Leading in the Adapted Space | Hautūtanga Tāngata Whaikaha
Outward Bound has been offering adapted courses for people with physical or cognitive impairments for over four decades. An adapted Outward Bound course seeks to provide the same outcomes as any other Outward Bound course, including an opportunity to grow leadership skills and confidence. Young people with disabilities are often given fewer opportunities to develop their leadership skills and confidence. Our courses focus on building resilience, confidence, adaptability and self-awareness. They help students return to their communities more willing to give things a go, more willing to speak up and offer their opinions and skills.
Suspended among a canopy of kahikatea trees, the high ropes challenge is a quintessential part of any Outward Bound course. But for Sam Fitness, it was a challenge far greater than most. Sam last climbed a tree a decade ago, plunging several metres to the ground with life-changing consequences. Now a C5 quadriplegic, he never imagined he would find himself back among the treetops.
“Going into it, I was nervous about how little or how much I could do. I was the highest level of injury they’d ever had on the programme, and I knew there would be people with extremely different disabilities – and abilities – to me in a physical sense.”
Sam joined seven other students on our inaugural Activate programme for para athletes. The course, offered in conjunction with New Zealand Wheelchair Rugby and Paralympics New Zealand, was an opportunity to extend Outward Bound’s reach, offering a level of support not previously provided by Outward Bound.
Designed for those with a physical disability, the adapted course includes activities like sailing, high ropes and bush expeditions. Led by 3 instructors and assisted by 3 support workers, students on course tested their boundaries while building resilience, confidence, and self-awareness.
As Sam reflected on his course, he realised that, despite the physical challenges, the real magic of Outward Bound lies in the lessons that come from them.
“The Activate course is one of my top experiences; I’m so glad I said yes to giving it a go. I would have previously thought, ‘I can’t do that’, but I learned that in the right environment and with a good support network, much more is possible than you typically think. Outward Bound has changed my perspective of what I’m capable of and given me more confidence just to say ‘yes’.”
Vinnie Duncan from Duncan Charitable Trust has been a longstanding and generous supporter of Outward Bound and emphasises the importance of these courses. “Duncan Charitable Trust’s support of Outward Bound participants over many years, across all the courses offered, has shown unequivocally that course graduates consistently have higher levels of self-confidence, self-belief, cultural and environmental awareness, and a willingness and desire to take these qualities further in their lives,” says Vinnie.
“Allowing para athletes the same opportunities to experience this is something we can give back to this community, who strive so hard, every day, to do what they do.”
The course was a resounding success, with the next course for para athletes scheduled for November 2025.
