Tag: outdoor education

We love to celebrate success, and it has been a big week for two Hillary Outdoors staff members who have achieved success at the NZOIA (New Zealand Outdoor Instructors Association) Excellence Awards 2023.  

Michaella Wills (Miki) and Matt Hanson were honoured with the Emerging Instructor Award, an award that celebrates their exceptional potential, commitment to growth, and showcases standout instructors within their field. 

The NZOIA Excellence Awards recognise the highest achievements of individuals involved in outdoor recreation, education and guiding in New Zealand.  There are five awards: Emerging Instructor, Emerging Guide, Wahine Toa, Tall Tōtara, and Life Member.       

Miki took out the Emerging Instructor award thanks to her continuous growth, tireless commitment, and thirst for knowledge – she is always willing to throw 110% at everything she does – an inspiring and fantastic role model, particularly for female students.   

Inclusive of everyone regardless of background, passionate and embracing of Mātauranga Māori, Miki incorporates this into her teaching.  To say students love her would be a gross understatement – she already has, and is having, an impact on the future of outdoor education, instruction and the people in it.   

Matt is also a winner of the Emerging Instructor Award thanks to his incredible all-round skill set, not only in hard skills but also in his facilitation, group management, and ability to push each group just enough to get the most out of them.  

Matt strikes that balance between delivering just enough adventure to elicit change whilst ensuring his students have a memorable and positive experience.  

Super enthusiastic, thoughtful, analytical, smart and driven, Matt’s baseline of experience to inform his judgment is impressive in how he operates.  

Topping it off, Matt is always humble in his achievements, always the first to volunteer to help with SAR callouts regardless of personal plans and is always looking for opportunities to learn and grow.  Matt is an excellent example of the future of the outdoors industry in Aotearoa. 

Miki and Matt, this award is a testament to your unwavering passion, remarkable instructional abilities and commitment to outdoor education – you are both such worthy recipients.  We cannot wait to see the heights you will conquer and the lives you will inspire in the years ahead. 

As the saying goes, you’re only as good as your team, and we are lucky to have some of the most highly skilled and experienced Tertiary instructors in New Zealand on our team at Hillary Outdoors.

With over a collective century of experience between them, our instructors bring an unparalleled level of expertise to every outdoor education programme they lead.

Our team of seven tertiary instructors embodies a diverse background and range of specialties – from alpine to rivers, bush to coastlines, abseiling to rock climbing and extensive teaching experience.

With invaluable experience across every type of outdoor environment, our instructors’ combined experience informs the delivery of our high-quality Tertiary programmes that inspire and challenge students.

One of the standout attributes of Hillary Outdoors’ tertiary instructors is their impressive collective experience of over 100 years, and this remarkable figure underscores their deep commitment to outdoor education and the breadth of their expertise.

And while technical skills are essential, our tertiary instructors go beyond just their experience in the field, they are also passionate educators dedicated to providing transformative learning experiences. With a strong focus on student-centred learning, they help create an inclusive and supportive environment that fosters personal growth, resilience, and teamwork.

Even in their spare time, they’re looking for unique opportunities to empower their students to succeed. Recently, under the stunning light of the Super Moon, our Tertiary Crew journeyed across the Tongariro Crossing. An unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime experience.

If you are considering a career in the outdoors, then you need to come and learn from the best.  We are the only outdoor tertiary provider in New Zealand to have 100% of our courses taught on-site, in a UNESCO-listed World Heritage site, and where nearly 100% of our graduates from the last few years have found employment.

If you follow your passion, and do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life!

Will you join Sash, Prajot, Rich, Mel, Graeme, Ollie and Will in 2024?

Check out our Prospectus or visit our Tertiary page for more information and to apply for 2024.

We are incredibly grateful to partner with Icebreaker NZ, which sponsors Rosehill College as part of our Kotahitanga (adopt-a-school) programme.

With their extraordinary support, students from Rosehill College have had the opportunity to grow through adventure, develop resilience, confidence and leadership skills, and strengthen their career pathways; without financial barriers holding them back.

Icebreaker NZ and Hillary Outdoors believe that all youth, no matter their abilities or finances should have access to nature. Nature is a great teacher and offers solutions to creating a healthy, sustainable future, for the planet and young people. Through outdoor education, rangatahi learn how to grow and adapt, connect and work symbiotically with each other and the environment, and practice kaitiakitanga to foster a more sustainable future.

In 2021, the first year of our three-year partnership with Icebreaker NZ, students from Rosehill College ventured to Hillary Outdoors’ Education Centre on Aotea, Great Barrier Island, during Matariki, for a 5-day programme. Amplified by this significant time of reflection, celebration and renewal, their experience was life-changing.

Upon returning from the 5-day programme, one girl who was intent on dropping out of school remained in school and graduated at the end of the year. For another two students, it was their first time leaving their home community in Papakura, South Auckland, and for another, who struggled with anxiety, she was able to overcome her challenges and connect with her peers.

For Evan, a student from Rosehill College, “having a full experience of no light pollution, and just looking up at the stars, and feeling really good” reflected that “Life is the best thing you can have, and this trip has taught me to keep going, and the reward will be worth it at the end of the tunnel.”

This short video showcases Evan’s and Rosehill College students’ journeys on Aotea.

Following on from this experience, with invaluable sponsorship from Icebreaker NZ, Rosehill College media students were the first to participate in our ‘Through My Lens’ programme at our Centre in Tongariro.

The immersive programme, developed by Hillary Outdoors, supports students in developing their visual storytelling skills through adventure and outdoor education.

Throughout the programme, students receive instruction and guidance from our adventure videographer, Charlie, from Runner Films.

Students are empowered to build skills and confidence while exploring the world around them and developing deep connections with themselves, others and the environment – for many students, this was their first time experiencing snow!

During the programme, students produce a video showcasing their adventures and learnings from their perspective. Check out the magic they captured.

For one student, the Through My Lens programme inspired her to pursue film-making as a career; “I am planning to study Screen Production down in Christchurch in the new year which is very exciting. I do think that seeing that I have the ability to be independent and pushed out of my comfort zone has given me more confidence in my everyday life and made me more comfortable with the idea of moving down to Christchurch. I also got to experience filming in a different environment than what we do at school which gave me a different outlook on the idea of film-making and the fact that I enjoyed every part of the experience pushed me to pursue it even more.”

With the incredible support from Icebreaker NZ, we have delivered 200 outdoor education days to students from Rosehill College, inspiring them to challenge themselves and build life-long connections and skills.

We are also truly grateful to Icebreaker NZ for keeping us, and Rosehill College students, warm in natural, high-performing gear.

“I have nothing but gratitude towards Hillary Outdoors and Icebreaker for allowing us the opportunity and freedom regarding adventure” – Rosehill College student.

Thanks to our incredible partners, NZAC Tūpiki Trust, our dreams of constructing a Tertiary classroom and high-spec indoor climbing wall are becoming a reality.

Studying doesn’t get much better than this! Who wouldn’t want to be learning technical climbing skills like; belaying, anchors, abseiling and multi-pitch systems in a stunning world-class training facility, with a view to impress, options for indoor and outdoor practical applications and a dedicated space to knuckle down on the bookwork.

As a leading provider of Tertiary Outdoor Education in Aotearoa, these facilities will further enhance our programmes by providing a dedicated space for the theory aspect of our courses to be delivered and enabling technical lessons in a safe and controlled environment without being disrupted by the weather.

With state-of-the-art facilities comes high-spec technical gear and equipment. Through the funding support from Tūpiki Trust, we have purchased over $12,500 worth of gear for students to apply their skills in reality. Enabling them to climb in confidence and peace of mind, knowing they are fully equipped with the latest safety equipment. 

For the past couple of weeks, our awesome Builders have been busy onsite getting construction well underway. We’re thrilled to be on track to complete the build of our Tertiary classroom by the end of the month and officially open our climbing wall by the end of the year, ready for our 2024 intake of students. We can’t think of a better Christmas present!

We would like to extend a huge thank you to Tūpiki Trust for their extraordinary support. With their contribution, we can diversify our Tertiary Climbing Programme to ensure that we continue to train and develop highly sought after instructors and guides in the outdoors industry.

Enrolment for our 2024 NZ Certificate (Level 4) and Diploma (Level 5) in Outdoor and Adventure Education (Multi-Skilled) are currently open. Visit our website for more information.

Imagine you’re fifteen again. You’re on your way to school. You walk past the shop that has the new Sting-Ray bike you’ve been saving up for in the window, the one with the high-rise handlebars. After countless weeks of braving the wind, the rain and Old Bob’s dog who chases you down the street, you have only a couple more weeks of doing the paper round, and you will have saved up enough to buy it. The finish line is so close! You visualise yourself riding to school every day. You get to school and tell your friends that you’ll be riding with them soon, unable to contain your excitement! 

The following week, you take the same trip to school, past that window, just one more round of papers, and it’s yours. Except you notice the new price tag in the window. A sinking feeling settles in your stomach as you realise the price has gone up, and all your hard work now seems like it was for nothing.  

Sadly, this is the reality for many youth in Aotearoa. At Hillary Outdoors, we hear numerous stories where a student is incredibly committed to attending one of our programmes with their school. They’re determined and motivated to raise enough funds so they can come to Hillary Outdoors. They have all their ducks in a row but all it takes is for one thing to change; the groceries have gone from costing $200 a week to $250, and now there’s not enough money to put aside, a weather bomb rips through their town and their family’s life gets turned upside down, or they’re let go from their after school job because the company can’t afford to operate any more, due to the ongoing strain from Covid and never-ending increase of the cost of living.  

For many rangatahi who attend our programmes, they’ve done the hard yards and only need a nominal amount of support to get them over the line. Thanks to the ongoing generosity from the Share My Super community, individual donors and Trusts, we can distribute funds directly to those students who may only need $25 – $100 to make up their programme fees and be able to experience real adventures, build stronger relationships with their peers, and unlock their full potential. 

Other students may need more significant support. Rimu was just 15 when her parents tragically passed away in a car accident. Rimu was booked in to attend a five-week Hillary Outdoors programme but due to the tragedy could no longer afford to attend.  

It’s at times like these when it often seems futile to engage in such activities, but ultimately a Hillary Outdoors programme can offer a safe space for youth to express themselves and work through their struggles. Generous funders stepped forward to support Rimu to attend the programme with her class, and during her Hillary Outdoors experience, she formed trusting bonds with her peers, teachers and instructors. Rimu realised her resilience and strength at a time when she most needed it.  

Once Rimu returned home, she started volunteering to support others in her community who had faced tragedy and became the Head Girl of her school.  

Rimu reflects on her five-week journey as “…what can only be described as a life-changing experience facilitated by Hillary Outdoors, going to Great Barrier Island was the best experience of my life, and I was fortunate enough to have received a full scholarship to go on the five-week programme. For me, Barrier is one of the most memorable trips I’ve ever been on. And it wasn’t just a trip. It was a period of time that I was allowed to grow in and to develop new talents and skills, without any outside pressures.” 

Your donations, no matter the amount, can make a huge difference to New Zealand youth, changing their world from simply surviving to thriving.  

Hillary Outdoors Changed the Course of My Life – YouTube

It is the generosity of philanthropists, like you, who help to make these experiences a reality. Hillary Outdoors provides 40,000 outdoor education days each year, with a goal to fundraise $1 million to support youth, who otherwise would not have the opportunity to attend due to hardship, to grow through adventure and connect through participation.  

For just $25 you can provide an outdoor education day*, changing a young person’s world and creating pathways for them to flourish into young leaders. With regular donations, together, we can amplify these opportunities for our youth and help to reduce the cycle of poverty.  

We are truly grateful to incredible people like you, who help to change the lives of extraordinary young people like Rimu. 

Donate today to make adventure happen tomorrow and grow our future leaders.

*An outdoor education day provides young people with an instructor who is highly trained in outdoor safety and in soft skills facilitation. It provides food, safety gear, equipment, transportation to adventures and accommodation.