Our youth development programmes help young people identify and develop their strengths
Each programme can be tailored to suit youth development initiatives of schools and community groups with higher-need young people that require a specialised Adventure Therapy approach.
The programmes align with the Youth Development Strategy Aotearoa and draw on the Circle of Courage model.

DAILY THEMES
Every day has a theme related to youth development.
These will vary depending on the group but they can cover:
• Values
• Identity
• Leadership
• Positive risk-taking
• Managing emotions
• Motivation and setting goals
• Friends and relationships
• Choices and consequences
• Problem solving
• Living in community
• Working effectively with others
• Self-reliance
• Communication
• Building on success

PARTICIPANTS IN OUR YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES WILL:
• Develop a sense of personal responsibility and social responsibility
• Be inspired towards positive change and making good life choices
• Experience success and mastery, which contributes to developing
• Develop skills in self-managing emotions
• Strengthen relationships through shared experiences and exercising trust in each other
• Develop social skills and the ability to work with others
• Increase their engagement in education

We also believe in the importance of a strong key relationship with one worker. This means our Adventure Therapy facilitators provide one-on-one lead-in work, support throughout the programme and follow-up with each participant.
At the end of each programme all participants will be awarded a certificate. A personalised report for each participant will also be provided.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME EXAMPLES:

The Journey
12 days, 10 young people
The Journey is an adventure expedition programme that combines outdoor adventures, physical challenges, teamwork, themes, facilitated discussions and reflection to help young people learn to negotiate the challenges they face in their lives. We utilise activities such as tramping, biking, sea kayaking and rafting to get participants from point A to B. Some days will be beautiful, other days will be tough, but EVERY day will be an adventure! The group will begin by learning all of the skills they need to complete the journey. Everyone in the group will also get a chance to be the leader of the group.

Who is it for?
The Journey is a great for young people who have a sense of adventure and are:
• Up for a challenge
• Struggling with some of the challenges of the teenage years
• Able to follow safety rules
• Keen to gain some skills and knowledge that will help them grow into the people they want to be

Through our specialised Adventure Therapy team, we can facilitate programmes for families or young people and the significant adult in their life, that encourage teamwork and create positive memories. These programmes involve facilitated discussions on topics relating to families, sharing tools that will help create positive family memories, encouragement to work on family dynamics either independently or with the referring agency.
Each programme involves a pre and post programme meeting with the agency facilitator, who will also be provided with a comprehensive report on the outcomes for each participating family or pair.

FAMILY CAMPS
A four-day experience during school holidays where four to five families with primary school-aged children escape from the stresses of normal life to reconnect as a family and return home refreshed and re-energized.
We have some great fun at the beach, coasteering, kayaking, camping and exploring all while focusing on strengthening the family, developing family values, understanding each other’s strengths, working together to achieve a goal and helping each family achieve their goals.
This programme is ideal for community agencies that provide services to families and are able to have a staff member attend the camp.

TAKING IT OUTSIDE
Kaupapa Weekends
A weekend away where a child and their significant adult carer take on a classic Kiwi adventure and participate in facilitated discussions that will strengthen their relationship and build positive memories.
It is an opportunity for the pair to get away from normal life for a classic Kiwi adventure with us and a small number of other pairs like them. We tramp, camp, cook, light fires and have a great time to help strengthen the relationship between each pair, and allow them to recognise each other’s strengths, developing respect and pride in each other. The weekends also support the adults by introducing them to others in a similar position.
These weekends are great for young people aged 13 to 16 who are already engaged with a youth or family support service and are working on strengthening their relationship with a significant adult in their lives.

CLIENT QUOTE
“The Family Camps have provided a much-needed respite for our stressed families and encouraged them to seek out new ways of working together as whanau. We have noticed an obvious difference in individuals when they return from camp to when they started. Before they go they are shy, looking down and uncertain of how they will cope. On return, the youth are connecting with each other, adults and children have found new friends and their heads are held high, laughing and supportive of one another. They always ask if they can go again the next time.”

Tailor-made programmes to meet your school’s unique needs and objectives
The journey from adolescence to adulthood can be uncomfortable and challenging yet it is one of incredible personal growth and self-discovery.
We understand young people and can work alongside your school to create a specialised programme that facilitates self-growth, leadership and character development in your students.

CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT FOR A WHOLE YEAR GROUP AT SCHOOL
One of the unique experiences schools in Aotearoa offer are camps and outdoor programmes that focus on the specific needs of a whole year group in order to maximise their holistic development. These opportunities aspire to shape the character of the students so that they may succeed both in the school environment and beyond. There are many models that exist from half-year “live in” programmes to action-packed day programmes. We will work with your school to create a programme that fosters development, putting theory into practice. We will help your students identify the links between concepts learnt through adventurous experiences and your school’s character and values.

LEADERSHIP PROGRAMMES
Student leaders, whether formally appointed “prefects” or natural-born influencers, play a significant role in shaping the learning environment of our schools. We can partner with you to invest into these students to ensure they can help form positive school communities.
Our leadership programmes help emerging leaders identify their unique strengths and how they can use their individual talents to affect positive change in their peer groups and the wider community.
This programme provides numerous opportunities for students to demonstrate practical leadership skills, reflect on their leadership practice and apply these skills in their daily life.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
Our youth development programmes are based on Adventure Therapy principles and are designed to work with the most vulnerable in the school system.
We partner with student support services, youth workers and pastoral care departments to deliver programmes that help these students develop social and emotional skills, discover their strengths, increase resilience and equip themselves to reach their life goals.

CLIENT QUOTE
“Adventure Specialties are a trusted provider for our school and Board of Trustees.
… We engage with them because we have developed a level of professional trust in their organization and we hugely appreciate the level of support that they offer our staff and students. We would highly recommend them to any other organization with similar needs.”
Ohoka School
Deputy Principal

Get your staff trained to lead their own outdoor adventure programmes.

Over our 30 years of operation, we have learnt a trick or two about what it takes to run fun, safe and adventurous programmes.
Our training programmes offer teachers, scouts/guides leaders and youth/community workers the opportunity to gain professional development that will maximise the outdoor adventure and education you offer in our communities.
We provide both scheduled training opportunities for individuals to sign up to, as well as group bookings where we can tailor the training to maximise learning outcomes to meet your specific group’s needs.
We have senior staff who are qualified to train and assess people for their NZOIA and Skills Active Outdoor Recreation leader level qualifications in Bush, Kayak, Sea Kayak, Rock and Abseil. In addition we can offer technical or theoretical training in risk management, river crossings and swift water awareness, bush and alpine environments.

We have worked with:
• Police: Search and rescue
• Civil Aviation Authority: Accident Investigators
• Secondary School teachers: Outdoor Education
• Duke of Edinburgh: Award Leaders
• Girl Guides: Leaders
• Waiperira Trust: Youth workers
• Residential camps: Activity Leaders
• Clubs: Leaders and volunteers

We run Workplace Wellbeing programmes for employers who value the wellbeing of their staff and want to boost morale on an outdoor adventure programme. Check out our Workplace Wellbeing page.