Teenagers seize their opportunities

Sleeping rough as a teenager in the streets of London is a lifetime away for a former Masterton YMCA Conservation Corps graduate who now, almost 10 years later, is supervisor on the same course.
Derek Dale graduated in 1997 from the course ?V which targets at-risk youth and pupils on school exemption ?V and was inspired by the experience to train as an outdoor instructor and now as a counsellor.
"The course changed me around a bit and I found I wanted to work in the same area. The great thing about being a tutor is getting different opportunities to grow ?V some days I reckon I'm doing more learning than some of the students."
Mr Dale lives in Masterton and is now "married with children" and studying for a degree in counselling to further equip him in his chosen career.
He said he approaches his work as a corps supervisor with tolerance, empathy, and a slow-burning fuse that allows him to "choose when to lose my temper, so I'm not just yelling all the time".
"Each person on the course is an individual who will choose their own path. But I'll be there for them to the point where I can ?V even if they choose to do things I may not agree with or condone.
"Sometimes it can be 24-7 but I don't mind. I'm not afraid of passing anyone over to another person or agency that may be able to offer a greater degree of help and I know what to take on and what not to."
This Friday 10 course participants will receive a Ministry of Youth Development certificate of achievement.
The certificate recognises work done by participants over the past 20 weeks in caving, kayaking, rock climbing, environmental awareness, chainsaw use, DOC volunteer work, regional council pest plants and pest certification, the safe use of herbicides, flax work, basic first aid and introductory investment.
The course has two intakes each year of 10 students with the next programme beginning in mid-July.
The focus for course participants, Mr Dale said, is on personal and relationship development and "transitional skills and contributions to the community and the environment".
"We have very limited seats available for the next programme, although the community should always keep us in mind, as there are always other possibilities at the YMCA and also get in early for next course intake."
Sisters Connie Orupe, 16, and Diamond, 18, said the course has offered each of them a chance to learn with "teachers who care about you and who you are".
The sisters said they were each recruited to the course after a home visit from Mr Dale who offered them a chance neither regrets taking.
"There are things we walk past every day that we didn't notice before ?V like now there are trees we can name and we know more about what's around us," Connie said.
"Teachers get paid to teach and there's no getting to know us. Derek loves what he's doing and that makes a real difference. He takes the time to find out who you are ?V one by one.
"I know it sounds corny but there's a family thing happening here. We're all different but we pick each other up and there's a tight bond that won't be broken any time soon."
Diamond said she found that in a traditional school environment she was ignored and often felt treated little better "than a piece of furniture in the classroom".
"I have difficulty hearing and I was often off in my own world and got left behind. In the corps that doesn't happen ?V nobody falls behind without everyone noticing and doing something about it.
"We're not saying we had a hard background but we like it here and we all come here by choice. We learn what we want to learn and there's quality time here that schools can't touch."
?? The presentation of certificates is to be held at the YMCA building in Queen Street at noon this Friday.
???nFor more information on the next Conservation Corps intake call Derek Dale at 06 377 5499.