INTERNSHIPS

The Adventure Specialties Trust internship is an opportunity for people who are keen to move their career in the direction of youth work through outdoor adventure. It is our hope that following the internship year, graduates will be on their way to a career in outdoor instruction with a good technical base and great facilitation skills. There is also a possibility that we would extend the internship into a second year (this option is customised to the individuals needs and skills).

There also may be a job available at Adventure Specialties Trust for interns who have successfully graduated the internship and the Praxis youth work certificate. This would require a solid outdoor skill set at the start of the internship and time commited to increasing your personal skills during the year (e.g. hours spent rock climbing, kayaking, etc. in your own time).

Find out more about working at Adventure Specialties Trust: www.adventurespecialties.co.nz/vacancies

Please note that all of the items on the list below are “nice to have” not “need to have”. If you don’t tick all the boxes, that’s ok! Start working on filling in the gaps now, ask us for advice if you want. If you have a willingness to learn and the motivation to get out there and build knowledge and practical experience, that is worth its weight in gold!

We are looking for people who:

• Are New Zealand citizens or residents (essential).
• Are over 20 years of age.
• Have a personal faith or are willing to work within our faith-based framework (read more).
• Have some personal experience adventuring in the outdoors. Note: You can start working on this now to build up as much experience as possible before we start interviewing people in Oct/November (keep a log book to track all of your personal adventures).
• Have had some experience in teaching or leadership positions (e.g. youth group, scouts, etc.).
• Are committed to completing a full year as an intern, including working at Adventure Specialties Trust and completing the Certificate of Youth Work at Praxis.
• Are interested in the possibility of a job opportunity at Adventure Specialties following the internship year.
• Are keen to learn, and have a high level of integrity and honesty.
• Are ready to work hard and are prepared to spend time away from the base location adventuring with and without clients for multi-day trips.

While you are doing the internship with Adventure Specialties Trust, you are will also be working towards a Certificate in Youth Work at Praxis.

Check out the Praxis website for more information.

The NZQA qualification is called a New Zealand Certificate in Health and Wellbeing (Social and Community Services), Level 4, with a strand in Community Facilitation.

This internship is a partnership between Adventure Specialties Trust and Praxis. There are costs associated with each part.

Praxis: Cost of the Certificate in Youth Work

Each applicant is required to pay the course fees for Praxis.

Praxis is a registered NZQA provider and successful applicants can apply for a student loan and/or a student allowance through Study Link.  

Adventure Specialties Trust: Cost 

There is a cost associated with having interns work with us, e.g. completing the outdoor training blocks, going on work placement trips, food and accommodation, and flights to Praxis block courses.

Each year, we apply for funding to cover this cost so we are usually able to offer the internship to you for free.

Applications open in August each year and you can apply by clicking the “Apply Now” button on this page (this will be disabled outside of August/Sept/Oct).

If you would like to apply for the interenship outside of these months, please register your interest by filling in the form here: www.adventurespecialties.co.nz/register-your-interest-internship and we will get in touch with you once registrations open again.

OUTDOOR LEADERSHIP BLOCK COURSE 

During year, there are several “block courses” run by Adventure Specialties Trust. These courses will teach you technical skills and leadership training in Bush Walking, Rock Climbing, Abseiling and Sea Kayaking.

STAFF TRAINING

You will also be invited to join the full staff team for some of the National staff training events.

NZOIA QUALS

If there is an opportunity for you to continue with employment at Adventure Specialties Trust following the completion of the internship, you will be supported by us while you study for and complete NZOIA qualifications (New Zealand Outdoor Instructors Association).

WORK EXPERIENCE WITH US 

Your work experience at Adventure Specialties Trust is a key part of the Praxis Certificate in Youth Work. You will use this time with us to put your study into practice.

You will spend an average of 3 days with us, which will be a mix of activities: supporting instructors in the field with groups, helping to plan upcoming programmes, plus some time in gear shed helping clean and maintain equipment.

In saying this, there will be some weeks when you might be away on an outdoor programme for 5+ full days, but then the next week you might be helping out in the gear shed for a few days.

It is our intention that you will progress over time: At the start of the year, you will just be observing instructors. Then you will progress to assisting instructors, and by the end of the year you will be able to manage a group with some activities yourself.

SELF DIRECTED LEARNING AND EXPERIENCE

To give yourself the best opportunity to be considered for employment after your internship, you will need to spend a considerable amount of time developing your personal outdoor skills and experience.

Specifically: Sea kayaking, rock climbing, and bush skills.

These are the core block courses we run. Continuing to practice the skills that you learn on our block courses will provide valuable experience that will help cement your knowledge.

This is to be carried out in your own time (weekends, holidays, etc.) or potentially on your self-directed study days, if you have completed all your Praxis work.

INTERNSHIP 

The internship programme goes from February until November each year.

ACCOMMODATION

Interns are responsible for arranging their own accommodation for the year (either in Auckland or Christchurch).

Exceptions:

• While you are away on programmes or block courses with Adventure Specialties Trust, we will provide all accommodation (including paying for camping/access fees).
• While you are away on the Praxis block courses, Praxis will provide accommodation for you.

FOOD

Interns are responsible for their own day-to-day food.

Exceptions:

• While you are on the block courses with Adventure Specialties Trust, food will be provided. 
• If you go on an outdoor adventure programme with us (to observe or for work experience), we will provide food for you.
• While you are away on the Praxis block courses, food will be provided by Praxis.

DAY TO DAY TRANSPORT

You will need to provide your own transport to/from our office (Auckland or Christchurch) and to the weekly Praxis cluster days.

PRAXIS BLOCK COURSES

During the Praxis block courses (once a term for a block of 6 days), we will cover the cost of your flights to the Praxis block courses. While you are away, Praxis will provide transport.

OUTDOOR TRAINING BLOCK COURSES

Transport to the Adventure Specialties Trust outdoor block courses trips is provided by us, including flights and any other travel.

WORK EXPERIENCE 

When you go on an outdoor adventure programme with us (as an observer or as work experience), we will provide transport for you (from the office).

There will be a significant amount of time spent away from home with both the Praxis and Adventure Specialties Trust block courses and work experience.

Any days scheduled over weekends will be compensated with a ‘day in lieu’ afterwards.

Adventure Specialties Trust can provide the specialist outdoor equipment required for any of the block courses and work experience.

We will provide any equipment that you need for the internship so will you not have to provide your own gear. However, having some basic outdoor equipment will benefit you, if you decide to work in the outdoor adventure industry after the completion of your internship. We have a list of “pro deals” where you can get discounts on a variety of high quality outdoor equipment. 

At Adventure Specialties Trust, we prioritise safety. We have a comprehensive Safety Management System and all outdoor activities are undertaken in accordance with this.

It is important to note, however, that all outdoor adventure activities have a degree of risk. While every effort is made to minimise risk, the nature of the activities and the environment is such that total safety cannot be guaranteed.

Interns will always be supervised and supported, but are expected to follow instructions and take reasonable responsibility for their own safety.

UNPAID INTERNSHIP

The internship is unpaid.

While studying the Certificate of Youth Work with Praxis, you may be eligible for a student loan or student allowance through StudyLink.

PAID OUTDOOR INSTRUCTING WORK

Once interns reach a level of skill in outdoor instructing, we may be able to charge you out as an outdoor instructor on some programmes.

The first 20 days of this charged out work will be unpaid to you (this helps us cover the cost of running the internship, paying for your food, accommodation, block courses, etc.).

If you exceed 20 days working as a charged-out outdoor instructor, we will pay you as a contractor. (We will set you up with a specific contract and talk you through this).

Outside of the application period, please click the “Register Your Interest” button (or click the link below), and we will get in touch once applications open.

Link to Register Your Interest:

www.adventurespecialties.co.nz/register-your-interest-internship

If you have applied (or while you are waiting for applications to open), get as much practical experience as you can.

Get more outdoor experience

Get experience in a range of outdoor pursuits (kayaking, rock climbing, abseiling, bushcraft, camping, hiking, mountain biking, etc.).

Get more leadership experience

It would also be useful to get experience in a leadership role, for example at your youth group, a sports team, volunteering, etc.

Keep a log book

Keep a record of all your adventures, including the activity, date, duration (hours), location, group size (e.g. solo adventure or with a group), and any other details that might be relevant e.g. weather, learning opportunities (things that you learned from that experience), etc.

Ask us questions

If you’re not sure what you need to do, please get in touch for a chat. Contact Mark, our internship co-ordinator on 027-521-2155 or info@adventurespecialties.co.nz (attention: Mark).

Once applications open and you have submitted your Intership application form, we will chat with you about the internship to see whether it would be a good fit for you, and whether you fit the requirements that we are looking for. 

Promising applicants will be invited to have an in-person meeting or video meeting with Mark, our internship co-ordinator. 

If we would like to invite you on to the internship programme, we will write you a letter of acceptance and support. This is the formal letter with which you use to apply to the Praxis Course for the Certificate of Youth Development.

Complete the online application to study at Praxis.

Once you have applied for the Praxis course, you will be contacted for an interview which will further assess your eligibility for the programme. You will be interviewed by both Adventure Specialties Trust and Praxis.