Thursday: 10 July 2003

This site will be updated on: 17 July  2003 at 17:00

Youth - Jeug

• Paarlse gesin blink uit met perde
• Wanted: big brothers and sisters
• Good, clean fun for skateboarders
• Gevangenes help

'n LANDBOUSKOU in die Paarl is lankal reeds iets van die verlede, maar die Fourie familie van De Hoop, Agter-Paarl, hou steeds die dorp se naam hoog op die land se voorste skoue, soos die jongste SA kampioenskappe vir Hackneyperde op Beaufort-Wes.

Wynand en Karin Fourie se kinders, DJ en Lerié, het groot byval by die groot aantal toeskouers gevind.

Lerié, wat 'n graad agt leerling van Paarl Gimnasium is, is op Zelnic Oude Meester vir die tweede agtereenvolgende jaar as die nasionale kampioen- kinderruiter onder agtien jaar aangewys.

Die kampioenskap vir 'n enkeltuigperd gedryf deur 'n kind onder agtien jaar is deur DJ met Dumatsou Biscayne ingepalm. Hy is 'n leerling in graad elf aan die Drostdy Hoër Tegniese skool op Worcester.

Pa Wynand was die koetsier toe sy paar karperde tydens die kampioenskap vir dubbeltuigperde as die reserwe kampioene aangewys is. Hierdie was een van die strafste kompetisies tydens die skou.

Hyself het eers Walliese ponies geteel en oor baie jare het hy 'n groot aantal nasionale kampioene met hulle opgelewer.

Die Hackneybloed loop egter dik deur hierdie familie se are en 'n aantal jare gelede het hy besluit om die skoutradisie voort te sit wat sy bekende oupa, wyle Ben van der Westhuizen van Durbanville, met hierdie perderas gehandhaaf het.

"Hierdie vurige perderas wat oor baie dekades ook baie gewild op die Paarlse skou van ouds was, is veral as 'n karperd met hoë aksie bekend. .

* Two Paarl teenagers have excelled at the SA Hackney Horse Show.

PEER pressure, adolescence, and enthusiasm are dynamic factors in a youth's life. 

Big Brothers Big Sisters is a mentoring programme that aims to facilitate positive youth development by offering one-to-one mentoring relationships between carefully chosen adult volunteers and children at risk, who are in need of additional adult companionship and guidance.

Often all these children need is a reliable, trustworthy, caring person who will act as a positive role model, take an interest in and display an affection for them, helping them to open up, to trust and to establish positive relationships with others. 

Having a dedicated, one-to-one relationship with a Big Brother or Big Sister will help these children negotiate their lives and respond positively to the adversity they face. 

A Big Brother or Big Sister spends quality time with a Little on a one-to-one basis and encourages them not only to believe in themselves but also to set and achieve specific goals that will impact positively on their futures. 

In this way the Big Brother Big Sister programme strives to enhance the social, emotional, psychological and academic development of a child.

Internationally results of the programme indicate that youth matched with a Big Brother or Big Sister are 52% more likely to stay in school, 46% less likely to use drugs, and 32% less likely to engage in violence. 

Youths with mentors also showed an increase in self-confidence, self-worth, the ability to trust, and make better decisions and choices.

Feedback from parents, educators and school principals have been positive with regards to the influence that the Bigs are having on the Littles involved in the programme. 

An independent evaluation of the program and its effectiveness bears this out with clear indications that Littles participating in the programme display a more positive attitude towards school. 

Paarl is not without its own Big Brothers and Big Sisters who are making a difference for Littles. There are now some 19 children who have been matched with a Big and who are benefiting from the Programme at New Orleans Primary and Secondary Schools in Paarl.But many more Littles are currently on the organisation's waiting list pending Bigs with whom they could be matched.

Big Brothers Big Sisters is therefore anxious to identify and recruit adult volunteers who would be willing to participate in the programme. All it requires is one simple hour of time each week.

For information on becoming a 'Big' and/or the Big Brothers Big Sisters Programme contact Helen or Tasneemah at Big Brothers Big Sisters on 447-2227 or 447-2471, email makeadifference@bbbssa.org.za or visit www.bbbssa.org.za.

THE youth initiative 24seven, a non-profit collaborative that acts to see young people empowered and changed, plans to open a skateboard park in Paarl.

Skateboarders are often unwelcome and suffer harassment when they use public streets to enjoy their sport.

A public skateboarding competition will be held on Patriot Square in Paarl on 19 July from 12:00 to raise funds for a skating site in the industrial area.

The "Free Your Mind" skateboard competition will focus on good, clean fun, celebrating life and introducing a lifestyle that is positive.

It will be a full day of extreme skateboarding where the youth of Drakenstein will be able to compete with their peers for prizes, will provide opportunities for novice, intermediate and advanced skill levels.

There will be a skateboard demonstration by sponsored board-riders and "SwitchStance" will première their new skateboard movie.

The day ends with a night of live music and cutting edge deejays.

For enquiries, contact Anton Moulder on 082-492-3612 or anton@24seven.org.za.

MET blink oë en breë glimlagte het die leerders van Bergendal Primêr die groot geskenk beloer wat hulle onlangs gekry het.

Gevangenes van Drakenstein Korrektiewe Dienste se maksimum-afdeling het die skool verras met 150 rugsakke en 100 kussings.

Die gevangenes neem deel aan die Ubuntu-projek, 'n rehabilitasieprogram vir langtermyn-gevangenes.

Volgens die gevangenes wil hulle poog om aan die gemeenskap te wys dat hulle omgee.

Hierdie is net die eerste van hul projekte, maar hulle is afhanklik van skenkings van materiaal om produkte te kan vervaardig.

Mense wat wil help, kan die projekbestuurder, Jacques Regue, skakel by 864-8136.

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