11 JUNE 2007

On Friday 15 June young people will be able to have their say in response to the Edgeware Road tragedy at a conference organised by the White Elephant, a youth development trust, and Christchurch secondary school, Unlimited Paenga Tawhiti.

“There has been a lot of community debate on this issue but as yet young people haven’t had an opportunity to air their views in a public forum that‘s youth-led,” says Vince Dobbs, co-director of Unlimited Paenga Tawhiti.

The conference, which will be held at Unlimited Paenga Tawhiti from 9am to 3pm, will be co-chaired by Chris Young whose younger sister Jane died that night. A preliminary meeting with young people has already been held to scope the focus of the conference. Four main issues have been identified for discussion on the day, including improving the safety of young people, particularly at social gatherings.

The White Elephant Trust and Unlimited Paenga Tawhiti have invited all Christchurch secondary schools to send up to five students. “We want a genuine mix of students at the conference,” says Vince. “This isn’t just a forum for student leaders.”

Chair of the White Elephant Trust, Anthony Rohan, says the main aim of the conference is to come away with some tangible outcomes. “We’re looking to produce a written report that identifies the issues, recommends specific goals and outlines how we can go about meeting those goals. We want this conference to set the direction for further initiatives – it’s the start of something rather than just another opportunity for closure.” Invitations have been extended to teachers, youth agencies and community leaders to observe at the conference.

Young people not currently at school are also invited to attend and can contact the White Elephant Trust for more details.

About White Elephant

The White Elephant Trust (WE) exists to promote the positive development of young people by providing them with recreational and entertainment opportunities that are socially credible, safe, and drug and alcohol free. In 2003 a group of like-minded people pooled their resources and skills together to host a series of youth events. As these events grew in popularity, it became apparent that the group needed a more formal structure so, in 2005, the White Elephant Trust was incorporated as a charity.

What makes WE different is that it is youth-led and non-religious. It is committed to helping young people establish and maintain positive peer relationships. WE achieves this by coordinating and promoting sustainable social activities that provide young people with the opportunity to have fun while also contributing positively to their community. Over the last few years the Trust has organised more than 20 such events and have sponsored many others.

ENDS

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