THEY jump, run and scale walls.
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During Ballarat’s National Youth Week celebrations on Saturday, young people will also get the chance to learn the art of Parkour.
Parkour performers Conan Sinclair, 29, and Aaron Mercer, 20, will join break dancers, roller skaters, artists and musicians, to take part in a series of youth-oriented events in Ballarat in the coming week.
Mr Sinclair said he had been practicing Parkour for six years and said it wasn’t just about running and jumping off walls.
“It’s a physical skill, but also helps you overcome mental obstacles,” he said.
Parkour is a non-competitive discipline originating in France and involves people moving within their environment and overcoming obstacles of any kind, either physical or mental.
Mr Sinclair, who runs Parkour classes in Ballarat, said the activity had helped several people distinguish their real fears from the imagined.
This year the City of Ballarat and YMCA have joined forces to deliver a wider range of programs for youth week.
Ballarat City councillor Belinda Coates said the events helped establish relationships among young people in the community.
“It is a good way to bring people together and provide a range of activities for the community, particularly young people,” Cr Coates said.
National Youth Week is celebrated between April 4 and 13 in Australia and is targeted at young people aged between 12 and 25 years old.