Bronze Medallion success for Hurunui Youth Programme participants
Monday 15 March 2010, 7:38PM
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The first ever Bronze Medallion training course run by the Amberley Swimming Pool over the last three Saturdays has proven to be a huge success. The course was run as part of the Hurunui Youth Programme, and the 27 participants who sat the Bronze Medallion and Bronze Star Assessments all passed.
A total of 35 young people attended the training course over consecutive Saturdays at the Amberley Swimming Pool. The training programme focused on survival, rescue and basic first aid, giving participants skills which could ultimately save their own life or the life of another person. After completing the two day training course, participants then were eligible to sit either Bronze Medallion or Bronze Star assessments depending on their age on the following Saturday. 10 under-14s sat and passed the Bronze Star Award and 17 aged 14 and over passed the Bronze Medallion Award.
The assessments cost an additional $25 per person, and huge thanks goes to the Amberley Lions Club who sponsored the Hurunui young people to sit their Bronze Medallion assessments. Many of these participants would otherwise not have been financially able to take up this opportunity and complete the qualification without this fantastic support.
The Bronze Medallion Award is an internationally recognised qualification which is administered by the Royal Life Saving Academy. It is a minimum standard that is recognised for many careers including police, aviation, childcare, and the armed forces.
Due to the response and success of the course and assessment the Hurunui Youth Programme is looking into developing this further next summer.
“Many of the participant’s parents said to me that they remembered doing their own Bronze Medallion Award when they were teenagers themselves, so they recognised that it was a worthwhile training course and a great opportunity for their own kids to be taught lifesaving and basic water survival skills” said the Hurunui Youth Programme co-ordinator Sam Lynn. “It was great to see how many young people were interested in being involved and I look forward to extending this to all of the Hurunui district so more youth will have the opportunity to be involved next summer”.
The participants that were successful in their assessments will receive a medal which will be presented at a later date.
Other things coming up on the Hurunui Youth Programme calendar include:
• Social on 26 March at the Culverden Community Room
• Leadership Training Day the Ultim8 Challenge Centre on 9 April
• Paintball Activity Day on 16 April.
For more information on the Hurunui Youth Programme or to register for any of these events please contact Sam by emailing hyp@hurunui.govt.nz or texting 027 427 1087.