Chch kids get 'quake break'

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Wed, 20 Jul 2011 7:00p.m.

Rainbow's End was one of the destinations for Christchurch kids

Rainbow's End was one of the destinations for Christchurch kids

Over the last ten months Christchurch kids have endured school closures, broken houses and thousands of aftershocks.

Now more than 500 young Cantabrians have been given a chance to get away for a 'quake break' in Auckland.

Youthtown has organised the trip, which includes visits to Rainbow's End, MOTAT and the Auckland Zoo.

The week-long, all expenses paid trip cost $500,000 and was completely covered by donations.

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Comments

05 Oct 2011 08:11p.m.

Morgan Trestrail 13 wrote:

I could'nt believe i was on t.v! I'm the girl at the end getting the interview on the boat! i had so much fun...
Thanks guys :)

22 Jul 2011 04:05p.m.

Sally mother of two wrote:

I am grateful that this group organised these and acknowledge the huge amount of time and effort as well as the cost and fundraising they will have put into it. I have spoken to Keith Thorpe, CEO of youthtown who believes the children generally had a good time. However I believe he has missed my point in that the pre publicity in ALL instances fail to mention that one large part of the group will NOT get the sort of Auckland city experience that has been touted but will go to a normal YMCA programme camp out of Auckland and not get all the experience that have been shown on this programme as well as all over the newspapers. This was also in all the pre publicity on radio and online. As long as your children do not EXPECT to do all those fun things if they have been assigned to the second group in Auckland and are the type of child that enjoy outdoor challenges then they might enjoy themselves. However there was nothing to tell me or my children throughout the application and acceptance process that this is where they may end up for the entire week. Camp Adair may be the right camp for your child/children and I hope they enjoy it. HOWEVER if they leave Christchurch expecting Rainbows end, Auckland Zoo, Snow Planet and all the fun things shown on Television plus touted in all the publicity before applying then they will probably take a while to adjust and may be seriously disillusioned. One of my children had a bit more fun than the other at this camp but both are sad that it was not what they were expecting at all. I was given forms to fill out with YMCA on it but was NEVER made clear that they would just go there and not see any of Auckland. I do not believe that my two children were the only two that were let down so think communication just needed to be better which is all I have been trying to get across in this and other messages.
As I said I am thrilled that this opportunity was here and very sad it has backfired in this instance and do not want it to happen to others.

you can email me on sallymc@woosh.co.nz

21 Jul 2011 01:26p.m.

Linda wrote:

Great to see these kids getting a break away from the earthquake zone, we can also hope that they have learnt't that Auckland isn't as bad as what they might have heard

21 Jul 2011 10:33a.m.

Sally - Mother of two wrote:

I submitted a comment saying that MY kids have been taken to Auckland with this Youthtown programme - but are getting none of this experience. My son is getting bullied and belittled and has been bored out of his tree, They are stuck in a YMCA camp and have nothing much to do. had several phone calls from him with him Absolutely distraught. if your kids are going next week check WHICH experience they are getting and be VERY cautious about the type of child you send as my son has been seriously and utterly traumatised and now HATES Auckland and is exhausted and overwhelmingly sad. why will you not report this???