OUR STORY
Hillary Outdoors benefits over 7000 students each year through outdoor education programmes held at Tongariro and Great Barrier Island Centres and via the successful nationwide multi-sport Events Programme 2
JOIN THE ADVENTURE: How you can help create the story
OUR VISION Leading Outdoor Education
OUR PURPOSE Youth Learning Through Adventure
OUR VALUES Integrity • Teamwork • Engagement • Adventure • Kaitiakanga We are in the business of helping young people experience the outdoors and we aim to be inclusive so that everyone, regardless of their circumstances, can enjoy the benefits of outdoor education. An important part of what we do is remove the financial barriers for those who would otherwise not be able to participate in our programmes, by providing assistance through our partners. In this digital age, where technology has a strong grip on youth and contributes to the problems of obesity, depression, low self-esteem and suicide, it is no wonder that time in the great outdoors is a ‘breath of fresh air’ for many young people who get to free themselves from their devices while undertaking our outdoor education programmes. After a year of growth in 2016, where we finished with a surplus considerably larger than it has been for many years, we are now in a much stronger position to focus on the strategic projects outlined in this booklet.
“There’s immense satisfaction in knowing that the challenges you face are only as limited as your imagination” Graeme Dingle, founder of Hillary Outdoors
These are exciting times, as we progress into the next phase of our adventure – to offer MORE of what we do so well, by increasing access to our programmes for young people, along with the necessary increased capacity to allow for further growth. And so we go forth... or in the words of Sir Ed “With practice and focus, you can extend yourself far more than you ever believed possible.” Graham Seatter, Chief Executive 3
OUR STORY SO FAR – The Adventure Began With Graeme Dingle and Sir Ed in 1972 1972 Graeme Dingle established OPC and held the organisation’s first programme at the Centre beside Tongariro National Park. Original Patron was Sir Edmund Hillary
1976 First school groups began to traverse the Mangatepopo gorge from top to bottom
4
JOIN THE ADVENTURE: How you can help create the story
1979 Founder, Graeme Dingle left OPC to pursue other interests within the outdoors
1970s Law firm Chapman Tripp started their long-standing commercial sponsorship of OPC. Chapman Tripp has remained sponsors ever since, with some of the partners being on the OPC Board of Trustees over the years
2001 Inaugural Hillary Challenge Event was held. Genesis Energy came on board as a major sponsor
1992 OPC officially became the Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor Pursuits Centre of New Zealand at the same time that the new Carter Holt Harvey Leadership Centre was opened
“I attended OPC ‘back in the day’ when I was 14 (1982 ish) and I still remember the internal shift in my being. Young people need to be connected with the environment and also to learn to respect and take care of our earth.”
Johanna Pibal, Accompanying teacher St Oran’s College
2006 Second Centre was opened on Great Barrier Island in Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf. The Get2Go Event started in the same year 2008 Sir Edmund Hillary died at the age of 88 in January. In April of the same year, six students and a teacher drowned while trying to escape from the flooded Mangatepopo gorge. Since then a significant overhaul of safety systems has occurred
2013 OPC celebrated the organisation’s 40th anniversary
“He was a passionate believer in helping others reach their full potential. I have accepted the patron’s role for Hillary Outdoors which Sir Ed wanted as his legacy for young New Zealanders. I am keeping a promise I made to him that I would look after this gift when he was gone.”
Rt Hon Dame Jenny Shipley, current Patron of Hillary Outdoors, ...talking about her promise to Sir Ed
2017 AND BEYOND We embark on a future of growing interest in getting youth back into the outdoors, establishing deeper connections with the environment, themselves and each other. Some exciting projects are underway that will allow us to capitalise on this potential for growth
2014 OPC re-branded as Hillary Outdoors Education Centres; highlighting the educational aspect of our programmes and making the most of Sir Ed lending his name to this fantastic organisation 5
PRESSURES ON YOUTH – Some of the Modern Issues we aim to Address...
DISCONNECTED FROM NATURE More time than ever is being spent on digital devices contributing to less time outdoors and being active* *In the Youth’12 survey (University of Auckland, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences), only 10% of secondary school students met the current recommendations of 60 minutes of physical activity daily
•
Our programmes take place in some of New Zealand’s most outstanding places of natural beauty – Tongariro and Great Barrier Island
•
When students visit our Centres, they must hand in their digital devices, enabling them to better ‘tune in’ to themselves, nature and each other
•
Many of the young people visiting our Centres have never left the city. With growing urbanisation it is no wonder that people are becoming increasingly disconnected from nature
•
Our programmes involve intensive time spent on physical activities and extensive time outdoors. Being outdoors for an extended duration helps deepen connections with the natural world and can help establish continued lifetime involvement in the outdoors%
Even five minutes around trees or in green spaces may improve health* * The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation website inlcudes research references for many of the health benefits it mentions are associated with spending time amongst nature
LOW SELF-ESTEEM, BULLYING, PEER PRESSURE, DEPRESSION New Zealand’s Youth suicide rate is the highest in the OECD* *Source: The Ministry for Social Developments 2010 Social Indicators of Wellbeing Report
•
Young New Zealanders are over represented negatively in global statistics. With early intervention involving development of young people, we can make a positive difference on their lives and those within their communities
•
Our programmes are full of fun and adventure for young people and help meet human needs of ‘connectedness’ through developing a sense of belonging. Participants leave our programmes with memories and friendships that can last a lifetime. They also learn and develop important life-long skills that provide a solid platform for living life with a sense of purpose, independence, resilience and responsibility, to name a few
•
Team work is an important focus of all our programmes and it is within this context that participants increase their personal and social responsibility and an awareness of their impact on others and their environment
66
JOIN THE ADVENTURE: How you can help create the story
All our programmes are designed to develop self-awareness, team-building and self-confidence
OBESITY, DIABETES AND OTHER HEALTH CONCERNS NZ now has one of the highest youth obesity rates*
•
Children born in the 21st Century are predicted to be the first generation who will not outlive their parents
•
Our programmes introduce students to outdoor activities they may have never experienced before – this level of activity and education can help encourage sustainable lifestyle choices when they return home
•
There are significant societal effects of being overweight or obese, such as bullying, eating disorders, chronic ill health etc. – our programmes complement health education programmes delivered at school as we work towards common values and goals of healthier and happier lifestyless
*New Zealand is now the third most obese nation in the OECD
LACK OF DIRECTION, RESPONSIBILITY AND INDEPENDENCE Our programmes often have “life-changing” impacts* *Craig Macpherson, a teacher from King’s College, remarked on the impact participation in a Hillary Outdoors long programme had on students; “...most importantly it has been life-changing for the student participants”
Our programmes provide the appropriate level of physical challenge for participants to often discover they are capable of much more than they first thought
•
Many of our programme participants lack organisational skills and other important life skills – the Hillary Outdoors experience helps them learn self-management, to take personal and social responsibility and work more effectively with others
•
Care and respect are also important aspects of our programmes – whether that is care for themselves, others or the environment; they get plenty of opportunities to put what they have learnt into practice with team challenges, problem solving tasks under the guidance of experienced instructors
•
Parents often remark how much more personal responsibility their sons and daughters are taking around the house when they return; such as using their initiative to help out before being asked to do so%
Teachers tell us that the participation benefits are transferred into the classrooms, sports fields and school environment once students have left Hillary Outdoors
7
HOW WE HELP YOUTH – Our Programmes and Centres CENTRES – away from modern distractions •
Hillary Outdoors currrently has two Centres both based in the North Island. Tongariro is the original Centre adjacent to the Tongariro National Park in the Central Plateau or Central North Island. Great Barrier Island is the other Centre based in Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf
•
Both Centres are situated in areas of outstanding natural beauty and have some of New Zealand’s best outdoor experiences at their doorstep including rivers, mountains, ocean and bush
•
Many students participating in our programmes have never left the city, let alone spent a night away from their families, so their time with Hillary Outdoors can often tick off many ‘firsts’
•
Our Centres are remote, so mobile phone coverage is not reliable; even so - it is our policy for students to “hand-in” their phones when they arrive to ensure they are fully engaged in the programme and immersed in their new natural environments
PROGRAMMES - customised to client needs
88
•
Our core Programmes for Youth are five day programmes, however since we customise every programme to our client’s requirements, we also deliver anything from one day up to five week programmes
•
Most programmes (whatever the length) have an emphasis on discovery, adventure, leadership, or a combination. Skills such as team building, communication, environmental care and independence are developed through these programmes
•
Our programmes are designed to support teaching programmes in schools; built around the key competencies of the New Zealand Curriculum
•
It is possible for schools to opt for their students to complete assessments contributing towards their individual NCEA school qualifications while participating on our programmes, as well as completing aspects of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Hillary Award
•
Whilst we do offer programmes for adults, our primary focus is on youth; as our purpose is ‘Youth Learning through Adventure’. Revenue from corporate and other adult programmes assists us to support more youth to have a Hillary Outdoors experience
JOIN THE ADVENTURE: How you can help create the story
•
Our instruction and safety levels are of the highest standard – in fact, we train other organisations in safety systems and our Tertiary Progammes are a key source of qualified instructors for the industry
EVENTS PROGRAMMES - a taste of outdoors •
In addition to our Centre-based programmes, we offer a very successful programme of remotely-based multi-sport events. With these events held nationwide, they are ‘closer to home’ for many schools and provide a good taste of the Hillary Outdoors experience
•
All our events are for teams. The Get2Go is the larger of our two Events Programmes, attracting over 1600 participants from over 140 schools each year. It’s a fun event designed for novices to have a go. The qualifying races are held at regional centres and the final is held on Great Barrier Island at the end of each year. The Get2Go can also be a good introduction and training ground for the more serious Hillary Challenge Event Programme. This programme culminates in a final, the year after a qualifiying series, held around Tongariro. More than 25,000 young people have participated in all of our Events Programmes since their inception in 2001
•
Previous participants in our Events Programmes have gone on to win prestigious multi-sport titles such as the Coast to Coast or lead Outdoor Education departments in secondary schools. These team programmes have been credited with sparking a passion for competitive event participation and a life-long love of the outdoors
THEIR STORY: FIVE DAY PROGRAMME – Whangarei Girls’ Excel at Hillary Outdoors GBI Some of the students from Whangarei Girls’ participating in the five day outdoor education programme at Hillary Outdoors Great Barrier Island
Every year we receive hundreds of letters from schools and students telling us about their stories of growth and transformation. Here’s how Whangarei Girls’ benefited from their experience... In September 2016, 30 Whangarei Girls’ Year 12 students attended a five day Outdoor Education programme at Hillary Outdoors Education Centre – Great Barrier Island. The girls had the opportunity to complete two unit standards, develop as individuals and have a lot of fun in the outdoors with their peers. This wouldn’t have been possible without the generous funding from Foundation North. As Luke Kirner, teacher in charge notes, “I have a policy that a student’s financial situation should not dictate their participation. The funding brings down the overall cost, which means that more people can be involved.” In the long run, Luke believes their trip helped with self-development, independence and consideration of others, “...they seem to ‘grow up’ a bit during their week at Hillary Outdoors. I think this is based on their improved ability to look out for themselves and each other in challenging circumstances” says Luke, reflecting back on the programme structure, and how it encourages students to get out of their comfort zone and push themselves to the best of their abilities. Students are faced with obstacles throughout the programme in order to give them the chance to challenge themselves in a safe and supportive environment. The girls completed activities individually, and as a team. There was one student in particular that went over and above what she was able to do before attending Great Barrier Island. She was so terrified of heights, but challenged herself mentally and “she ended up battling through tears to complete an activity which had her climbing around a rock face.” An incredible feat to face your fears head on, but it didn’t stop there. “Two days later, she surprised me by abseiling off a waterfall with a smile on her face,” adds Luke. It goes to show that while incredibly daunting, facing your fears can open up more doors, and allow you to reap the benefits of activities you would normally look at as terrifying.
Following on from this student’s accomplishments, Luke reflected on how the programme helped students bond with each other and work better as a team. Commenting about the earlier example of the student facing her fear of heights, he says, “...what was even more surprising was the incredible support she received from her friends who forgot about the fact that they were very scared themselves in order to help her complete the challenge.” One thing that students, teachers and parents all agree on is how these students’ lives have been enriched by gaining important life skills that will remain with them forever. Luke concludes, “With assistance from Foundation North, Whangarei Girls’ High School can continue to offer young women the opportunity to see and overcome new challenges at Hillary Outdoors Great Barrier Island and beyond.”
“I have a policy that a student’s financial situation should not dictate their participation. The funding brings down the overall cost, which means that more people can be involved.” Luke Kirner, Teacher in charge, Whangarei Girls’
9
HOW CAN WE BUILD ON THIS? – Our Strategic Plan for Growth MEASURE IMPACT OF PROGRAMMES We have a lot of anecdotal evidence about the difference our programmes make to youth both immediately following their participation and then well beyond into shaping their future careers, inluding their general outlook on life and continued involvement in the outdoors. We aim to gain more objective evidence of our programme impacts
INCREASE FINANCIAL ACCESS Lower the financial barriers that prevent youth accessing our programmes such as those from low decile schools through help with funding via grants and scholarships
MORE
INCREASE IMPACT OF PROGRAMMES
Youth Learning Through Adventure
The longer that students are with us, the more likely they are to reap wider-reaching and longer-lasting benefits in terms of improvements to their self-esteem, communication with others and other important life skills. Our core programme is five days, however we are aiming to do more ‘long programmes’ which extends this experience any where up to five weeks
INCREASE GEOGRAPHICAL ACCESS Create more locations to make it easier for more young people around New Zealand to get to us and have a Hillary Outdoors experience
INCREASE CAPACITY Over 40 years of wear and tear on our facilities and resources as thousands of students have passed through the doors of our Centres has resulted in desperate need for investment in large scale building and rennovation projects. Centre developments will not only help maintain an acceptable standard of living and working spaces, it will help us accommodate larger numbers of students
0110 JOIN THE ADVENTURE: How you can help create the story
As we move through 2017 and beyond, these key strategic focuses pictured in the opposite graph are of vital importance as part of our overall strategic plan to deliver on...
OUR KEY PILLARS • Leader in safety • Sustainable business • Iconic brand represents quality • Relationship excellence
11
INCREASE FINANCIAL ACCESS – Every Young New Zealander Deserves an Opportunity
FUNDING PARTNERS – grants are our lifeline In 2016 we received over $1 million in grants and donations. Whilst this is a significant sum, we are an operation with 29 buildings at Tongariro that require constant maintenance. We therefore require extensive funds to keep our Centres and resources running smoothly, at the highest safety standards. A large proportion of this income is poured straight back into low decile schools, to help subsidise their students to visit us. Facilitating this financial support, for young people to have outdoor experiences they may not otherwise be able to have, is a fundamental part of what we do. We increased total bed nights by 20% in 2016 and we aim to continue that growth in 2017 and beyond. Part of this growth will come from continuing to give greater access to Hillary Outdoors programmes via Hillary Step Scholarships; this is where students from selected decile 1-7 schools pay a significantly reduced fee for a five day programme.
We have a massive collection of “success stories” as a result of this funding – you’ll find some of what teachers and students say opposite...
COMMERCIAL PARTNERS – win win relationships We are fortunate to have the support of some commercial partners who help us in various ways. Long time supporter Chapman Tripp are a legal firm that has helped us afford major projects over the years and has provided invaluable pro-bono assistance with legal matters. Genesis Energy not only sponsor our prestigious Hillary Challenge Final Event, they financially support students from the local area to take part in programmes at Hillary Outdoors Tongariro. Our insurance provider, APEX Insurance, has supported us beyond reduced premiums by also supporting low decile school students attend our programmes. Torpedo7 is a nationwide outdoor adventure retailer. As part of their community partnership initiative, they have been fundraising in their stores to help students in challenging financial circumstances have an outdoor experience. Students from Melville High School are pictured opposite on their visit to the Torpedo7 Hamilton store where they expressed their thanks for the support.
12 JOIN THE ADVENTURE: How you can help create the story
Seeking More Great Supporters and Partners
SKILLS TO SET THEM UP FOR LIFE... “...personal challenges, self-confidence, perseverance, knowledge of outdoors, scientific information, Maori language and local history, environmental sustainability messages...”
In 2016 we launched the community sponsorship programme and we are seeking new partners who would like to help more students undertake Hillary Step Scholarships through this programme.
Teacher in charge from Marist College, commenting on what their students gained from time at Hillary Outdoors
Life-changing experiences are not out of reach for youth in financially challenging circumstances...
We are also interested in talking to any individuals, organisations or corporates who are keen to show their generosity in many other ways. Examples include: • Category partners (i.e. providing financial support with exclusivity in the sector such as vehicles, financial services, travel etc.) • Bequests
BEST EVER TIME OF MY LIFE! “Overall it was easily the BEST EVER TIME OF MY LIFE! “
• Fundraising activities • Donations
Melville High School student
NED URE! HTE G AT I E H OF N e N O I wher IAT place a REC a P n i n i P e A to be ther to b ifi l o o w sc ge “It wa e works to t without n n e o y m ever viron you go.” hy en e t healt verywher uden e ool st h c S igh ille H Melv
• Purchase branded merchandise We believe in creating mutually beneficial partnerships, undertaking to develop the best possible relationships with our supporters – be they funding bodies, corporate sponsors or individuals with a passion for the outdoors and helping youth create a better future for New Zealand. So, why wait?
Get in touch for a chat! 13
INCREASE GEOGRAPHICAL ACCESS – Every Young New Zealander Deserves an Opportunity
Two New Centres in the Pipeline
KINLOCH – adventures around the lake
One of the challenges in being able to offer more New Zealanders the opportunity to experience Hillary Outdoors is simply having enough capacity. Another challenge is getting people to our remote locations. Being able to offer additional centres will help with both these challenges. It will be easier for young people in the South Island to get to us, provide an extreme contrast of natural surroundings for many clients (particularly those living in Auckland and Northland), as well as provide facilities to increase the number of bed nights available.
A seven hectre property located in Kinloch, close to the shores of Lake Taupo, in the centre of the North Island
•
The land has been provided for lease and development by Henry Hall and family, to be used “to benefit children and young people”
•
Kinloch will provide activities that are a little less demanding for our younger students, making it the ideal introduction to outdoor adventures for year 7 and 8
•
A custom built centre will also allow us to cater for specific needs such as long programmes; including self-catering facilities
CANTERBURY – a South Island home
The increased capacity will help relieve pressure on our Tongariro and Great Barrier Island Centres that are sometimes bursting at the seams!
•
Hillary Outdoors is partnering with Peel Forest, an outdoor education centre based in Geraldine, South Canterbury. This opportunity to work together provides better access for South Island students wanting a Hillary Outdoors experience
With centres better connected to towns (Taupo and Christchurch), they both also open up opportunities for corporate and other clients. Prospective commercial partners are also often looking for nationwide exposure for their brands.
•
With 20 hectares of native forest to explore, there are plenty of adventures to be had in this area of spectacular natural beauty in the heart of the South Island
•
Located one hour and 45 minutes from Christchurch, the centre is connected enough to make transport from a main city easy, however remote enough to provide participants a true taste of the outdoors
14 JOIN THE ADVENTURE: How you can help create the story
•
2 25%
Two new centres will be great milestones in extending the reach of Hillary Outdoors New Centres will increase capacity to host students by up to 25% over the next three years
♥
Having a base in the heart of BOTH North and South Islands provides easier access for all youth
✔
Our Events Programme is an important way that we can continue to provide students a way of ‘getting active outdoors’ closer to home
“I think it all comes down to motivation. If you really want to do something, you will work hard for it.” Sir Edmund Hillary, original patron
15
INCREASE CAPACITY – Reducing Centre Constraints in Order to Host More Students There are a number of constraints that currently prevent us from hosting more students at Hillary Outdoors Tongariro. There are limitations on physical spaces such as the Resource Centre building and surrounding area, as well as constant wear and tear on equipment and gear provided to programme participants at both Centres. Funding for new equipment, like the kayaks recently provided by Genesis Energy, is enormously appreciated. It is easy to overlook the fact that equipment and gear is a necessary part of providing programmes to students...obtaining funding for these tangible items remains a challenge relative to funding students themselves through our programmes. Fortunately, with the help of Torpedo7, we have recently started offering school students discount on branded gear purchased through their stores prior to participating in our programmes and selected events.
equipment repairs & REPLACEMENT – Constant! •
The large volume of students we have through both our Centres each year places a huge demand on all the equipment and gear we provide. Wear and tear is inevitable, as are repairs and replacement
•
Equipment is often highly specialised and technical - reliable equipment such as kayaks, ropes, navigation devices and harnesses etc. come at significant cost
•
Students are able to borrow a wide variety of gear, from rain jackets and boots, through to sleeping bags. This is a particularly important resource for students who cannot afford to purchase gear and also for those who are unable to borrow it elsewhere
•
Having the right equipment and gear of an appropriate quality is an essential part of providing a safe environment for our students and staff. We take this very seriously
NEW RESOURCE CENTRE – A ‘must have’ for Tongariro
16 JOIN THE ADVENTURE: How you can help create the story
•
Informal research uncovered that the biggest bottleneck, placing the Centre under enormous pressure, is in our Resource Centre. We simply cannot host more students than we currently do with the existing facilities in this area due to restricted working spaces
•
Plans have been drawn up that will create more room within the existing Resource Centre for gear to be processed (borrowed, returned and dried)
•
This is a major project (with costs in excess of $200k) that will allow us to improve safety in the Centre, be more efficient and grow – it would not be possible without the support of outside organisations
•
At the time of publication in 2017, we were still looking for further financial support to get underway with construction in the resource and workshop areas
Thanks to Grassroots for funding that allowed us to purchase more “rig” for sailing. Thanks also to PAk’nSAVE Mt Albert, Brian Carran and Genesis Energy for funding kayaks
The Hillary Outdoors Tongariro Resource Centre looks after equipment items nearly 10,000 items of equipment
10,000
To cater for 100 students and their various size and activity pairs of shoes requirements, we need to have 500 pairs of footwear available
500 70%
70% of the $139k spent on assets during 2016 was from grants and donations
“The better the range and quality of equipment that we have available for student use, the greater the range and quality of outdoor education we are able to provide those students” Hamish Sinclair, Resource Centre Manager Hillary Outdoors Tongariro
17
INCREASE IMPACT OF PROGRAMMES – Tailoring Programmes to Different Markets
One Size Does not fit all!
prefects, sports, CUSTOM – united for special interests
We offer schools a standard programme of five days outdoor education at our Centres, however ‘standard’ is really only a label to describe the most popular duration and general nature of our programmes. Each programme, whether it is considered standard or not, is customised to meet specific requirements. Our Programme Managers work with schools to develop programmes that meet their specific goals; taking into account school values, curriculum related objectives, as well as desired educational outcomes, available time etc. Sometimes a programme will have a bigger focus on leadership, sometimes on developing personal responsibility and ownership or improved teamwork. How these important skills are developed varies by instructor, weather and other conditions that rely on expertise and flexibility. During the course of the programme, whatever activities students have undertaken will lead them to being more self-confident, have more understanding of others, consideration of the environment, more resilience and more appreciation of nature... Wouldn’t it be great if more young people had the opportunity to experience these programmes?... • for a longer duration • as part of their international adventure • to work on special interests young 18 JOIN THE ADVENTURE: How you can help create the story
•
In early 2017 Hillary Outdoors held the first Pub Charity Student Leadership Programme. This successful, subsidised programme offered at both Centres allowed schools to send their elected student leaders to specifically prepare for the year ahead in their role as school leaders
•
We currently work with a range of organisations to help deliver their youth development programmes, including The Rising Foundation, Best Youth Academy and Decision Reach Out
•
We aim to grow the number of these specialised programmes and recognise that there are many opportunities from sports and the arts, through to students with special education needs
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS – growing demand
•
In 2017 Hillary Outdoors hosted students from SIM University in Singapore as part of their final year of studies in leadership
•
The number of international students on study visas in New Zealand is growing. Whether being hosted through secondary school programmes or on placements from overseas universities, there are great opportunities for more of them to experience the real New Zealand outdoors with us
•
Hillary Outdoors is endeavouring to develop more partnerships with organisations and secondary school departments that facilitate experiences for international students
THEIR STORIES: LONG PROGRAMME – How They Have Helped Schools and Students Edge Ahead
LONG Programmes – life-changing, lasting impact
Here’s what teachers and students have to say about long programmes...
•
A long programme is any duration spent at our Centres for a period of more than five days. Even two weeks on one of our programmes is likely to do a better job of reinforcing skills learnt during shorter programmes
•
For greater impact with minimum disruption to school timetables, we encourage schools to spend five weeks immersed in an integrated outdoor education learning programme
•
Hillary Outdoors has run long programmes on Great Barrier Island for Hillcrest High School, Trident High School and Otumoetai College for the past six years
•
We are actively seeking more schools that want to offer their students a longer experience in the outdoors at either of our Centres. These programmes can be a big competitive advantage in attracting students to schools
Anthony Gadsbey, Teacher in charge, Otumoetai College
EAS BACK BROUGHT ID TO SCHOOL me as a t the program ea tr I r he ac te ent “...As a sional developm r of fantastic profes be m nu a n have take I y. it un rt po op ght them s etc and brou systems / idea the hool for use in back to my sc .” ogrammes Outdoor Ed pr
! FUN S I ING RN eek A E L ast w ths! l D t E u b own AT ma GR lieve doing of our E e T b n o y IN ns.” rd t nda arde “Ha ent Su ique g ormatio n p f we s sign a u ic trans e r t d e om d to ...ha sing ge u
Student on Long Programme Trident High School
Hans Uivel, Teacher in charge, Hillcrest High School
S! ME O C UT the EO ith the w H T d e th ITH leas lled wi s that p W y i l e LED treme re thr tcom a u ” x RIL o e e l H w e a . T e ar and ation ated “...W amme educ gener n gr nd pro onal a ve bee a s r h pe
19 19
MEASUREMENT OF PROGRAMMES – Beyond Anecdotal Evidence of Effectiveness
Research Partnership with AUT University Hillary Outdoors has partnered with AUT University to embark on a research project, initially for one year, aiming to analyse the immediate and long-term effects of participation in our programmes. Research will commence in the first half of 2017. With students, parents and schools being asked to be part of the study by completing surveys before the programme. After programme completion they will complete follow-up surveys at two different times. This initiative was prompted by an industry need to more objectively demonstrate the benefits for young people of undertaking outdoor education programmes. The study will look at the relative effect of both our standard five day programmes and our long programmes of up to five weeks in duration.
positive FEEDBACK – overwhelming support for what we do Here is what adults accompanying our students (including teachers, other school personnel and parents) have to say about the Hillary Outdoors experience from our current surveys that mainly focus on the immediate benefits of participation: “They (students) have come back with a more positive attitude and a realisation about how much they can achieve if they keep trying” “We love promoting Hillary Outdoors here because we do see the benefits with our students. Their lives do change when they return from such an awesome experience” “(Students gain) Improved and broader relationships within the year group as a result of shared experiences. A sense of getting a better perspective on what is important. An understanding of discomfort only being temporary” “(What Hillary Outdoors do well) Communication, passing on the vision to the students, staff provides an amazing inspiration to the students in the way they interact, planting seeds for a love in a unique environment, providing opportunities for the students to go out of their comfort zone and gain confidence in themselves, life skills in a holistic way!!” “They (students) are better able to deal with differences and how to cope with working with others” “Students are more confident, they have made new friends, they have experienced activities and situations that they would not have done in any other situation and they are often able to transfer this to their other school and learning activities” “Students are more accepting of those around them, they have taken an interest in environmental issues around the college and local area. They self-manage in the college environment far better”
20 JOIN THE ADVENTURE: How you can help create the story
“When students are faced with difficulty in some areas of their lives, they refer back to their experiences at Hillary Outdoors and have skills and strategies to get through it”
“People do not decide to become extraordinary. They decide to accomplish extraordinary things.” Sir Edmund Hillary, original patron
What do Our Current Surveys Tell us? For many years, Hillary Outdoors has been gathering feedback from all clients regarding their satisfaction relative to their goals and expectations from attending our programmes. Even though these are mainly qualitative surveys, providing the type of anecdotal comments presented on the opposite page, they also help us build a holistic view of our operations with some basic quantitative information such as this from 2016 survey responses:
• 75% of our clients told us that our programme exceeded their learning needs
• 78% of our clients told us that
what they/their students learnt at Hillary Outdoors is likely to be extremely valuable in the future
• 98% of our clients told us that they would recommend Hillary Outdoors to others
21
“Hillary Outdoors is an inspirational organisation where everyone works together to live out the organisation’s values in the great outdoors of positively impacting young people as they embark in their life journey” Graham Seatter, Chief Executive
22 JOIN THE ADVENTURE: How you can help create the story
JOIN THE ADVENTURE AND HELP CREATE THE STORY...
WWW.HILLARYOUTDOORS.CO.NZ For all enquiries, including grants, partnerships, donations and bookings please email or call:
contact@hillaryoutdoors.co.nz 0800 688 843
23
“It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves” Sir Edmund Hillary
WWW.HILLARYOUTDOORS.CO.NZ Registered office: Suite D | Level 1 | 31D Bartley Terrace | Devonport | Auckland 0624 Charities Commission Registration, CC26731