Skating to empower youth in Mt Barker and Kendenup

Mt Barker and Kendenup’s next generation of skaters will be able to tap into skate wisdom with Rollin’ Youth’s skate workshops hitting skate parks this weekend.

The Margaret River-based skate workshops and events company delivers programs to communities and schools. Rollin’ Youth skate coach Ness Moore said their aim was to use skateboarding to empower kids throughout WA.

She said skateboarding was a great way to get kids into nature and teach them that with perseverance and persistence anything was possible.

“Our Rollin’ Youth Workshops teach all the fundamentals of skateboarding in a safe and fun environment.

“The kids will learn how to skateboard and how to safely navigate their local skateparks,” she said.

“We realised that lots of kids in rural and outback Australia didn’t have access to coaching or to skateboarding programs.

“Sometimes we will run a little skate competition for the kids or get some demo skaters down from Margaret River for the kids to watch.”

Ms Moore said skating was a great confidence builder for the kids and helped them to learn life lessons about persistence.

“It is just such a great way to challenge yourself and to feel the rewards of your hard work when you achieve something which was once out of your comfort zone,” she said.

“Skateboarding teaches kids that no matter what life throws at you, you can always get back up and give it another go.

“Just like skateboarding, we fall, we learn, we try again. They are so stoked once they actually achieve something.”

The workshops will run in Kendenup on Friday and in Mt Barker on Saturday.

“All kids are welcome to come along, it’s a really great way to get into nature and learn some new skills on a skateboard,” Ms Moore said.

Details can be found on the Shire of Plantagenet’s Facebook page or Rollin’ Youth’s website: