Design Your Own Programme
Brainstorm with us to create an outdoor adventure programme that meets your needs
Work with us to co-design an outdoor adventure/wellbeing programme which meets your needs and goals. We provide outdoor adventure experience, a wellbeing framework, and a thorough Safety Management System. You provide the group and the kaupapa/purpose. Let’s create a programme that your participants will never forget!
Keep reading for more info …
What we bring
40+ years experience
We have been running outdoor adventure programmes for over 40 years!
Our founders, Lyndsay and Glenda Simpkin, were youth workers and keen adventurers who believed in the life-changing power of taking young people into the Great Outdoors. They were searching for a youth organisation that shared their vision, but couldn’t find one. So they did what any sensible kiwi with a great idea would do. They erected a garage shed and voila, Adventure Specialties Trust was born!
Fast forward 40 years and Adventure Specialties Trust is one of New Zealand’s leading providers of outdoor adventure programmes, including outdoor education, wellbeing and Adventure Therapy.
Read more about our story on the About Us page.
Safety Management System
Your safety is our highest priority.
We operate under a comprehensive set of operational and compliance guidelines, and we can provide you with a Safety Assessment and Management Plan that will meet your school board/agency requirements.
Our safety management system is externally audited by AdventureMark, New Zealand’s largest adventure certification body, and our activities are approved by Worksafe NZ.
Read more about this on our Safety and Compliance page.
Programme categories
Over the years, we have refined and honed our programmes. All of our programmes use outdoor adventure activities as the foundation, supported by a framework of holistic wellbeing.
From that foundation of outdoor adventure and wellbeing, we offer three types of programmes:
- Education
- Development
- Therapy
Read more about our programme categories in the next section.
Wellbeing framework
All of our programmes are designed within a wellbeing framework based on Te Whare Tapa Whā (the house with four walls). This is a Māori model of holistic health, where each of the four walls is an important and interlinked aspect of health. Read more about the wellbeing framework further down the page.
What do you need to provide?
As we co-design a programme with you, we ask you to share with us your needs and goals, the outcomes that you would like to see, and logistical info about numbers, dates, location, activities, etc. Read more about this further down the page.
Programme Categories
All of our programmes use outdoor adventure activities as the base, with a wellbeing framework to support the activities. From that foundation of outdoor adventure and wellbeing, you can choose the focus of your programme:
Educational programmes
Our Educational programmes focus on supporting learning through outdoor adventure.
Our Educational programmes are designed for schools, kura and tertiary institutions who want to teach outdoor skills and knowledge as part of their curriculum. We work alongside teachers and lecturers to deliver practical, field-based experiences that complement classroom learning. Our instructors take on the role of teacher/instructor and they provide safe, professional instruction that supports your assessment goals.
Find out more on our Educational Programmes page.
Developmental programmes
Our Developmental programmes focus on growing people through experience.
Our Developmental programmes focus on the personal and social benefits that come from outdoor adventure. The goal here isn’t to master the techniques of kayaking or rock climbing or abseiling, but instead it is about what happens to people when they step out into nature, take on a challenge, work together and discover their strengths in the outdoors. The focus is on growth, challenge and connection, rather than on technical mastery.
Find out more on our Developmental Programmes page.
Therapeutic programmes
Our Therapeutic programmes focus on healing and growth through outdoor adventure.
Our Therapeutic programmes are designed for people who are working through challenges in their lives – whether related to trauma, mental health challenges, or setbacks that have made it hard to live fully. Participants come to these programmes with specific personal goals: these might be about improving how they see themselves or their relationships with others, or rebuilding confidence and independence. The outdoors provides a safe and supportive space for healing and change.
Find out more on our Therapeutic Programmes page.
Wellbeing framework
A Focus on Wellbeing
At Adventure Specialties Trust, all of our programmes focus on hauora/wellbeing.
We define wellbeing as a holistic state where we can thrive physically, mentally, socially, spiritually and in relation to the land and the natural environment. It's about having the energy to engage full in life, with the mindset to navigate challenges and celebrate successes. We have strong connections with others, a clear sense of identity and purpose, and a deep relationship with nature.
Wellbeing is the foundation for living a meaningful and balanced life.
Wellbeing Framework
When we are designing our programmes, we use a wellbeing framework based on Te Whare Tapa Whā (the house with four walls).
Te Whare Tapa Whā is a Māori model of holistic health developed by Sir Mason Durie, a renowned psychiatrist, professor of Māori Studies and advocate of Māori hauora/wellbeing.
Each of the four walls of Te Whare Tapa Whā (described below) is an important part of hauora/wellbeing. At Adventure Specialties Trust, we weave these wellbeing 'walls' into our programmes in a variety of ways.
TE WHARE TAPA WHĀ
TAHA TINANA / Physical Wellbeing
Our Taha Tinana allows us to feel healthy, energetic, motivated, and physically capable of pursuing activities that bring joy, connection, and satisfaction to our days.
HOW THIS LOOKS IN THE OUTDOORS:
Outdoor activities challenge and strengthen our bodies, promoting fitness, resilience and confidence. Physical movement, especially outdoors in nature, supports overall health, wellbeing and energy levels.
TAHA WHĀNAU / Social Wellbeing
Taha Whānau is about feeling a sense of belonging, connection and confidence in our relationships with others. It includes a belief that people can be kind, trustworthy and safe, as well as the ability to work collaboratively with others.
HOW THIS LOOKS IN THE OUTDOORS:
Adventure builds teamwork, trust and belonging. Shared challenges strengthen relationships and provide a supportive space for growth, healing and connection.
TAHA HINENGARO / Mental and Emotional Wellbeing
Our Taha Hinengaro allows us to feel balanced, hopeful, and positive about the future, with the capacity to navigate life’s challenges and celebrate its joys while nurturing a sense of self-compassion and self-worth.
HOW THIS LOOKS IN THE OUTDOORS:
Time in nature reduces stress and enhances mental clarity, emotional resilience and self-awareness. Adventure activities encourage participants to challenge themselves which helps them develop courage and self-confidence.
TAHA WAIRUA / Spiritual Wellbeing
Taha Wairua is about feeling a strong sense of self, identity, and connection to our faith, beliefs, culture, values, and purpose. It provides a foundation of meaning and direction.
HOW THIS LOOKS IN THE OUTDOORS:
Being outdoors in nature fosters a sense of wonder, connection and purpose. Outdoor experiences deepen spiritual awareness, whether through faith, nature or personal reflection.
TE WHENUA / The Land
Te Whenua is the foundation of Te Whare Tapa Whā. Connection to Te Whenua is about a sense of belonging in te taiao, the natural world, and drawing on that connection to support our wellbeing. It includes experiencing awe and wonder in natural spaces, fostering a sense of responsibility to protect and care for the Earth.
Programme Outcomes
How do we know if we have had a positive impact on our participants?
At the end of our programmes, we ask participants to fill in an 'Outcomes Evaluation' form, so that we can measure the impact of our programme on their hauora/wellbeing. At the end of each year, we analyse the results to see where participants have experienced personal growth, and where we can improve our services to support them better.
Read our annual Impact reports to see the stats and read about the positive impact that our programmes have on the participants.
What you provide
Educational programmes
Let us know what your needs and goals are. Do you have specific outcomes related to the NZ Education curriculum that you need to achieve for your Outdoor Education class? Are you planning an EOTC trip or a school camp? What do you want your participants to experience?
As well as your needs and goals, let us know the practical details: how many participants will there be, what is your timeframe, what are your preferred activities, where are you wanting to go, do you need food and transport or will you provide your own, and what is your budget?
Developmental programmes
Let us know what your needs and goals are. What kind of personal growth are you hoping for?
As well as your needs and goals, let us know the practical details: how many participants will there be, what is your timeframe, what are your preferred activities, where are you wanting to go, do you need food and transport or will you provide your own, and what is your budget?
Therapeutic programmes
We work with any agency (school, NGO, community group, etc.) who would like to include Adventure Therapy as part of their services but who don’t have the outdoor skills, experience, equipment or safety systems to do so themselves.
As the partnering agency, you will be responsible for deciding the kaupapa/purpose of the programme, then gathering together the participants to create a group. You will need to do the individual background work. And you would normally provide a mental health professional to co-facilitate the programme, unless you request that we provide this. You would also be responsible for the on-going relationship with the participants after the programme had finished, including post-programme support.
Cost and other details
What does this cost?
We will work with you to create a cost estimate that fits your budget. Our cost estimate will include factors such as:
Length of programme
Let’s go on an adventure! Choose how long you want to go for: a single day, multi-day, or overnight programme.
Outdoor Instructors
We provide qualified, experienced instructors (ratios depend on the activity).
Mental Health Professional
For some of our therapeutic programmes, we provide a qualified Mental Health Professional.
Programme Design, Management, Oversight
We work alongside you every step of the way, co-designing the programme, supporting your participants and staff/steachers, monitoring safety, making adjustments as needed, etc.
Food and Accommo dation
Depending on the programme, we can provide food and arrange accommodation.
Vehicles and Transport
We can provide 12-seater vans as well as luggage trailers and kayak trailers, as required.
External funding
You may be able to apply for funding from an external source, and we can provide a quote and proposal to support your funding application. In some cases, we may be able to work together with you to secure funding together.
Interested?
Get in touch!
If you think that a wellbeing-focused outdoor adventure programme might benefit you and your group, we would love to hear from you. Fill in the Programme Enquiry form below or contact us to have a no-obligation chat about what you are looking for and how we might be able to help.
Online form
Fill in our online form (below) and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
Call Auckland
Talk to Jeff, our Operations Manager in Auckland.
Call Christchurch
Talk to Andy, our Operations Manager in Ōtautahi Christchurch.
Email Auckland
Email Jeff, our Operations Manager in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland.
Email Christchurch
Email Andy, our Operations Manager in Ōtautahi Christchurch.
Problems with this form? Please contact our Comms/Website person (comms@adventurespecialties.co.nz)
“It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves.”
—SIR ED HILLARY HILLARY