YOUTH ACTIVATE

ABOUT THE COURSE

This course is fully funded by our generous donors. Participants will only need to cover the cost of their travel to and from Picton, and a pre-course medical done by their GP or nurse practitioner.

PARTICIPANTS WILL EXPERIENCE:

• Outdoor and physical activities such as high ropes, camping and journeys at sea. The exact programme is a surprise but there will early starts, late nights and lots of fun

• Active reflection and workshops exploring what was learnt from each activity

• Three qualified instructors and three support workers

• Living, sleeping and working with 10 others from all around New Zealand

• Some nights will be spent staying in a bunkroom at the school in Anakiwa and others exploring the Marlborough Sounds.

THE COURSE INCLUDES

• Specialist activity and safety equipment

• Food and accommodation for the duration of the course

• The option to borrow clothing. A gear list will be provided.

Participants will need to pay for their own medical and travel costs.

PARTICIPANTS WILL GAIN:

• Resilience: Solution focused skills to manage challenge, uncertainty and change

• Mindset: Understanding how your thoughts, feelings and actions impact your wellbeing

• Empowerment: A deepened sense of personal identity, belonging and an acceptance of who you are. Understanding your values and how to use them to guide your goals, decisions and actions

• Teamwork: Develop your ability to work in a team and build connections with people in your community.

PARTICIPANT REQUIREMENTS

All participants must be:

• 18+ years of age

• Independent in personal care and taking medication

• Able to communicate clearly and have no intellectual disability

• Able to attend without a carer and travel to and from the course independently

• Experienced spending time away from home overnight

• Able to participate in a full day of physical activity with rest breaks

• Comfortable in and around the water, including having head under – lifejackets available

• Able to meet general Outward Bound screening guidelines

• Willing to give things a go

• Have had at least a 1-year adaptation period since acquiring a disability.

Wheelchair users must:

• Use a manual wheelchair (electric wheelchairs are not suitable for a course)

• Be able to transfer from the ground to their wheelchair

• Be under 85kg.

NB: Due to technical equipment requirements, the course can take a maximum of two wheelchair users, two participants using crutches/frames and one participant who is blind or visually impaired.

Participants could include those with both congenital and acquired physical disabilities e.g. muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, amputations, arthritis.