The Blue Light Alternative Strategy for Teenagers (BLAST programme) in Central gets results - 84 percent of last term’s pupils would do it again to feel “stronger physically and mentally”.

Puna Rangitahi (Alexandra & Districts Youth Trust) manager Tash Kane said participants make friends, get fit and learn they can do hard things that they didn’t think possible.

Youth workers Nathan Zimmerman and Marley Ferguson run the programme in Dunstan High School and Maniototo Area School during Term 1 for eight weeks.

Numbers are capped at 30 per school and along with fitness resulting from a bootcamp-style workout, youngsters learn teamwork, discipline and problem solving skills.

Pictured are (from left) youth worker Marley Ferguson, Central’s former youth aid officer Ange Graham, BLAST volunteer instructor Lia Chapman and youth worker Nathan ZImmerman. PHOTO: Supplied 

There’s cooked kai (food), inspiring guest speakers and a celebratory “longest day” at the end of the programme - where those who complete it take away a hoodie and t-shirt after undertaking 12 hours of physical and mental challenges.

For DHS (year 9 and 10 pupils only) it’s on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings; each session is 2.5 hours long, in the Maniototo (pupils from MAS and Roxburgh Area School up to year 13) it’s on Monday and Thursday afternoons. 

Tash said they are looking for more funding support to keep things going. Past funders have been Sport Otago and charity organisation Blue Light NZ. 

“We’re in the process of securing funding . . . It’s around $17,000 to run it at Dunstan High School and because of travel it’s more for the Maniototo.”

Nathan, a pupil in the programme in 2015, “for the free cooked breakfast” and because he thought he would join the army, became a BLAST mentor and now he’s in a paid role running it.

“My favourite part is the growth in the group and the individuals I see over the duration of the course.” 

Bringing the programme to the community is a team effort, along with the youth workers, another volunteer trainer Lia Chapman helps out, and helping alongside Tash are volunteer cooks who donate their time to help.

Tash said anyone else who wanted to volunteer to help prepare kai could get in touch. 

Puna Rangitahi could help with transporting rangitahi from Alexandra and Clyde for the DHS morning sessions if that was a barrier for families. 

Tash said sports coaches rated the programme and some were encouraging parents to sign their children up in order to get fit for approaching winter sports next term.

Registrations are open now on a first come, first served basis. BLAST starts on February 10 and registrations close on February 21.

For further information contact [email protected]

This story has been edited for clarification and updated on February 5, 2024.

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