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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Our late founder, Lyndsay Simpkin, mentioned the above quote in one of his regular newsletters … 14 years ago! For better or worse, it is still true. Lynsday continued:

“This reminds me that our work is important on many different levels. In his book, Last Child in the Woods, author Richard Louv coined the term ‘nature-deficit disorder’ to describe the consequences of separating children from the natural world.

“At Adventure Specialties Trust, we have long believed in the importance of reconnecting our sometimes-nature-deficient young people with the outdoors and providing them with the time, place and space to explore deeper feelings and issues.”

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QUOTES FROM 2009 JOURNEYS:

14 years ago, Adventure Specialties Trust was a bit smaller, but our programmes were still having massive impact. Read these quotes from some Journey participants from 2009:

“I took big deep breaths while the sun was beating down on me, slowly taking my energy. My legs would start to get sore, but words kept repeating in my head – Never Give Up.”

“Going on the 10-day Journey really challenged me. Now I am back [home], I have more confidence and open my heart out to people.”

“I saw a great and relevant quote on a wall. Success is a Journey, not a Destination. We have all made it to our destination, but more importantly, we have all been on a journey.”

What is a Journey?

A Journey is a programme where the group leaves from one place and travels to another place (rather than staying in one area). They might travel by foot, by bike or by kayak. Normally all three! And a Journey can last anywhere from four days to 21 days.

It can be tough (for the participants and the instructors!). Physically tough, mentally tough, emotionally tough. The group needs to work together to get ready each morning, to travel together as a team, to set up tents and cook food, and to break camp each morning so they can start the process all over again.

Participants are given the opportunity to take turns leading the group for a day or part of a day. The leader is responsible for lots of things, including being aware of the group’s needs and overall morale. But the rest of the group is also responsible for their part too. A leader is only as good as their followers, so the rest of the group has to rise to the challenge and support the leader by being the best team they can be.

We run Journeys for a variety of school and community groups, including the long-running Project K (run in partnership with Graeme Dingle Foundation) and our most recent journey, Wāhine Journey, created by instructor Laura to support young women in their journey towards confidence, connection and leadership potential. (this video is from Laura’s wāhine trip)

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“Waking early I get out of bed knowing that the day will be busy. I’m on autopilot as I begin my morning routine. Sitting in my quiet place, I realise that I am tired and more than a little bewildered by the things of life. I have many things on my mind, yet not one certain thing that rises to the forefront. I’m in a state of semi-consciousness.

I hear the birdsong and am reminded of the beauty of this early morning. I give thanks for this home I live in. I give thanks for its location on the park. I am thankful for the trees and the birds. I give thanks because, when I am still enough to notice where I am and what is happening around about me, giving thanks is what makes sense. Giving thanks connects me to the world. It reminds me that no matter how I am feeling there is always something to give thanks for. Including being thankful for the anxiety that reminds me of the need to be aware of how I might respond to the people I will meet today.

Giving thanks puts me into a different mindset. Giving thanks creates the mindset I need for the day ahead. I am thankful for the re-setting of my mind that provides some direction. I can get going now knowing that I am beginning from a good place. In all things we ought to give thanks.”

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“After a day’s walk, everything has twice its usual value.”

– G. M. Trevelyan

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“There are three ways of trying to influence the young: There is persuasion, there is compulsion, and there is attraction. You can preach at them: that is a hook without a worm. You can say ‘you must volunteer’: that is of the devil. And you can tell them, ‘You are needed.’ That one hardly ever fails.”

– Kurt Hahn of Outward Bound fame and arguably the father of modern outdoor education

Lynsday Simpkin, the founder of Adventure Specialties Trust, quoted the above quote in one of his letters. He continued:

“It is tempting, as Christians serving through outdoor adventure, to try and emphasise a person’s value by saying ‘Don’t you know that you are made in the image of God?’ but what if that person has no belief in God?

We can enforce moral boundaries and standards of behaviour for the duration of our programme, but transference back into real life is never guaranteed.

Maybe, though, with careful and prayerful planning, we can create an experience where being needed becomes self-evident and where the beauty of nature creates enough cracks for something of the truth and source of a person’s worth to seep on through.”

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“I am feeling so much better than I was before I started this course. A lot less anxious.”

PARTICIPANTS’ FEEDBACK

At the end of all our outdoor adventure programmes, we ask participants to give feedback about the programme answering questions like “Has this programme helped you work better with other?” and “Has this programme inspired you to do some more outdoor activities on your own?” and “Has this programme help you develop (or better understand) your internal strengths?”

Here are some of the answers from last year’s participants …

“Being in nature and not having any devices made me really think about how I have been treating others and how I can treat them better. I have learnt the line between being sarcastic and slightly bullying. I have realised that it is a really positive thing to uplift others as I love being uplifted by others myself.”

“I learnt that all people are different and that other people are running their own races.”

“Kayaking was gangsta as, hiking is mad cool, and I would like to do a lot more of both.”

“I wasn’t really familiar with outdoor activities and all the benefits that come with it but now I really enjoy being out at reserves and doing bush walks. Enjoying the fresh air and listening to the wilderness really helps me to think clearer and clears my mind from negative thoughts.”

“I see people having difficulties in lives in this difficult time. I picked up my hope after this programme. I made friends, I helped others and they helped me. I was encouraged all the way. This is an awesome programme.”

“I’ve learnt so many new things, like communication with new people, teamwork, and being nice.”

COME JOIN US ON AN ADVENTURE!

If you would like to find out more about our programmes, feel free to browse our website or contact us directly (office@adventurespecialties.co.nz or phone numbers at the bottom of the page).

We have two types of programmes: Adventure With Purpose and Adventure Therapy. Both are all about outdoor adventure, but with a deeper purpose, exploring the important parts of life and working on personal growth. Read more about these programme types by clicking on the links above.

Check out our recent adventures on Facebook (Adventure Specialties Trust), Instagram (@adventurespecialtiestrust), Linkedin (Adventure Specialties Trust), or our YouTube channel (Adventure Specialties Trust).

And, just for fun, here is a video from a recent outdoor adventure programme:

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