reach our goals.”
With those words, 17-year-old Rahira Parker reflected on his recent overall excellence award win at Blue Light’s recent Police Pathways Life Skills programme held at Trentham Military Camp on October 7-10.
Rahaira was one of three Waihi College students who walked away with the top awards (the last camp in August was cancelled after only two days due to lockdown).
Georgia Gray, 17, won the overall merit award and Shaedyn Delemere, 16, the peers’ choice award.
The camp differed from the usual Blue Light Life Skills camp programme. It was specifically designed to meet the needs of the Year 12 and 13 students from Katikati, Hauraki Plains and Waihi Colleges who are on the NCEA Level 3 Secondary Schools’ Police Pathway Programme and for those seriously interested in a New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) career.
Georgia said during the week she learnt a lot about discipline and selfmanagement. “The camp was difficult at times, but I left with a lot more motivation to pursue a career I enjoy.”
Shaedyn was grateful to attend and said he learnt a lot while I there, “finding my physical limits and my mental limits and [I] also made new and better friendships with my peers.”
Blue Light’s youth mentor Saagar
Deo noted on the award winners: “Rahaira was awarded the overall excellence award through demonstrating the whakatauk¯ı of maturity, respect, intuition and through building individual and group mana.
“Georgia was awarded the overall merit award through her consistent progress throughout the camp, her
self-discipline, and tautoko of others.
“Shaedyn’s peers’ choice award was won through his efforts to foster a team environment, encouragement and respectful communication with fellow team members.”
The camp in Trentham offered the teens the ability to learn more about the armed forces and the police, and
along with drills, leadership and aptitude tests, longest day exercise, fatigues — cleaning toilets, surrounds and barracks, and intense physical training, they also experienced visits from Armed Offenders and Special Tactics Group squads and police dog handlers, and a trip to the National Army Museum in Waiouru.
Kate Morley, who leads the NCEA L3 Police Pathways Programme at Waihi College says it was amazing watching the trainees grow in confidence and self-awareness during the week. “Many arrived at the camp fixated on their weaknesses, which was affecting their self-belief and their performance.
“Their week with the NZDF staff taught them to identify their strengths and use these to address their fears, producing some outstanding results.”
Senior Constable Harley North from Eastern Waikato Police, who attended the camp and mentors students on the Police Pathways Programme along with his colleagues, said the team building skills and leaderless tasks are always a hit and challenges them physically as well as mentally.
Blue Light’s highly successful Life Skills programme has been run in partnership with NZ Defence Force for the past 12 years and has adventure-based experiential learning as a key part of the programme.
The programme provides 14 to 17-year olds with critical life skills such as self-development, selfcontrol, and teamwork that will enable young people to be successful at home, school, communities, and employment.
Blue Light is a not-for-profit charity working in partnership with police to create positive connections, helping young people find direction, fun, and sense of belonging within their communities, enabling young people to develop life skills, leadership skills and find employment opportunities.