The walkway off Catherine Street in Woolston, beside the Heathcote river, has been revitalised with help from some of our Year 12 students and the University of Canterbury (UC) Student Volunteer Army (SVA).

In March, our students; Bodie, Manaia and Troy;  alongside the UC SVA and other year 12s from local schools, revitalised an 80 metre section of fencing as part of the SVA’s Year 12 UCan programme. Over two mornings the group first painted over graffiti and then, with the aid of a local artist, took to adding colourful imagery to the area, which is often used by locals as a riverside walking area.

The UCan Year 12 programme encourages local secondary students to become leaders in their communities through volunteering while being mentored by SVA members. Along with getting out and being making a different in the community, the Year 12 students also got to learn more about the SVA, how it was founded, and the work it continues to do in the community. The students also were tasked with coming up with a project idea that they would like to implement within their own school and community before pitching it to a panel consisting of representatives from the university and SVA.

Josh Blackmore, SVA President and one of the judges of the presentations was impressed with what he saw. “The quality of ideas generated in such a short space of time was highly impressive. Teams presented well thought out plans that took advantage of their own skills and networks to address needs they saw in their communities. We wish the students all the best in their mission to implement their project plans, and look forward to hearing how they go.”