It’s become clear that there is a small group of around 150 very serious young offenders for whom our Youth Justice System in its current form just doesn’t work. Prime Minister Bill English

Kapiti Boot Camps

By John Granville and Roger Childs

Clearly the Kapiti Independent “Comment of the Week” is suggesting that Bill English’s boot camp idea is equivalent to Hitler Youth Camps.

I am all in favour of Bill English’s initiative IF it means the government will fund existing programmes for Youth at Risk.

Bill English’s initiative for Youth at Risk already exists in a different and appropriate form for Youth at Risk in Kapiti.

An inspirational programme

The modern, Kiwi-ised, Community-based successor of a ‘boot camp’ already exists with the successful Youthquest Kapiti operational programme for youths at risk.

This inspirational programme does NOT include weapon training, but includes a successful motivating and inspiring opportunity for youths to become community-minded citizens and has a 12 month mentoring period afterwards.

NOW it only needs Government funding!’

KCDC need to look at its youth funding priorities 

KIN is of the view that the Kapiti Coast District Council (KCDC) should look seriously at the funding it provides for youth organisations.

Nationwide ZEAL at the end of June 2016 had more than 1.6 million in Accumulated Funds!

KCDC had provided ZEAL with donations totalling $187,867 during 2015/2016, while Youthquest Kapiti received a miserly $1,150!