One of KidsCan’s projects is the KidsCan Youth Council. It is a year-long scholarship programme which supports young people towards success, leadership and community
engagement.

The Youth Council is made up of ten students (aged 16-18) from all around Aotearoa New Zealand, who have been under-privileged or come from resilient backgrounds or who have benefitted from KidsCan programmes themselves. They are young people who have a desire to help others and want the opportunity to have a leadership role in their communities.

KidsCan partnered with us to create a 3-day outdoor adventure programme which focused on supporting the Youth Council students in gaining confidence and leadership skills, plus developing individual goals for themselves.

Our instructors, Nat and Joel, took the group kayaking and hiking around Waitākere Ranges Regional Park.

They also led the group in some leadership activities which focused on understanding different values and different comfort levels within a group. For example, they were asked questions like “How comfortable do you feel in deep water?” or “How much do you value time alone by yourself?” or “How connected do you feel to your culture?”

Seeing everyone’s different answers helped the students to understand how we all have different values and experiences, which, in turn, helps develop self-awareness as well as empathy and understanding for others.

After the programme, the students gave us some feedback:

“The group activities have helped me be able to talk and communicate with people I don’t know.”

“I’ve learned to be ambitious [with my goals]. It could pay off.”

“Our hike was so hard. It felt good to complete it, though.”

Ray, the KidsCan co-ordinator, gave this feedback:

“Kayaking was a youth fav. There was a good balance of education, skill, ease, exploration and playfulness. The hike was incredible and a great challenge for the youth. [The instructors] both had a very relaxed nature which made it easy for youth to feel comfortable and safe around. Good safety and risk management. I look forward to working with Adventure Specialties Trust again!”

This article is taken from our December 2023 Christmas newsletter.

Click here to read the rest of the newsletter.

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THANK YOU RECREATION AOTEAROA! For funding some amazing programmes over the last few months: Big Brother Big Sister and Upside Youth Mentoring in Auckland, plus Active Muslim Explorers Camp and Big Brother Big Sister in Christchurch.

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This stunning photo was taken by the talented Cole Yeoman during the 11-day “E3 Canterbury” wilderness journey earlier this year. At that point, Day 2, the group of Year 12-13 students and 3 outdoor instructors (plus Cole) were on the St James walkway in Lewis Pass, Canterbury, somewhere between Cannibal Gorge hut and Christopher hut.

E3 is a partnership between Adventure Specialties Trust, Scripture Union NZ and A Rocha. The E3 programmes are based on the belief that wilderness experiences are significant – helping us understand ourselves better and deepening our relationships with others, with God and with God’s creation. Find out more on the SUNZ website (https://www.sunz.org.nz/youth/e3/)

More photos to come!
: Cole Yeoman

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Check out this 17-second video of a favourite coasteering spot called “The Washing Machine” at Tāwharanui Regional Park in Auckland. It’s called the Washing Machine because it’s the sweet spot between several rocks where the waves come in from multiple directions and wash the group around in circles (extra spinning added for laughs!) while staying basically in the same spot.

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Below are a selection of photos from a recent Kings College programme in the Central North Island (CNI)

Photos taken by Instructor Nathalie – thanks Nat!

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Some stunning photos by Instructor April from a 3-day sea kayak trip with Rangiora College, Canterbury. April says, “We left from Cass Bay, stayed on Ōtamahua (Quail Island) for two nights, then paddled to Ripapa Island. Ripapa Island is tapu so you can’t eat on the island, so we had lunch on this unnamed beach on the mainland near Ripapa.”

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Seven-day Girls Journey

Here is a reflection, written by the young women who went on the recent 7-day Journey through Marlborough Sounds with our Christchurch instructors, Grace and April.

“We really enjoyed spending a week in the outdoors as a group and had an awesome time in a new environment (Marlborough Sounds).

“We have learnt so much about ourselves and in particular how we can manage ourselves and others most effectively in a positive manner. We have grown in confidence, whether that was mountain biking, kayaking or just being more comfortable in the outdoors, but also with our collaboration skills, communication, adaptability and resilience over the course of the week.

“P.S. Thanks Grace [instructor] for saving Lexi from losing her front wheel while mountain biking.”

Paul Ferguson, their Outdoor Education teacher at Hillmorton High School, Canterbury, added a few extra thoughts:

“Congratulations to Lexi Phillips, Bethan Edwards and Noelani Ritchie on their successful seven-day leadership journey to the Queen Charlotte Sound.

“These three girls (along with four other Canterbury secondary school students) made the most of this amazing opportunity to sea kayak and mountain bike the beautiful Queen Charlotte Sound over the recent holidays. A massive thanks to Adventure Specialties Trust for providing this rich experience for Horomaka [Banks Peninsula] students.

“These opportunities are another example of the huge range of experiences available to Horomaka students. It reminds me of a smorgasbord with a wide variety of delicious food and dishes. Our students are so fortunate! It is so good to see students making the most of these opportunities!”

Thanks for sharing your reflections with us, Lexi. Bethan, Noelani and Paul.

Here are some more photos:

WANT TO COME ALONG NEXT TIME?

SOUTH ISLAND:

We have another girls programme coming up: IGNITE South Island. Six days of adventure in Queen Charlotte Sound during the July school holidays.

Check out our website for more info: https://www.adventurespecialties.co.nz/programmes/ignite-south-island/

NORTH ISLAND:

We also have a North Island IGNITE youth camp, also during the July school holidays, for young men and women.

Find out more:

https://www.adventurespecialties.co.nz/programmes/ignite-north-island/

GET IN TOUCH:

If you have any questions about either of these programmes, please don’t hesitate to get in touch! We’re happy to chat with you about any questions you might have.

Flick us an email (office@adventurespecialties.co.nz) and our lovely office lady, Kerryn, will pass you on to the relevant person.

Or call us (Auckland 09-837-6033 or Christchurch 03-348-4547).

Or just pop in any time for a cuppa!

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The stunning views from Cape Brett / Rakaumangamanga on the Cape Brett Track in Northland. Our 10-day Journey with Kaipara College students finished at this incredible location, next to the Cape Brett lighthouse.

More info about the Cape Brett Track:
https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/northland/places/cape-brett-and-whangamumu-area/things-to-do/cape-brett-track/

More info about the Cape Brett Lighthouse:
https://www.doc.govt.nz/cape-brett-lighthouse
https://tohuwhenua.nz/te-tai-tokerau-northland/r%C4%81kaumangamanga-cape-brett

Rakaumangamanga, which stretches back into Te Pēwhairangi (the Bay of Islands), is of particular spiritual and traditional importance to Te Tai Tokerau (Northland) Māori. The light reflecting off the crystalline rocks below helped guide the earliest ocean voyagers to a safe landfall in this new homeland.

The Cape Brett lighthouse is noted for its spectacular cliff top location. It operates using a giant clockwork mechanism and is the last complete example on site in New Zealand. Visitors from Paihia arrive by walking (8 hours), or water taxi (35 minutes), or both, and can experience the lighthouse lifestyle by overnighting in the keepers cottage now repurposed as a DOC hut. See Cape Brett Hut.

The Cape Brett lighthouse was first lit on 21 February 1910 under the watchful eyes of Robert McIver (Principal Keeper) and Frances Earnest Lee (Assistant Keeper). The light proceeded to act as a guide to vessels for the next 68 years until the tower was decommissioned in 1978. A replacement light still functions here today.

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One of the most rewarding parts of this job is reading the feedback from participants, after they have finished one of our programmes.

These quotes are from several different programmes over the last few months (Feb-May 2023). They are Level 2 Outcomes, which means the programmes are longer than a day (either a series of day programmes or a longer 10-day or 21-day programme). The activities ranged from surfing to rock climbing, hiking, camping, and more.

Find out more about our Adventure With Purpose programmes on our website: https://www.adventurespecialties.co.nz/adventure-with-purpose/ or pop in to our Auckland or Christchurch offices to have a chat and a cuppa!

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