Youngsters get moving for the holidays

Performing arts and sports is the focus of a holiday programme aiming to help young people find a feeling of purpose.

Alive With A Purpose (AWAP), a suicide prevention programme for young people from Polynesia, visited Rarotonga during the Careers Expo earlier this year to promote their free week-long programme, which looks to engage young people in music, dance, sport and performing arts.

The event began yesterday with some ‘warm-up’ events to help introduce participants to the different aspects of the programme. This included spending time dancing and learning the “foundations of singing”, said AWAP member Nina Sione.

Messages for a healthy life will be woven throughout the programme, with Sione suggesting to Monday’s participants that they should get moving every day to help them stay happy and healthy. The week of activities will have something for all, beginning with singing, vocal tutorials, song writing and poetry on Monday, hip-hop dance lessons all day on Tuesday, Wednesday looking at musicianship with bass, guitar, drum and keyboard tuition, and a sport day on Thursday with touch and netball.

For the grand finale on Friday, Kavana says that there will be a concert from the AWAP team and students, to showcase their talent and skills.

The workshops will focus on four things: identity, resilience, dreams and setting goals and achieving them, said AWAP member Jane Kavana.

“AWAP focus on these things to remind our youth of their purpose, especially when things are not going well around them.”

Today will see Hemi Korewha teaching the youth some moves on the dance floor, with enjoyment being a priority.

“We’ll keep it fun – I don’t want to get all serious on them,” Korewha said with a smile.

The AWAP programme is free and open to all students, and will run from Monday 14 to Friday 18 October from 9am to 3pm at Princess Anne Hall, Tereora College.