The Life Skills Camps program, created by the Blue Light charity organization, is a week-long live experiential learning camp organized in partnership with the New Zealand Defense Force Youth Development Unit, focusing on leadership training, practical skills, self-confidence, teamwork, and leaderless tasks.

This life skills programme is for young people aged 14-17 years of age. Participants must be healthy and physically fit as some activities are demanding. The programme would ideally suit young people showing qualities like team involvement, being confident amongst peers and groups of people, being able to communicate and open to ideas. This programme would also suit those young people considering career opportunities in the services such as the Airforce, Army, Navy or Police.

 “My 17-year-old son was leaving school unsure what he wanted to do. He attended the Blue Light Course on which he excelled. Based on his performance on this course, he decided to join the defence force. This programme has helped him to focus and gave him a clear direction for his career and subsequent future”, according to a participant’s parent.

In addition, Blue Light created this course aimed at helping the Police achieve its youth and community objectives by providing pro-active initiatives to meet a key target market. It does this by providing young people with positive lifestyle alternatives and strategies to avoid becoming an offender or victim of crime.

The following results were obtained (as of October 2019) at Blue Light life skills training camps thanks to the organization’s partners, Police officers, Blue Light staff and volunteers:

  • 37,440 NCEA credits completed.
  • A total of 4,680 people participated in the course.
  • 55,400 volunteer hours.
  • 12 locations which organize this program.

 

According to bluelight.co.nz