Blue Light: Hāwera teen Shay Whakatutu wins overall excellence award at life skills programme

Overall Excellence Award Winner Shay Whakatutu, from Land-based Training in Taranaki and NZ Police Taupo area commander inspector Phil Edwards. Photo/ Supplied

"I just enjoyed being able to help others out. The things we did were right up my alley. It was mean," said Shay Whakatutu (15) from Hāwera.

Shay received the award at the Blue Light's life skills programme in Taupō.

Shay, who attends Land-based Training, and does farming, beat an exceptional group of young people from across Aotearoa to win the overall excellence award.

Blue Light's youth worker/mentor Daniel Bromley says Shay was awarded the overall excellence award through demonstrating the qualities of maturity, respect, and intuition and through building individual and group mana.

"We love sending our rangatahi on the life skills camps. It opens their eyes to other opportunities, beyond their backyard and they make some wonderful connections; both with the staff and other young people on the camp. There are always some who come home thinking about a career in the services. This time, that person was Shay," said Leanne Richards South Taranaki's Blue Light coordinator.

Shay says the camp showed them a lot of things people need to know about life.

"It was a good chance for me. Now with my future career, I am looking at serving. I figure why not do something that really helps people."

Blue Light's highly successful Life Skills programme has been run in partnership with NZ Defence Force for the past 12 years and has adventure-based experiential learning as a key part of the programme.

The programme provides 14-17-year-olds critical life skills such as self-development, self-control, and teamwork that will enable young people to be successful at home, school, communities, and employment.

For more information about the Blue Light Life Skills camps visit www.bluelight.co.nz.
Blue Light is grateful for the support of the sponsorship of the Lion Foundation and community supporters