Te Pānui Rautaki | Strategy Update
In the 21/22 Annual Report, we outlined the creation of our strategic framework, and the identification of ‘One in Every Whare’ as our guiding star. The period of this report, 22/23, was the first year of implementation of that strategy. This is a five-year strategy, and the first year has seen us both set foundations and make real progress in each area.
We began the year by publishing the distillation of our strategic narrative into a concise and inspiring document, Te Ara. This document was presented to key stakeholders such as the Outward Bound Guardians and major donors, and used to inspire confidence in the journey we’re undertaking.
Our ‘One in Every Whare’ strategy has three pillars:Relevance | Access | Viability
For more on the Relevance pillar, see both Diversity, Inclusion, Outreach and Haerenga ki te Ao Māori on the following pages of this section.
For more on the Access pillar, see Coromandel Bound on the following pages, and section 7, School Director’s Report.
For more on the Viability pillar, see section 11, Our Foundation.
Pictured: Board members Grant Faber (who is the Board sponsor for this project) and Roz Mexted during a site visit to Coromandel.
Our long term strategy hangs off a second location for an Outward Bound school in New Zealand. The strategy’s Guiding Star is One in Every Whare – the goal is to increase our capacity from around 2000 students per year to 6000 per year, or around 10% of school leavers every year.
When we achieve that consistently over time, then it is reasonable to expect that in every workplace, boardroom, lecture theatre, club, or family gathering there would be one person who has experienced the growth of an Outward Bound course. Through the ripple effect, we can positively influence all of Aotearoa.
The period of July 2022 to June 2023 saw us lay some great foundations for this second location. Firstly we analysed the natural advantages and transport possibilities of a range of locations within three hours travel of Auckland.
We decided to zoom in on the western Coromandel due to the possibility of both road transport and even shorter sea transport for students, due to the sheltered waters offered by the harbour and the surrounding islands, and due to the range of land-based natural environments.
On diving into the western Coromandel as a possible location, we quickly built valuable relationships with like-minded and welcoming community groups, the Council, and businesses – those relationships quickly reinforced for us that this area would work well. In addition, our scoping of land and sea areas backed up the judgements we had made.
But not every ambitious project goes off without a hitch, and we’ve certainly had some of those. Firstly the weather – as the Coromandel community knows only too well, this year saw some catastrophic impacts from storm after storm. We got to see the area, some specific sites, and the roading network under extraordinary pressure.
And every cloud has a silver lining – an understanding of how severe weather affects the area, and how the roading network and the community coped, gave us yet more valuable information.
Pictured: Outward Bound Board Members and Simon Graney during a site visit to Coromandel.
The second hitch has been the investment of time in investigating sites that haven’t panned out. Both the Council and individual landowners have been very generous in working alongside Outward Bound to let us explore both leasehold public land and private properties.
There’s an adage of ‘Never buy the first car you look at’, and these due diligence investigations have led us to some greatly improved insights into what qualities we need in a site, and what the area offers.
As we’ve become more confident in the support of our donors for the One in Every Whare strategy, we’ve been able to set our sights on a truly iconic site. The significant investment we receive from our community of supporters underwrites the ambitious strategy for which we are laying the groundwork.
Some of these donors have been with us since we opened the door to welcome the first students in 1962.
Six decades later we are so grateful to find ourselves with those same supporters, and grateful to have the support of others who have joined the cause more recently.
We are inspired by their belief in the positive benefits of an Outward Bound course, and by their generosity towards the young people of Aotearoa.
We would like to specifically acknowledge: Dick and Diana Hubbard Foundation, Andrew and Jenny Smith, Thanksgiving Trust, Gardner Family Charitable Trust, Trust Waikato and other long-standing trust benefactors.
Early in 2023 we launched a media campaign that reached hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders through interviews on TVNZ, through newspaper articles, and through local radio stations.
An interview on Radio New Zealand led to a new relationship with a group of landowners who have a value set closely aligned to Outward Bound’s, and to a new opportunity to investigate a magic piece of land situated in an ideal spot. To listen to the RNZ interview, click the image below.
Nothing great comes without perseverance, and the complexities of this magic piece of land mean that we’ll be keeping the location a secret until a little more of the perseverance is complete.
“Let us make our future now, and let us make our dreams tomorrow’s reality.” – Malala Yousafzai
Simon GraneyKaitohu Rautaki / AuahaStrategy & Innovation Director
To grow our impact, to stay relevant and to protect our future viability Outward Bound must diversify the students we work with. To provide equitable access and an inclusive, relevant and accessible programme for people who are marginalised by faith, culture, ethnicity, ability, or gender requires intentional, proactive action.
In September 2022 we added Diversity, Inclusion & Outreach to our strategic programme of work to ensure we deliver our strategic intent. We also appointed our first Diversity and Inclusion Partner who champions the kaupapa across the organisation.
The Diversity, Inclusion and Outreach mahi is currently focussing on four groups of New Zealanders who experience greater barriers to accessing Outward Bound’s courses; people with disabilities, ethnic minorities and refugee-background New Zealanders, Asian New Zealanders and Rainbow communities.
A three-year workplan has been developed. In the first year we have built relationships with communities and sector organisations to ensure that we are getting information and scholarship opportunities to those who may not traditionally think of Outward Bound as relevant or accessible to them. We have listened and learnt from these communities and used this knowledge to improve our policies, processes and course delivery.
Key Milestones
Over the past 12 months, we have focussed on improving our organisational capability and capacity to deliver to a more diverse student base. We’ve achieved a lot over the past year.
We are giving people with disabilities more access and more course choices. We delivered nine adapted courses in the financial year, an 80% increase in the size of our adapted programme, and we plan to deliver another nine adapted courses in the next financial year.
We continue to see growing demand for our Youth adapted courses and were able to deliver an additional Youth Horizons course to cater for the heavy demand. Feedback from our Youth Horizons courses demonstrates the powerful impact on the participants.
Anakiwa and Kahui Korowai staff (our national team) have been upskilled through practical workshops and training on inclusion and equity, refugee-background youth development, cultural diversity, and working with people with disabilities in the Outward Bound context.
“Our son returned proud and confident. He felt he had something meaningful to contribute to conversations and family discussions. He never reads (can’t really), but for weeks, he would read out quotes from the Outward Bound book of quotes, and we would discuss them.
He was very proud that he read a quote to the entire Outward Bound school at dinner. It gave the family the space to discuss what the quotes mean to us individually. This was a valuable exercise for all; It showed his siblings that he could understand and apply these concepts to his Outward Bound and life experience. He felt he had a typical but unique experience.
This rarely happens for kids with cognitive issues. it is important to get kids, who are usually trailed by aides and parents, into challenging and foreign situations. These opportunities are few and far between for my son. At 18, he wants to be independent - this was an opportunity to go away and challenge himself. When he returned, he was proud, more mature and spoke confidently and comprehensively about his experiences. The stories keep coming.”
- Benita Douglas parent of Luis Douglas, Youth Horizons January 2023.
New information videos for our adapted and Southern Cross courses, featuring interviews with alumni have been well received by prospective students and their whānau. Refined processes ensure cultural requirements are identified early in the enrolment process so students are confident their Outward Bound experience will be culturally safe. We are seeing word of mouth enrolments for courses at all age levels coming from former refugee and new migrant communities.
We had our first person with a physical disability on a professional course. The opportunity to be pushed out of his comfort zone and the inclusivity he felt was not only a highlight for him but also a highlight for many in his watch.
Our marketing material has been diversified to ensure diverse participants can see themselves represented at Outward Bound. A new information flyer has been developed for migrant communities that aligns Outward Bound’s learning outcomes to career and educational goals.
“The high ropes was my personal course highlight. It was phenomenal. I was given the option of the adapted or full course and chose the full course.The instructors calmness, skills and their openness to problem solving with me were key to the sessions success.”
Andrew Leslie (pictured), CEO Nuku OraMarch 2023
The Year Ahead
In the next financial year we look forward to delivering a further nine adapted courses, including a course that will trial a more flexible entry criteria, allowing people with a wider range of disabilities to access our courses. We will continue to upskill our staff in working with diverse groups and explore opportunities to better serve our Rainbow communities.
We will translate information into other languages so ethnic communities have better access to knowledge about Outward Bound. We will continue to learn and grow from all the communities and individuals we engage with and continue to strive to be as accessible, inclusive, and relevant for New Zealanders.
Leonie KingHoa KanorauDiversity & Inclusion Partner
As the strategic workstream lead for Haerenga ki te ao Māori, I have felt both humbled and privileged to lead this important mahi for Outward Bound. The past 12 months have seen meaningful steps forward on our hikoi in this space.
What has felt most encouraging and significant has been an increase in our students feeling safe to speak up in the Nau Mai in both te reo and in English, to point out where we can improve, to share and be proud of their culture. Frequently on the last day of course, students will do a spontaneous haka, impelled by tikanga Māori to express respect and gratitude towards Outward Bound.
During our Nau Mai ceremony on Day One of every course, we discuss Te Tiriti; Aotearoa New Zealand, Outward Bound and every New Zealander is on a haerenga | journey. For some students, te reo is their first language and te ao Māori forms their world view and ways of doing things, for others, Outward Bound is the first place they have heard and felt comfortable to try using te reo Māori.
As committed Treaty partners, we role model the protection of te reo and te ao Māori. Aotearoa is the only home of te reo and te ao Māori in the world, so if we don’t protect it, who will?
In its essence, Outward Bound is a safe place to step out of comfort zones, to try, and to make mistakes. This unique environment offers the opportunity for our staff and our students to practice their reo and their understanding of tikanga and matauranga Māori.
Pictured: Outward Bound staff doing mahi aroha | service work at the Waikawa Marae.
Our special partnership with Te Ātiawa is at the heart of our mahi, and we are guided by Te Ātiawa to lead us in safeguarding the future of Anakiwa and the surrounding whenua, moana and awa in where we are privileged to live and work. Thank you so much to our whānau and friends of Te Ātiawa.
Noho ora mai,Jen RileyPou Whakaahua AkomangaCourse Design Manager
Pictured left to right: Dawn McConnell - Waikawa Marae trustee, Justin Carter - Chief Executive at Te Ātiawa o Te Waka a Māui, Malindi MacLean - Outward Bound Tumuaki | Chief Executive, Rāwiri Taylor - Outward Bound NZ Cultural Advisor.
1. The annual noho marae, held at Waikawa Marae was attended by all staff from across Aotearoa. Te Ātiawa shared several purākau | storytelling, we sang waiata | song, we shared our pepeha | introduction, practicing and gaining confidence using te reo.
2. In October 2023, we updated and re-signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Outward Bound School of New Zealand and iwi Te Ātiawa o Te Waka-a-Māui - to continue working together to enhance Tikanga tuku iho | tradition and customs of their organisations in Anakiwa and surrounding whenua.
Justin Carter, the CE of Te Ātiawa o Te Waka-a-Māui said; “Eighteen years after our original agreement was inked we continue to strengthen our partnership, and Te Ātiawa is excited to continue our commitment to work together to create a better Aotearoa,” he said. The founding MoU was established between the organisations in 2004, with Te Ātiawa and Outward Bound discovering their shared values.
3. We were successful being one of only six organisations to receive funding from the Tuia ki Tawhiti | Collaborative Futures Fund managed by Education Outdoors New Zealand (EONZ) to develop Te Toki o Awa.
4. Rāwiri Taylor (Kāi Tahu) continued as our Cultural Advisor, coaching, influencing and advising across the organisation.
5. We hosted three hui with Te Ātiawa leaders, cultural leaders and kaumatua to co-design Te Toki o Awa.
Te Toki o Awa is a five day course, for members of Te Ātiawa iwi, is being co-designed and will be co-facilitated and delivered by Te Ātiawa and Outward Bound in March 2024. Ākonga, students will start and finish at Waikawa Marae, explore and learn about the land and significant places of their iwi from Waikawa to Kura te Au | Tory Channel to Anakiwa, strengthening a sense of connection and identity.
We have learnt so much about both how Outward Bound and Te Ātiawa can work together and how Pākehā and Māori can support each other to grow.
6. At least 12 staff from Anakiwa and Kahui Korowai enrolled in the Level one, online Te Reo Māori course through Te Pūkenga Open Polytechnic.
7. Anakiwa programme moved to being written in Te Reo Māori – staff now refer to schemes in te reo: piki toka | rock climbing, pūkenga ngāhere | bush training, tane | bush, tangaroa | sea, mahi aroha | service, which naturally increased staff’s familiarity and use of te reo.
8. Iaean Cranwell (Kāi Tahu) was appointed to the Outward Bound New Zealand Board in August 2022.
9. The topics covered in the speech of the kōrero tua rua | second speaker at the Nau Mai, on Day 1 when students arrived was changed to include acknowledgement of Te Tiriti and the three principles of partnership, protection and participation.
10. Coromandel iwi engagement – we initiated embryonic relationships with representatives from various iwi who have mana whenua over the Coromandel area. These include Ngāti Pukenga, Patukirikiri, Ngāti Tamaterā, Ngaati Whanaunga and Ngāti Huarere. We also contacted other important iwi in the area, including Ngāti Maru and Ngāti Hei.
We’re excited to continue to drive this important mahi over the next 12 months. Our focus will be to:
Successfully deliver Te Toki o Awa, in partnership with Te Ātiawa, followed by review and development to future-proof subsequent delivery.
Increase engagement with other iwi in Te Tau Ihu and the Coromandel region.
Noho marae for all staff at Waikawa as part of Te Hui Nui – our annual staff multi-day meeting.
Continue to strengthen our capabilities across the organisation in te reo and te ao Māori.
