Project Connect for Stratford

15th July 2010

ON Wednesday, June 30 40 young people from Stratford gathered together at the Lions Den on Page Street to participate in Project Connect.
Young people aged 12-24 from the local high schools, local businesses, youth services and alternate education providers participated in the one day event which included workshops and motivational speakers.
The aim of the day was to inspire and motivate young people, while developing skills that will help them to become successful role models and leaders within our community.
Those that participated engaged well with Marcus Akuhata-Brown who facilitated the day. Marcus is a successful facilitator who has a passion for community and young people. His humour and messages were well received by the participants.
Speakers included New Zealand Number Two boxer and Taranaki Maori Sportsman of the Year 2009 Sam Rapira, and Taranaki Mountain Airs and New Zealand basketball player Jeremiah Trueman.
Both spoke about their personal journeys to success and captured the young people’s attention with their stories, positive messages and brilliant speaking.
The young people shared what they had learnt throughout the day including: having goals and working hard to achieve them, that having a voice is important both at a local level and at a national level and how to connect with each other and their community.
The day turned out to be a huge success at the Lions Den, the first event held there since it was initiated at the end of 2009 by the Youth Development Trust.