Adventure, camaraderie and dancing at NZDSA Youth Development Camp By Coen Lammers
Eight young people from all corners of New Zealand last month enjoyed a weekend of adventure, camaraderie, arts, dancing and of course plenty of finger-licking food at the NZDSA Youth Development Camp. The young adults ranging from 18 to 32 years old were invited by the NZDSA to attend this event at Vaughan Park in Long Bay, north of Auckland. The venue provided a stunning beach-side backdrop and was situated right next to the Marine Education and Recreation Centre (MERC) where the participants took part in a host of adrenaline-filled activities and where they were asked to get out of their comfort zones. For many of the participants, the airplane ride into Auckland already provided a highlight in itself. Aside from Melissa Hoffman and Emily Leech, who only had to drive over the Harbour Bridge, the other guests flew in from far and wide. Katie Beamish from Dunedin and Invercargill’s Jacqie Glew represented the deep south, with James Young from Christchurch making up the South Island crew.
CHAT 21 | Issue 76, Summer 2018
26