The latest Dirt Bike Encounters graduates, from left, Tuehine Kuresa, Phoenix Himiona, Te Rangi Rae, Lee Chand and Quintin White with Dirt Bike Encounters founder Mary Wanhill.
The latest Dirt Bike Encounters graduates, from left, Tuehine Kuresa, Phoenix Himiona, Te Rangi Rae, Lee Chand and Quintin White with Dirt Bike Encounters founder Mary Wanhill.
Last week saw the graduation of the latest group of students from Pongakawa based Youth Encounter Ministries Trust's Dirt Bike Encounters programme.
The programme uses the thrill and excitement of learning to ride a dirt bike as a tool to engage young people, help them see their potential and give them a sense of belonging.
Last week's group were all from Te Puke High School's alternative education programme.
Over eight weeks they learned about dirt track riding and also about lifeskills, positive social interaction and understanding themselves and their potential through learning to safely ride a dirt bike on motocross and trail tracks.
The course is designed to help young people use the power of their thinking as well as the power of a dirt bike.
Founder Mary Wanhill, a former freestyle motocross rider, who is now a counsellor, says the trust exists to draw out young people's potential and to get them to see that potential themselves.
''I think it's that lack of self belief that we can be anything different, or we can go anywhere in life, that really stops us from moving forward,'' she says. ''So for us it's creating a space of connection and belonging so we are pulling them into something they feel a part of and accepted at as well. That's a huge part of it.
''The dirt bikes are the activity and experience, but we are saying you can learn so much and direct those learnings into life applications.''
Tuehine Kuresa graduated from the Dirt Bike Encounters course last week.
Alternative Education programme teacher aid Noel McAllister says each group that has gone through the Dirt Bike Encounter programme is slightly different due to the different issues students face.
But, he says, there are noticeable changes in behaviour and attitude.
''We quite often notice a change at school. We notice a change in the way they approach their school work and their enthusiasm is boosted from this.''
He says in some respects the students are learning without realising it.
''And that's also pretty much what we're trying to do with alternative education. We are trying to teach them without actually sitting them down in front of a blackboard and so I think they are learning without feeling the pressure of sitting in front of a book.''
Generally the students on the programme are from Years 9 and 10.
''Normally by Year 11 we want to get them back to school because that's where NCEA starts and if they want a future at all, they've got to get some credits - the programme helps with that engagement.''
The Dirt Bike Encounters programme has been running for six years.
It is run four times a year for students from the alternative education programme. There is also a one on one programme for young people referred from the youth justice system.
''Those from the alternative education programme are the ones on the fringes, the marginalised ones, that we engage on the programme,'' says Mary.
While there is a basic structure to the programme, it is flexible.
''We've definitely got to be reasonably adaptable. One of our focuses is always to work with them and where they're at. We journey with them, where they're going and what they need at the time.''
Over the past two years TECT has put $30,000 into the programme. Trustee Peter Blackwell was at last week's graduation.
''The TECT trustees have put money into the programme because we believe in what is being delivered and the results that are being achieved,'' he told the graduates, urging them to keep going in the direction they are travelling.
