OUTDOOR ACTIVITY FUND CASE STUDY
YOUTH OUTDOORS Encouraging our tamariki and rangatahi to engage with the outdoors is vital for their development. There is plenty of opportunity for them to learn, grow, and connect. Outdoor education has countless, proven, benefit and in Aotearoa we are lucky to have an abundance of exciting outdoor environments. There are many groups out there whose main goal is to give youth the chance to experience the outdoors and push their limits. In this case study we will look at three organisations from our 2019/2020 Outdoor Activity Fund (OAF), who support youth to get outdoors and how they do it.
THE OAF PROJECTS WORKING WITH YOUTH Youthtown - Ocean to Mountain Challenge Youthtown is a nationally operated, non-profit, dedicated to developing and empowering young New Zealanders through a range of youth programmes. The Ocean to Mountains Challenge is an initiative targeted at young Pasifika people in low socio-economic areas. The programme is about increasing opportunities for youth to experience nature in an authentic and meaningful setting. In this iteration of the project, Youthtown ran two outdoors camps for Pasifika youth in Canterbury.
Te Waiariki Purea Trust - Te Arawa Journey Te Waiariki Purea Trust (TWPT) are a non-profit offering youth and family services within the Te Arawa rohe (Bay of Plenty). Their work revolves around supporting people to be active in their communities, achieve in education, be culturally connected, and engage with their whÄ nau. Te Arawa Journey seeks to develop rangatahi into leaders and encourage understanding of oneself and one's whakapapa through outdoor activities and challenges. Over four weekends TWPT and their group of rangatahi embarked on a trip toward self-discovery and self-learning.
Photo courtesy of Youthtown
Outward Bound - Southern Cross Course Outward Bound is an outdoors pursuit organisation who have been running outdoor adventure programmes since 1962. Based in Marlborough Sounds Outward Bound aims to uncover the true potential of our communities through experiential outdoor learning. The Southern Cross course, is a longstanding 21-day course designed to enable young people of all nationalities to connect and explore their identities through the outdoors.
"As a young refugee I never thought that I would get a chance to do something like Outward Bound and now that I have this chance I am not going to waste it." - Vira (Outward Bound particpant)
OUTDOOR ACTIVITY FUND CASE STUDY YOUTH OUTDOORS HOW TO ENGAGE When developing a project or programme for a specific group you shouldn’t rely on guesswork. Active engagement with your group is vital in executing a successful project but sometimes direct engagement can be tricky – particularly with youth where the are many factors to consider (geographic, financial, social etc). Below are some ways that our OAF projects were able to connect with their participants.
PARTNER – Often there are other organisations out there who have inroads with your target market and/or have significant experience. By partnering with other organisations you encourage a transparent project model and open yourself up to a wide range of interactions. All three projects engaged in collaboration. TWPT consulted with other local youth services, Youthtown worked with the Department of Conservation and local schools, and Outward Bound collaborated with the Human Rights Commission (HRC). Working with the HRC enabled Outward Bound to connect with diverse communities and achieve their purpose of providing an opportunity for young people to experience the outdoors. With HRC’s support Outward Bound reached youth from minority groups who may not have been able to access such an experience otherwise. They explained that their biggest learning was the importance of constant consultation (including with the youth) as it meant they were able to develop a programme that was fit for purpose and shifted them toward the best outcome for the participants.
that their target group was more engaged and trusting. Their audience felt that important sense of camaraderie and a common understanding could be fostered between parties. Project leaders also noted that encouraging a familial atmosphere helped the tamariki come out of their shells. Whereby the older ones took care of the younger ones which fostered a sense of comfort and responsibility. CONNECTION THROUGH CULTURE – Youth are often looking for identity and a sense of belonging, and sometimes looking to cultural and environmental roots is a good place to start. Both Youthtown and TWPT found a focus on storytelling and bicultural teaching practices drew strong engagement and intrigue. Project lead, Nick Chater, stated that learning in the rivers, lakes and forests was identified as reason for engagement. The dynamism and stories of the outdoor environment can have a huge impact on focus, inspiration, and progress.
"When we first came to Le Bons Bay I felt like going home straight away... but when the hours went by I felt like more at home and feeling free to do anything." - Christian (Youthtown boys camp participant)
REVIEW YOUR CONNECTIONS – Sometimes the best way to communicate with your target audience is through your own ranks. Youthtown indicated an initial challenge when trying to engage with young Pasifika, a culture where family and connection is important. When they appointed one of their own youth workers, of Pacific heritage, as liaison, they found
Photo courtesy of TWPT
OUTDOOR ACTIVITY FUND CASE STUDY YOUTH OUTDOORS THE CHALLENGES Working with youth can have unique challenges and it's important to be prepared when embarking on a project that involves young people. Below are some of the challenges our projects reported: Generating interest in the project Building confidence in the rangatahi Personality differences Need for social media Negative thinking
SET GOALS & REFLECT - Creating space for reflection is an important part of the project journey and participant development. Getting participants to consider what they wanted out of this experience was a common theme across the OAF projects. Project coordinators put questions to their group before embarking on their journey. These questions were a way for the participants to set goals and factor into their final reflections. Suggested questions: What is something you would like to overcome throuh the programme? What are your strengths? What is your definition of a leader OR what is your definition of teamwork? What skills would you like to achieve through this programme?
Photo courtesy of Outward Bound
MANAGING CHALLENGES Youth are at a tender and vital learning period, so it is important to anticipate challenges and tackle them head on. Based on their own experiences, our three projects have suggested some ways to manage these challenges.
CONSULT – All three OAF projects engaged in rigorous consultation processes with partners, providers, and participants. This meant that they could anticipate challenges and respond thoughtfully. When working with youth it’s important to give them some responsibility in decision making and programme planning, it will ensure that your project has the most appropriate outcome for the group. Youthtown noted that when giving the participants a choice in activity and being careful not to force situation, they were more responsive and felt a sense of autonomy, which in turn meant they were more open to new challenges.
Encouraging their participants to sit down at the end of the day to write or kōrero about their experience was cathartic and helpful in their critical thinking. Nick Chater of TWPT said that it was an important opportunity for the rangatahi to contemplate and understand what may have been an overwhelming day. It also gave them the chance to call out negative behaviour. He said that getting the group to recognise negativity as a hinderance was vital in driving the project forward and aiding in personal growth. ADJUST – There may be times that you need to adjust the trajectory of your project because it’s not quite hitting the mark or fitting with the desired outcomes. In the initial stages of promoting their project, Youthtown were having difficulties obtaining enough registrations to allow their programme to go ahead. Following discussions with the schools they were working with they deemed it appropriate to open their age bracket. Initially targeted at secondary school, they adjusted to include intermediate students. There was an immediate uptick in registrations and the diverse ages saw the group operate more like a family.
OUTDOOR ACTIVITY FUND CASE STUDY YOUTH OUTDOORS KEY OUTCOMES & LEARNINGS Youthtown particpants.... Found a new appreciation for nature and their local area Had enthusiasm for more experiences like it Gained confidence Changed their attitude toward different age groups Valued getting to know each other Youthtown's Learnings Work in your community and find strength in your own connections Create opportunity for choice Encourage particpants to voice their thoughts and feelings Outward Bound particpants... Felt a sense of identity and self-awareness Learned about other cultures and practices Developed environmental and service ethic Appreciated being pushed out of their comfort zones Found courage, resilience, and motivation
Photo courtesy of Outward Bound
"We now have a group of rangatahi who can be invited to assist with future Te Arawa Journey programmes and be put into a Tuakana Teina role with other rangatahi. We look forward to working alongside these rangatahi and watching how they develop." - Nick Chater, TWPT
Outward Bound Learnings Have a robust consultation process TWPT particpants... Realised the importance of positive thinking Built resilience and leadership capabilities Learned that leadership is about the 'We, not the I' Discovered a desire to support other rangatahi in similar settings Developed skills they could carry into everyday life (cooking, planning, budgeting) TWPT's Learnings The importance of allowing students to be teachers The value of celebrating the achievements of the rangatahi Encouraging positivity and calling out negative behaviour is vital in actioning change Respecting the gradual process of building confidence
Photo courtesy of TWPT
RESOURCES & OTHER READING Ministry of Youth Development Ara Taihoi - Body for Youth Development Sport NZ - Children & Young People Insights Rainbow Youth The Human Rights Commission