CACTUS

CACTUS

Young People Reaping the Benefits of Dawn Training

Any time someone tells you "young people today have no focus and committment.........

Picture this:

The day starts at 0550 as a group of 17 young Nelson students stand at attention in the Nelson College for Girls gym. They stand still, they are disciplined; they look to the front, silent, awaiting further instruction. It's dark outside. Most of their friends are still asleep but five minutes later this group are in the middle of a strenuous, hour long, physical training session led by an experienced military trainer.

But they are not military recruits, they are ordinary kids. They do this three times a week, for eight weeks. It's called CACTUS - and they love it.

Launched with the support of two one-off Nelson City Council grants, CACTUS is an eight week course similar to the Physical Training on an Air Force or Army recruit course. Each session ends with a shared breakfast (food provided by the Seventh Day Adventist Church) after which the students from Nelson College, Nelson College for Girls and Youth Nelson head home to change for school.

The first such programme in Nelson/Tasman is administered by The New Hub and a steering group made up of NZ Police staff, staff from Nelson College & Nelson College for Girls, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Youth Nelson and adult volunteers. Co-ordinator, Ron Kjestrup, says the programme couldn't exist without the support from members of NZ Police and the other adult volunteers. "They are there every morning" he says. "They organise the logistics, find sponsorship, prepare the breakfast and support the participants in the training sessions. A local business, Cap it All has supported us with a discount on the uniforms. It's a fantastic example of community involvement and it's paying off."

The young, voluntary participants are already reaping the rewards of the early starts and the discipline. They are fitter. Their confidence, discipline, respect and team work skills have all improved.

The organisers also say that experience from the programme elsewhere indicates that young people who graduate from the programme will also benefit from improved school results, improved concentration, clearer life choices and direction, and more motivation to try new challenges. Communities such as Picton report the programme led to lower youth crime and improved relationships between young people and the community.

Planning is already underway for a second programme to be run in Term 3 and the organisers want to extend the range of the programme in 2011. While this year's programmes are already funded the group will be looking for sponsorship from local businesses to run the programme next year. One of the NZ Police supporters sums it up "It's already successful" he says. "These young people are already winners just by being here."