ANNIVeRSARY AIR SHow! - Royal New Zealand Air Force
ANNIVeRSARY AIR SHow! - Royal New Zealand Air Force
ANNIVeRSARY AIR SHow! - Royal New Zealand Air Force
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Activity camps for young offenders.<br />
There is the story of Tania*, a young<br />
woman on an lSV course who confided<br />
to staff about serious abuse she and her<br />
siblings were suffering in their home<br />
environment. Through our contacts with<br />
Police and cYF, intervention occurred<br />
and the young woman and her siblings<br />
were removed from that heart-breaking<br />
environment. The fact that it was only<br />
on an lSV course she felt safe enough<br />
to confide to someone speaks volumes<br />
for those who work here. Unfortunately<br />
Tania’s story is not that uncommon.<br />
Then there was Aroha*, a young<br />
woman who arrived at an lSV course<br />
in her gang colours. She was incredibly<br />
negative with a hostile attitude towards<br />
authority, especially police, and she<br />
would often use very colourful language<br />
to describe them—as our police mentor<br />
discovered (a police mentor is employed<br />
for the last three weeks of every lSV<br />
course). Aroha changed amazingly and<br />
the day before she graduated she went<br />
shopping with the female police mentor,<br />
because she didn’t want to go back home<br />
wearing her gang colours.<br />
what about Sam? He attended an<br />
lSV course in 2010 and even wrote to the<br />
Prime Minister about his experience [see<br />
sidebar].<br />
working at YdU is one of the most<br />
rewarding postings I have ever had.<br />
The opportunity to make a significant<br />
difference in a young persons life,<br />
which means not only their future, but<br />
their children’s future, will be so much<br />
better than they could have imagined,<br />
is incredibly satisfying. This year over<br />
1500 young <strong>New</strong> <strong>Zealand</strong>ers will attend<br />
an lSV course, and well in excess of<br />
1000 will attend one of the courses<br />
run by our Youth life Skills teams. I am<br />
incredibly proud of the work the NZdF is<br />
doing through YdU and I have seen the<br />
changes it makes first-hand.<br />
I know that there are many who are<br />
doubtful of defence’s involvement in<br />
Youth development. I challenge the<br />
doubters to visit a unit and see first<br />
hand the work of the staff—and of the<br />
changes being made for so many young<br />
<strong>New</strong> <strong>Zealand</strong>ers. better still, volunteer<br />
for a posting to YdU! but if you are still<br />
not sure, then I’d be happy to discuss it<br />
with you!<br />
* Not her real name<br />
Indoor rock climbing provides a<br />
good team-building challenge<br />
community support<br />
ExTRAcT FRoM A<br />
lETTER To ThE<br />
PRiME MiNiSTER *<br />
kia ora John,<br />
This year [2010] I participated in<br />
the limited Service Volunteer (Two<br />
Platoon). This experience changed<br />
me from a negative statistic to a<br />
focussed individual who wants to<br />
contribute.<br />
I started smoking drugs when I<br />
was 13 and involved in a lifestyle that<br />
was disengaged. I walked away from<br />
education with little qualification.<br />
The re-occurring story was lack of<br />
desire and responsibility in my life.<br />
I also started a young family and<br />
things were rocky at home.<br />
From whanau I heard about<br />
[the lSV scheme]—I started the<br />
programme in July 2010. The first day<br />
was a shock.<br />
Sergeant Major wallance [and<br />
the others] provided a real turning<br />
point in how I saw myself. I gave up<br />
smoking, focussed my thinking and<br />
actually got myself motivated….<br />
The best thing is that this change<br />
is here for good. I have taken the<br />
habits and motivation in chasing<br />
job opportunities… but the biggest<br />
change is how I feel about myself and<br />
my role as husband and father.<br />
limited Service Volunteer made a<br />
real difference in my life.<br />
cheers,<br />
Sam Henry<br />
* Reproduced with permission.<br />
in Afghanistan, East<br />
Timor and the Solomons<br />
... we apply our military<br />
skills to make a better<br />
future for the people that<br />
live there. The difference<br />
with YDU is that we<br />
...make a better future for<br />
our own young people<br />
<strong>Air</strong> <strong>Force</strong> news 35