Forster Neighbourhood Centre Inc. Boat Building

Forster Neighbourhood Centre Inc. - People Helping People

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Boat Building and Young Carers

Winmurra Bug
The Forster Neighbourhood Centre received funding from the Holiday Coast Credit Union ($2,000) through their 2007 Community Grants Program to purchase a small sailing boat kit - specifically to engage young people who are at risk of leaving school early. This project was successfully completed by six indigenous girls from Great Lakes College (Forster Campus) which gave the girls opportunities for building confidence, respect, perseverance, self-esteem and team work. Participants were Emma Kelly, Ebony Martin, Cassandra Lilly, Tjnaya Simon, Jasmine Martin and Tamarah Close.

Over the project time the girls developed skills using hand-held tools such as planes, saws, rasps and also power drills. The girls created their own designs both traditional and non-traditional including six flowers and six pairs of footprints, symbolising the six girls. They named the boat Winmurra Bug, Winmurra means girl in local Kattang language.

International Yacht Paint - Sponsored Boat
The FNC purchased the Kit Boats from Fire Bugs - New Zealand. They partner with a marine paint business, International Yacht Paints. IYP sponsored four local TAFE students a trip to the Sydney Boat Show 2008 where they built Firebug which was then donated to the Forster community. Troy Alridge, Kylie Hodkinson, Nikki Brown, Lobsang Jenpa all participated in the boat building.

Bug News 27 - Real Sailors Build Their Own Boats!
Filesize: 897Kb

The third boat is currently under construction by participants from the Coomba Park After School Program and will be lauched, along with the others, on Saturday 16th May at the Forster Neighbourhood Centre's Community Celebration and Activity Day.

Please go to the Calender on this website and click on '16th May' for details