Latest News
Check out photos, videos and heart-warming stories from our outdoor adventure programmes. Plus read articles published by our staff, motivational quotes, Maori word of the month, and more!
Diocesan Girls School raft building
Raft building + a race! Such a fun week with Diocesan Girls School. This was their start-of-the-year classroom group bonding activity, and it was a roaring success 🤩
Upcoming programme: Ignite youth camp
Ignite (North Island) is an adventure therapy camp for young people (15-18 years old).
Recreation Aotearoa Award Winner!
We are super stoked to share that Adventure Specialties Trust has been awarded the Te Tohu Whakaaweawe Kaupapa (Outstanding Event or Programme Award), presented by Recreation Aotearoa.The Recreation...
Girls just wanna have fun … CAVING!
Learning to be open to hanging out with new people
One of our regular programmes is a 21-day camp with Year 10 students from Kings College in Auckland. The students spend the first nine days at a camp in Northland, learning bushcraft skills and...
Can you really call this ‘work’?!?
The Christchurch team went on a "work" kayaking trip. Do you think they can call it work when they look that happy?!?? The actual purpose of the trip was so that our new instructor Rebecca could get...
A team-building exercise with Praxis
"It was a teambuilding exercise," says Peter the instructor. "The brief was that each team had to make a rigid raft using both kayaks and come up with a team plan, before racing to the Avon River,...
#paradise
“Lives Inspired by Adventure”
Our vision is "Lives Inspired by Adventure." But that doesn't mean hurtling yourself down a ski slope at top speed, or throwing yourself off a 10m ledge into the water below. It simply means that...
Farewell Instructor Kyle!
Kyle has been an Auckland-based instructor for the last 3-and-a-half years, and is leaving to work at another wonderful youth organisation, Youth Town. Tim, our CEO, says, "Thanks, Kyle, for being a...
Farewell Instructor Grace!
April, one of the instructors in Christchurch, shared this: "Grace has been an awesome colleague and friend to the AST instructor team. She enjoys a phat chat in the office and chewing over some of...
Feedback from Mahitahi
Thank you to Patricia from Mahitahi Trust who left some lovely feedback about one of our Adventure Therapy programmes with Mahitahi, working with adults going through drug and alcohol rehab last...
Why take young people caving?
It’s a great way to challenge them, to ask them to step outside of their comfort zone (in a safe environment), to teach about teamwork and leadership, and a great way to give them the satisfaction of achieving something that they might not have thought they would be able to accomplish.
The Adventure Specialties Trust whānau
The Adventure Specialties Trust whānau At our annual Staff Retreat, Pāhāōā marae, January 2023 😍 Back Row (left to right) (kinda) Tanya Laybourn (trustee), Papa Wii (marae host), Amy Horn and baby...
Annual Staff Retreat at Pāhāōā Marae
Our annual staff retreat was held at the stunning Pāhāōa marae in Te Kaha, Bay of Plenty. We were hosted by the lovely Andrea (one of the Trust's previous trustees) and her whānau and hapū...
Job Vacancy: Auckland Outdoor Instructor
JOB VACANCY: AUCKLAND OUTDOOR INSTRUCTOR We're looking for a full-time instructor for our Auckland office! If you refer a friend for the job and they get the job, then you both receive a $300 gift...
A science experiment …
Do you enjoy camping in a tent?
Do you enjoy camping in a tent? There are fun parts and not-so-fun parts about camping! Our programmes often include camping in tents, with all the of fun and challenges that camping entails ...
Family Camp caving adventure!
(Apologies to instructors Rani and Oli who *might* have filmed this video just for laughs and not for sharing on social media) Family Camp caving adventure! This is from a recent family camp, going...
Design your own programme!
DESIGN YOUR OWN PROGRAMME Did you know that we run a variety of different programmes? All our programmes are fully customisable, depending on what your needs are: DURATION: Single day or multi-day...
Te Māhuri photos
Our final Te Māhuri programme of 2022, in partnership with Purapura Whetu Trust, journeying through the stunning Canterbury hills with a group of Māori rangatahi (youth). Te Māhuri is a free kaupapa...
#splosh
Ngā mihi o te tau hou
Happy New Year!
Tongariro National Park
Where are you going exploring this summer? This is St Kentigern College students on their 'Field Centre' expedition last month, in Tongariro National Park.
“Scky as” – quotes from participants
Feedback from some of the participants on a recent Family Camp with instructors Dave and Rani 😎
Christmas message from Tim Wills, CEO
“If you ask most people, they will say Christmas is about giving. And it is. But it’s more. The Christmas message is also about reconnecting and restoration. It starts with a baby not a revolution and the gift is offered not imposed. It reminds me that change can start from small beginnings (like getting out of bed and doing some exercise!) and has to be desired.”
Have you ever been coasteering?
Have you ever been #coasteering? It's a fun way to make your way from one point to another, along a coastline, by a mix of walking, climbing, scrambling, jumping, swimming and laughing! This group...
Do you love rugby? Charity Fundraiser
Charity Fundraiser Do you love rugby? We are selling a mint condition frame All Blacks jersey as a fundraiser for one of our programmes. 100% of the money raised will go towards funding a 10-day...
Paddy and Anna, instructing duo extraordinaire!
Mostly because they are just so freaking happy all the time!
Cave Stream with Beens Intermediate
https://youtu.be/hD_JuV8M9Yg Cave Stream Earlier this month, we met a group of students from Breens Intermediate School at Cave Stream Scenic Reserve in Canterbury. If you haven’t heard of Cave...