Aotearoa New Zealand | Hillary Award
Well done for taking the time, effort and commitment to complete the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award. You are in for a rewarding year, and we can’t wait to help you complete your goals!
Hillary Outdoors is an accredited outdoor provider for The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award and offers an exceptional environment to help you on your journey during the school holidays. Our Tongariro and Coromandel Centres provide a truly authentic experience that fosters personal discovery and helps you to develop crucial skills in self-reliance, perseverance, individual responsibility, and community service, all while immersed in the natural beauty of Aotearoa, New Zealand.
We provide opportunities to complete the following components for youth and young adults aged between 14-19 years old.
Adventurous Journey – Get Wild and Explore
Haerenga Mātātoa – Kia Rikarika me te Hōpara
Bronze, Silver and Gold
The Practice and Qualifying components of the Adventurous Journey consist of 4 to 6-day intensives. These intensives enable participants to complete their training, practice journey, and qualifying journey in a single visit to our Centres.
As part of these intensives’ participants will:
- Complete training and a practice journey over 2 days, learn key skills such as what to pack, how to pack, route navigation, safety response, communications and more!
- Be supported to plan their qualifying journey
- Be assessed (shadowed) through their qualifying journey
Option to choose from:
- Explore the Coromandel coast by sea kayak
- Paddle the Whanganui River by canoe
- Hike the Tongariro National Park
| Preparation and Training | Practice Journey | Qualifying Journey |
| Bronze/Silver and Gold Adventurous Journey participants must complete appropriate training to develop skills and knowledge to confidently undertake their journey. Training covers topics such as leadership, trip planning, map reading and survival skills and is relevant to the type of journey being undertaken. This training is completed before and during the practice journey. | Bronze 1 day and 1 night, with 6 hours of activity per day. Silver Minimum 1 day and 1 night, with 7 hours of activity per day. Gold Minimum 1 day and 1 night, with 8 hours of activity per day. | Bronze 2 days and 1 night, with a minimum of 6 hours of activity per day. Silver 3 days and 2 nights, with a minimum of 7 hours of activity per day. Gold 4 days and 3 nights, with a minimum of 8 hours of activity per day. |
Upcoming Adventurous Journeys at Hillary Outdoors
Gold Residential Project – Leave your Comfort Zone
Kaupapa Kāinga – Kia Waewae Kai Kapua
The Residential Project requires participants to undertake a shared project away from home, for at least 5 days in the company of others who are not their usual companions. A Hillary Holiday Camp is ideal for achieving this while having fun at our Tongariro or Coromandel Centres. There can only be one other person you know attending the course. Participants wishing to complete their Residential Project with us must let us know at the time and bring their record book to give to their instructor. We are unable to sign record books after participants have left Hillary Outdoors. Check out our What’s on Calendar for available dates and pricing.
For more information on Gold Residential Projects, click here.
IMPORTANT
To be signed off for your Duke of Edinburgh journeys, please ensure you are already enrolled with the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award and have completed the required setup before attending the programme. If you still need to do this, you can find their contact details and enrolment information on their website.
It is essential to complete Bronze, Silver and Gold training in preparation for your Adventurous Journey at Hillary Outdoors. Your school or youth group may offer this training, or you can do it online.
We run Practice and Qualifying Adventurous Journeys based on demand. Please enquire (bookings@hillaryoutdoors.co.nz) if you are interested in booking.
Hillary Outdoors are the custodians of the amazing legacy created by Sir Graeme Dingle and Sir Edmund Hillary who believed that all youth should have access to enhance their lives through outdoor and adventure education, regardless of their material resources or ability.
Over 50 years later, we continue to provide support to ensure our outdoor education-based, youth development programmes are accessible to all Kiwi kids.
We can provide funding support for rangatahi to have life-changing adventures and flourish through two funding channels:
- Crowdfunding: Contribution Hub
- Hillary Step Scholarship programme
Please take a moment to read through our Terms and Conditions before making a booking.
Have a few questions about whether this is right for you?
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