Appeal for youth adventure

Senior Constable Peter Wright of the Central Taranaki Blue Light Committee is appealing to local businesses to help get at-risk youth on to the Spirit of Adventure.

Peter says that the Central Taranaki Blue Light Committee has been developed to help at-risk youth in the community by encouraging them to plan for the future. In the past year the committee has organised visits to the police college, army bases and the Sir George Seymour college and is now looking for sponsors to get local youth on to the Spirit of Adventure 10-day youth development voyage.

Peter says the Blue Light Committee helps all kinds of youth of risk.

It's not just youth justice, there is a very broad spectrum of youth who can be helped.

Senior Constable Peter Wright

"The police have sent students on the Spirit of Adventure before through the Youth Justice Programme and the results have been outstanding." Peter says that the students return, "excited about life, full of ambitions and want to stay out of trouble".

The cost to send one student on the Spirit of Adventure for the 10-day voyage is $1900. Peter will be approaching local businesses to see if they can sponsor a youth.

"We understand that $1900 is a big donation, so we are happy for any support that we can receive." With scholarships and funding options available for up to $1700 per person, "a contribution of a couple of hundred dollars could make a huge difference".

Peter says that while the Spirit of Adventure has proven to make a difference, "it's all about the follow-through support we at Blue Light can offer them to reach their goals". Peter says that this is something that the committee will focus on.

Peter and the committee have received a positive response after presenting to the Stratford Business Association and plan to start approaching businesses in the near future.

To support the Blue Light Committee with a donation or for more information phone Senior Constable Peter Wright at the Stratford Police Station.