INTERNSHIPS

The Adventure Specialties Trust internship is an opportunity for people who are keen to move their career in the direction of youth development 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 jobs available at Adventure Specialties Trust for interns that 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).

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: 

• 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 in Youth Development at Praxis.
• Are interested in the possibility of a job opportunity at Adventure Specialties following the internship year.
• Are keen to learn, have a high level of integrity, honesty and a personal faith.
• 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.
• Are over 20 years of age.
• Are New Zealand citizens or residents.

While you are doing the internship with Adventure Specialties Trust, you are expected to complete a Certificate in Youth Work at Praxis.

Check out the Praxis website for more information.

Certificate in Youth Development Level 4 (120 Credits) – A graduate of the Certificate is able to apply research-based youth development frameworks to facilitating group activities and providing one to one support for young people. They will have developed support networks in their local community and have gained confidence in working across cultures. They can also manage safety and work ethically.

Cost of the Certificate in Youth Development

Each applicant is required to pay the course fees for Praxis, which are currently part of the Fees Free programme, offering zero fees for eligible students who are studying at tertiary level for the first time. Check out the Praxis website for more info about the course.

Praxis is a registered NZQA provider and successful applicants will be eligible for student loans and allowances through Study Link.  Fees for non-domestic students are available on request from Praxis.

Praxis Course fees for 2026: Check the Praxis website for details (you may be able to apply for the Fees Free scheme). 

Cost for the internship at Adventure Specialties Trust

In addition, each intern may be required to pay a fee to Adventure Specialties Trust.  Each year we apply for funding to cover this fee (roughly $1500), in order to allow our interns to work with us and complete the outdoor training blocks for free. The funding also covers the cost of work placement trips, including food and accommodation, while you are away on our outdoor adventure programmes. 

Adventure Specialties Trust fees for 2026: TBC 

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.

2. OUTDOOR LEADERSHIP BLOCK COURSE 

During these weeks you will receive technical skills and leadership training in Bush Walking, Rock Climbing, Abseiling and Sea Kayaking. You will also be invited to join the full staff team for some of the National staff training events.

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 (New Zealand Outdoor Instructors Association) awards and/or a workplace-based assessment for the National Certificate in Outdoor Recreation (Leadership) (Level 3) with selected strands during your first six months of work.

3. WORK EXPERIENCE WITH US 

During the weeks when you are in the office at Adventure Specialties you will spend an average of 1 day a week with self-directed learning, 1 day a week at your Praxis cluster group, 3 days work experience with a mix of in the field with groups and helping out in the office and gear shed. In saying this, there will be some weeks when you are away on an outdoor programme for 5 full days and the next week you will be in the office all week. It is our intention that at the start of your year you will be observing instructors, then assisting instructors, and by the end of the year you will be able to manage a group with some activities yourself.

4. SELF DIRECTED LEARNING

There is an expectation that interns will spend considerable time developing their personal skills in all areas of pursuits offered by the programme. This is to be carried out in the scheduled self-directed learning time, in the holidays and free time.

The internship programme goes from February until November each year.

FOOD

While you are studying the Certificate of Youth Development at Praxis, food will be provided as part of the cost.

On the outdoor training block courses that you will complete at Adventure Specialties Trust, food will not be provided. However, interns are encouraged to cook together and share costs.

If you go on an outdoor adventure programme with us (to observe or for work experience), we will provide food for you.

ACCOMMODATION

Interns are responsible for arranging their own day-to-day accommodation.

However, while you are away on programmes or block courses with us, we will provide all accommodation (including paying for camping/access fees).

DAY TO DAY TRANSPORT

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

PRAXIS

You will need to provide your own transport to/from Praxis block courses, but this can be claimed as a course-related cost on your student loan.

OUTDOOR TRAINING BLOCK COURSES

Transport to outdoor block courses and work experience trips is provided as part of the course fees.

OUTDOOR ADVENTURE PROGRAMMES

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

There will be a significant amount of time spent away from home with both the 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. This cost is included in the internship fee.

Each intern will be supplied with a list of personal equipment required for the internship.

High quality equipment will benefit you, if you decide to work for us (or in the outdoor adventure industry) after the completion of your internship. 

At Adventure Specialties Trust, we prioritise safety. We have a very strict, detailed 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.

The outdoor block courses will be taught by qualified instructors from Adventure Specialties Trust.

Tutors are highly experienced outdoor instructors and have all the necessary skills and qualifications to teach the relevant units. Where applicable, the tutor will have a NZOIA Level 2 award (the highest qualification possible).

We expect that, throughout the year, your instructing skills will develop considerably!

We will work to train you against our own internal deployment system which assesses the skills and experience you have to be able to lead activities.

You will be given the opportunity to identify one particular pursuit to really focus on throughout the year.

UNPAID INTERNSHIP

The majority of the internship is unpaid work experience at Adventure Specialties Trust.

DEPLOYMENT AS AN OUTDOOR INSTRUCTOR

Once interns reach a level of skill in outdoor instructing, we may be able to deploy you as an outdoor instructor (supervised) on some of our outdoor adventure programmes.

The first 20 days of this is unpaid (this helps us cover the cost of running the internship, paying for your food, accommodation, block courses, etc.).

PAID INSTRUCTING WORK

If you exceed 20 days working as a deployed outdoor instructor, you will have the opportunity to be paid as a contractor for any work you do as ‘staff’.

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 (03) 348 4547 or office@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 a 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.