The theme for Youth Week this year is “Courage: Stepping out of your comfort zone.” On Saturday 12th April the Health Promotion team held a competition for all the local young people, at the Bluff skate park in Devonport for the local skateboarders, scooters and BMX riders.
We had 175 people attend the day, with 25 young people riding and competing for first place and prizes. Lots of family members and passersby stopped to cheer on the competitors and watch them do their tricks.
After a fun filled 2 hours of competing, we had our winners, and it was time for everybody to move from the skatepark to the green area for the start of the colour run. We were lucky to have Headspace Devonport in attendance to run this activity. We had runners from age 5 to some parents who refused to admit their ages, all join in the fun for a run along the beach, up the hill to the lighthouse and back down again. All the while being sprayed with coloured powder. By the end of it everyone was much more colourfully dressed than at the start.
We were also lucky enough to have the event opened and closed by the honourable Roger Jaensch and a visit from Devonport’s Mayor, Alison Jarman. Both were offered the chance to compete in both the skate comp and colour run, but declined, presumably they didn’t want to show up the kids?
At the end of the event, and frequently during the day, we had many people approach us and thank YFCC for putting on this event, and the others like it, stating that they thought it was great to see organisations helping the community and encouraging young people to take part in activities and helping them to feel connected to their home town. Most of the skate competitors thanked us too, saying that it rare for them to be able to compete like this and be celebrated for what they have taught themselves to do.
