ANNIVeRSARY AIR SHow! - Royal New Zealand Air Force

community support
by wing Commander brett marshall,
Commanding officer yDu, Burnham Military Camp
YouTh DEVElopMENT
– noT A RoLE FoR DEFEnCE?
IT wAS AT A FUNcTIoN oNe THURSdAY NIGHT wHeN I FoUNd
MYSelF beING “cHeST Poked” bY A YoUNG oFFIceR. He wAS
ASkING Me wHY, wITH All MY AIRcRew TRAINING, I wAS
woRkING AT THe NZdF YoUTH deVeloPMeNT UNIT (YdU).
“SIR, YoU’Ve GoT All THIS eXPeRIeNce ANd THe AIR FoRce HAS
INVeSTed A loT oF TIMe ANd MoNeY GIVING IT To YoU, bUT
YoU’Re NoT USING IT”.
I
was surprised at his view and replied
that I was a military officer first and
it was my generic military skills that
were being used, just like any other
member of NZdF who finds themselves
in a role out of their core trade. I realised
he seemed to have more of an issue
with NZdF being involved in Youth
development …
“why Sir, when the NZdF has
significant financial and personnel issues
are we spending money on, and posting
people to, YdU?”
I explained that the lSV company had
been tripled in size by the government
three years ago, and YdU formed, due to
the success of the programme. And the
reason it is a success is because of the
skill set that only military people bring.
Getting individuals to work together
and reach their potential inside a very
structured environment is what the
34 Air Force news
military does so well and why we, and not
a civilian organisation, are doing it.
“but surely civilians could do it?” he
said.
I reiterated that it was our military
skill set, and the environment we create,
that make the difference for the type of
young people we run courses for. I tried
changing tack and asked him why we
were in Afghanistan, east Timor and the
Solomons?
“because the government wants us to
be,” he said.
“Same reason we are involved in youth
development,” I replied. I then went on
to say that in Afghanistan, east Timor
and the Solomons, as well as the many
other places we are posted to around
the world, we apply our military skills to
make a better future for the people that
live there. The difference with YdU is
that we, the NZdF, are using our military
skills to make a better future for our own
young people.
The young officer came back with:
“but what about all the money we are
taking from the front line to fund YdU?”
I then made him aware that 80% of
the funding for YdU (including wages)
comes from the Ministry of Social
development and the Ministry of
education, something he was unaware
of.
There was much more I wanted to
tell him about YdU—it’s making an
awesome difference to the lives of
thousands of young New Zealanders.
Young people who have not had the
choices in life that many of us have had
(and we often take for granted). In fact,
for many, circumstances outside their
control have forced them down difficult
and painful pathways.
I can tell some amazing stories of lives
turned around, whether it be through
the lSV programme, or via YdU’s
Youth life Skills teams—which provide
support to the 27 Service Academies in
High Schools throughout the country,
run courses for Police blue light for
youth at risk, and support child Youth
and Family in running the Military style