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Video: The boot camp in
action

by Adam Williams

Eight problem youngsters have been
put through their paces on a half term boot camp.

The group of 11 to 14-year-olds,
identified by police as causing anti-social problems and nuisance
to neighbours, were sent on the camp to try and improve their
discipline and teamwork skills.

They all come from housing estates
in Canterbury and Herne Bay.

Military-based activities including
survival classes and drill were delivered by instructors from youth
inclusion charity Challenger Troop in and around Chartham and
Folkestone.

Founder Simon Dean believes boredom causes a lot of
the problems.

He said: “What we do is give them
tasks they can engage with, learn how to challenge themselves and
improve their teamwork.

“It’s a real leveller, it gives
them an identity. There’s no 'haves’ and 'have nots’ and it
instills some discipline.

"They’re going to go away at the
end of the week with life skills they may never have had the
opportunity to learn otherwise.

“One of the parents told us how
shocked they were when their son came home after the first day and
immediately started polishing their boots, something they’d never
thought they see happen.”

PCSO Jodie Bryan helped identify
which children would benefit from the Challenger Troop
programme.

She said: “I’ve dealt with a lot of
these youngsters before in terms of anti-social behaviour
issues.

"It’s a great opportunity for them
to see me in a different environment, out of my PCSO uniform and
away from their estates.

“We can talk to each other on a
more personal basis and after just two days here I’ve seen
noticeable differences in people’s behaviour.

There’s no gang hierarchy here or a
need to show off and be the big personality in the group.”

To learn more about
Challenger Troop visitwww.challengertroop.org.uk