True grit and determination will be on show in this weekend as more than 100 youthful competitors from the Bay of Plenty and Waikato battle it out in the Tough Guy and Gal Challenge.

Held in Rotorua, 140 graduates of the youth CACTUS programme will be coming together from across the Bay of Plenty and Waikato to compete in the challenge as part of a police initiative.

CACTUS programme graduates will compete in the Tough Guy and Gal Challenge this weekend.Photo supplied.

CACTUS - the Combined Adolescent Challenge Training Unit and Support programme – is designed to extend a young person's mind and physical capability, with a focus on teamwork, goal setting, leadership and discipline.

It aims to instil discipline and self-esteem into young people encouraging them to look and listen before they act and increasing their future opportunities.

Initially developed and launched by a police officer on the East Coast, the programme now operates in a number of locations nationwide.

Rotorua Police Sergeant Steve Sutton is involved in the programme with his colleagues on the Western Heights Neighbourhood Policing Team. He decided a good follow-up to the programme is to bring the graduates together for a team challenge

Five teams from the Bay and Waikato – Rotorua, Taupo, Murupara, Te Puke and Hamilton – and about 140 people aged between 16 and 18 will take part.

'It's another opportunity to share the experience of the ethos of what Cactus is all about,” says Steve.

'It's also an opportunity for the young people who have gone through the programme to meet up again and catch up on where life is taking them.”

The idea has been supported by Event Promotions who run the Tough Guy and Gal Challenge along with a number of community groups.

Each team's overall time will be based on the average of the fastest and slowest male and female in each team. There will be a trophy for the winning team and a barbecue laid on for everyone taking part.