29 September 2011

Project Northern Lights goes wild on Loch Tay

A group of nine young people (aged 15-25) from deprived communities in northern Edinburgh are being put through their paces on the shores of Loch Tay this week as part of the ‘Northern Lights’ youth development project. WildFox Events is providing the logistics, equipment and training for the week’s residential programme on its base in Highland Perthshire.

The four-day intensive programme of outdoor activities, including walking high wires with The Abernethy Trust, is designed to help young people with no formal qualifications escape a relentless cycle of crime and punishment. The Project culminates with a voyage around the west coast of Scotland with the Ocean Youth Trust Scotland at the end of October.

Wildfox Events is running the initiative. “Project Northern Lights is all about giving marginalised young people in Scotland the chance to shine,” said WildFox’s Director David Fox Pitt. “Young people from troubled backgrounds are valuable participants in our society who should be helped and guided rather than judged.”

The group, mentored by Jonny Kinross from the Muirhouse Youth Development Group, have had to really pull together over the past four days of camping and adventure on Loch Tay. They completed the Abernethy Adventure Centre’s rope courses and have been learning how to navigate the Tay on canoes and a hand built raft. “Adventure activities are an effective way for hooking in young people on the very edges of society,” commented Kinross. “Combine this with real training and employable skills and we can really help them turn their lives around.”

“The week has been amazing, we have had to really work together and communicate with each other,” commented one of the young participants Marcus Glancy. “The Northern Lights Project is giving us something to look forward to and something to do…I’m keen to volunteer if it goes ahead next year.” Conor Whalan added: “If it wasn’t for this project we would probably be getting into trouble and end up somewhere we don’t want to be.”

The Ocean Youth Trust Scotland will take the group on Alba Venturer for a week long voyage around the west coast of Scotland on the 24th of October. The sail training voyage is a physical and emotional test that includes giving individuals responsibility for the boat and crew’s safety. The experience of life at sea is designed to help young people build their personal and social skills, gain recognised qualifications and truly broaden their horizons.

As well as gaining valuable life experiences, those who take part in Project Northern Lights will be able to improve their CV with summary of their achievements and a reference from the Muirhouse Youth Development Group (MYDG) as their employer. MYDG will continue to offer ongoing support, including opportunities to gain industry recognised coaching qualifications in outdoor activities such as cycling, bike mechanics, first aid, football and swimming.

If successful this pilot project, funded by the Artemis Charitable Foundation and Finlayson Wagner Black, will be stepped up to a nationwide programme in 2012 for at least 45 young people. “The high proportion of repeat offenders who were involved in the recent riots shows that the penal system and political condemnation of behaviour alone isn’t going to put a stop to crime and antisocial behaviour,” commented David Fox-Pitt. “We have to also encourage and support young people to become valued members of their communities.”

Follow the group progress in film, words and pictures on the Northern Lights Blog