Thursday, August 9, 2007

"Like a ripple in the community"


Associate Health Minister Jim Anderton congratulates CAYAD Otautahi
logo competition winner, Hannah Barnes.


“Hannah’s visual concept represents precisely how CAYAD works – ideas starting in communities which with support and community participation can grow into real change and have a positive impact on the issue of youth and drugs.”

14-year-old Middleton Grange schoolgirl Hannah Barnes has won a graphic art competition to produce a logo for community action project CAYAD Otautahi.

CAYAD Otautahi is part of a Ministry of Health funded initiative that works to reduce drug-related harm to young people and their communities through community action initiatives.

One of 27 CAYAD sites around the country, CAYAD Otautahi supports Christchurch community groups that are trying to address issues around youth and drugs.

The competition had an excellent response of high quality submissions and was open to all young people in Christchurch under the age of 25, says CAYAD Otautahi coordinator Leanne McTear.

“They obviously put a lot of thought into their entries but Hannah’s visual concept represents precisely how CAYAD works. To use her words: like a ripple in the community,”’ says McTear.

“That’s just how we work – nurturing and supporting ideas that come from within communities to grow participation and help focus it into real change that has a positive impact on the issue of youth and drugs,” McTear says.

Chair of the Ministerial Committee overseeing the National Drug Policy and Associate Health Minister Jim Anderton says CAYAD programmes are the best way for drug issues to be identified and dealt with at the local level.

“CAYADs make a very important contribution to helping positive social change in our communities,” says Anderton. “CAYADs focus on strengthening communities. Drugs will not flourish in active communities where everyone has a stake.”

Barnes won an ipod nano donated by Christchurch City Council. Runner-up Amanda Penman received $100 in vouchers.

Vehicle leasing specialists VFL Finance donated the cost of having the logo sign written onto the CAYAD car to help increase the project’s visibility in the community.

VFL Finance spokesman Jason Donnithorne says the company recognises the value of community action initiatives and is eager to support CAYAD get off the ground and on to the road.

"The CAYAD car is a moving billboard that will be effective in raising awareness and reinforcing the CAYAD Otautahi objectives as the team moves around the city,” Donnithorne says.

1 comment:

Kim said...

I got somewhere in this comp (i'm sure it was 2nd or similar) but sadly lost my paper... please lemme know info. kim.pflaum@gmail.com