Do your rinks down there offer skate bars for new skaters to help balance? Please don't laugh or feel bad about the picture below, this is the only one I could find of such a device, they're at every ice-rink here in Canada and they're kind of like training wheels for new skaters, old and young, to help you stand while you become comfortable with how to push off and move around on the ice.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2252/...2966f8.jpg?v=0
If not, then maybe ask the rink to think of purchasing some.
Secondly, you'll feel a lot better and more confident when you go out there if you where knee-pads, and maybe elbow-pads, no need to feel embarrassed about it, just wear it under your clothing, you'll almost feel invincible.
And ALWAYS wear a helmet, even if you're an adult, lots of adults skate around wearing helmets here in Canada and no one gives a damn.
Finally, just a thought about the discussions around long-term fan-building, here in Canada, during the first few years of elementary school (I think you call it grade-school down there?) when you're 6, 7, 8 years old, it was mandatory in my school to go on a field-trip every year to the ice-rink with my class where we spent a day skating. If you could start that with your local schools down there, guaranteed at least a few in each class in each school will walk away hooked with the feeling and want to stay on the ice somehow, and that's how you suck in some hockey players and future fans.
And BFC, no shame needed to be felt at all, took a buddy of mine to the rink here in Vancouver a couple years ago, he spent the whole time WALKING around the edge of the rink, holding on to the boards until the night was done. And he was armoured up to the nine's, you'd think he was about to deploy to Afghanistan with all the body-armour he was wearing, but everyone has things they've never tried, only a few have the guts to go out and try it new, so congrats and I hope you're not too sore!