Skate boarding offers opportunities for youth with risk taking behaviour to constructively channel their energy developing personal agency, transferable skills, habits and competencies towards self-determination and an improved quality of life.
What skills and resources were you able to draw from the community for this project?
• Eco-buliding skills (building and project management) • Skate park designer (landcape architect specialising in skate parks and himself a skateboarder who has built parks all over the world) • Materials – waste and sand and rock • Building tools, equipment and materials • Labour • Partnerships on a number of levels • Skateboards and tools for maintenance
The challenges
Creation of positive social impact amongst marginalised youth in impoverished rural areas where opportunities for participation in constructive relevant activities are limited and potential lies undiscovered. Generating social capital within marginalised communities within a collaborative community built project creating agency, ownership and unexpected possibilities for social change.
Addressing the challenges
Uncovers potential in youth and allows them to experience self-efficacy, ownership, autonomy and hope within the building of the skate park, the maintenance thereof and the development of skateboarding skills. Skateboarding culture elicits a sense of “all is possible” through perseverance, dedication and commitment within a supportive and encouraging social context. Develop autonomy and accountability through engaging them in the establishment and maintenance of the park and the skateboarding skill development programme. Incorporation of lifestyle programme by role models (skateboarders) in the local community who are able to identify with one another and align with the subculture of skateboarding, a language of its own. Build multiple skate parks in the local district to advance the recreation and sporting aspect of skateboarding creating a wider context for the participants.
The achievements
An extraordinary response by an ever increasing number of youth wanting to be involved in the project evideninvg independent skill development and autonomy in the management of the park Requests for skate parks in the local Xhariep district Transferable context – A substance/rehabd centre wanting to build a skate park (Transferability) Sense of purpose amongst the youth, interest in being at school An experience of the impossible was possible – sense of hope Relevant partnerships and interest in expansion on multiple levels One completed skate park – a funding proposal created for 9 additional parks
Johannesburg, South Africa