Latest News
Empowering Tamariki with Parklands School
This year, Whenua Iti Outdoors (WIO) partnered with Parklands School to deliver a nine-week social skills programme designed to address the unique challenges facing their junior tamariki. The collaboration was born from Parklands’ recognition of a growing need to support students’ social, emotional, and motor skills through hands-on, values-driven learning in the outdoors. Andrea Smith, […]
Nurturing a love of nature
Insights from the Environmental Sustainability Programme at Whenua Iti Outdoors. First published in Education Outdoors New Zealand’s Spring 2024 issue of Te Whakatika: The Aotearoa New Zealand Professional Practice Journal for Outdoor and Environmental Learning. At Whenua Iti Outdoors (WIO), Rosey Joyce (Bachelor of Sustainability and Outdoor Education), the lead instructor for the Environmental Sustainability […]
In depth: Hazel Nash – A Visionary Leader
At 75 years young, Hazel Nash continues to exemplify visionary leadership. Her legacy as the founder of Whenua Iti Outdoors (WIO) reflects a lifetime dedicated to empowering individuals and strengthening communities through outdoor education. It was a dream of self-sufficiency that motivated Hazel to move to a block of land in Lower Moutere. Shocked […]
Founder Hazel Nash Honoured with Te Tohu Manu Kura – Supreme Award
Whenua Iti Outdoors’ founder, Hazel Nash, was awarded the prestigious ‘Te Tohu Manu Kura – Supreme Award’ at the Recreation Aotearoa Te Whai Oranga Outdoors & Recreation Awards event held last night in Auckland. The award recognises Hazel’s exceptional contribution to outdoor education, environmental stewardship, and her tireless advocacy for the wellbeing of rangatahi (youth) […]
Kaitiakitanga in action at Waikawa
Last week, Whenua Iti Outdoors’ (WIO) Manaaki Tāpoi Level 3 students had a truly mīharo (wonderful) stay at Waikawa Marae! Over the course of two days, the group of rangatahi (aged 16-19) planted over 200 native seedlings around the marae and at Pete and Takutai Beech’s Waikawa Bach. These seedlings, provided by the Whenua Iti […]
Training Enviro Leaders on the West Coast
Whenua Iti Outdoors’ recent Kaitiaki Leadership programme provided a unique opportunity for 11 students (aged 16 to 18) to develop essential leadership skills through nature connection and stewardship. Delivered in partnership with the Mōkihinui-Lyell Backcountry Trust and based at their Rough and Tumble Bush Lodge on the doorstep of the Kahurangi National Park, the nine-day, […]
Adventure and fun for Victory Primary
We had a fantastic day with Nelson’s Victory Primary School last week. Whenua Iti was a hive of activity with team building games, ropes action on the Flying Kiore, a drum stalk and more! Read on to hear about what the students experienced. On Wednesday we had the pleasure of hosting Victory Primary School’s Year […]
Life Skills can be Life Changing
For three years now, Whenua Iti has been running the Employment and Life Skills (ELS) programme with rangatahi from the West Coast. Run in partnership with the West Coast Trades Academy, this programme supports young people to build confidence and life skills for the next stages of life beyond school. Delivered over six short […]
Inspiring Leaders: Unleashing Potential
Whenua Iti’s Inspiring Leaders programme is an immersive and dynamic learning journey, bringing together Year 12 students from the Nelson/Tasman region. The programme is run each July and is designed to cultivate leadership through adventure and self-discovery. This year’s participants reflect on the empowering experience. Over four days and three nights, this year’s students were thrown […]
Unlocking the hidden power of Play
In today’s increasingly digital world, where screens dominate our daily lives, the simple act of playing outside holds more significance than ever for children. Outdoor play isn’t just about fun and games—it’s a crucial aspect of childhood development that nurtures physical, social, and emotional wellbeing. At Whenua Iti Outdoors, we see this benefit every day […]
Celebrating our Kaimahi For Nature Connection project
As funding draws to a close, we are thrilled to share the success of our Kaimahi For Nature Connection (KFNC) project, made possible by the Jobs for Nature initiative from the Department of Conservation (DOC). The KFNC project ran for the last three years and supported a wide range of programmes at Whenua Iti Outdoors. […]
Supporting staff to support LandSAR
LandSAR is a national volunteer organisation which provides land search and rescue assistance to the lost, missing and injured across New Zealand. With its natural philosophical and skills-based alignment to our outdoor activities, Whenua Iti Outdoors supports staff who volunteer for LandSAR. We interview instructor Rosey Joyce about why she volunteers for LandSAR. Instructor Rosey […]
Manaaki Tāpoi – the programme that changes lives
The Manaaki Tāpoi programme, our Māori tourism course, strengthens participants’ understanding of Māori culture and the interconnectedness of Te Ao Māori. Delivered in partnership with the Top of the South and West Coast Trades Academies, this programme gives students the opportunity to achieve NCEA Level 2 and 3 credits and develop crucial personal and social […]
Fostering Futures through instructor training pathways
We celebrate the success of a recent professional pathway project; training safe, high-functioning, respectful and culturally aware new instructors.
The benefits of phone-free outdoor experiences
Nature is a powerful leveller and in an age of digital distractions we believe it is also an antidote to the addictive behaviour that devices bring out in our youth. Our preliminary research shows that most of our participants value the social and health benefits that being phone free in outdoor environments provide.
Celebrating our Ignite Graduates!
This year’s graduates of the three-year Ignite programme celebrate the journey with a week of adventures on the West Coast. Participants and instructors reflect on the boost in confidence this programme has provided. Congratulations to Alexander Lightfoot, Alexander Lock, Cyris Aldworth, George Emery, Jake Barnett, Jakib Hedges, Ken Takahashi, Lukas McEnroe, Sonny Campbell, Temaru Teaukura, […]
Unexpected Powelliphanta Find Post Flooding
A highlight for students on the Environmental Sustainability Trades Programme, was to discover a healthy Powelliphanta snail in a flood-damaged part of the Te Hoiere/Pelorus River Catchment, where it was thought they wouldn’t have survived. Students spent the first week of this programme in the Te Hoiere/Pelorus River area to build an understanding of kaitiakitanga […]
A tutor’s perspective on our Holiday Programme
Our trainee instructor Sophie, was pleasantly surprised by the scaffolded learning that happens on our holiday programmes – see what she has to say about her time on Kaitiaki Kids! Here at Whenua Iti Outdoors we have recently started training some new instructors! You will see these trainees out and about with our qualified instructors […]
Our journey in creating inclusive outdoor experiences
A partnership with Sport New Zealand | Ihi Aotearoa and the Halberg Foundation has helped us to remove barriers for disabled tamariki and rangatahi to experience outdoor recreation at Whenua Iti Outdoors. Hearing that tamariki and rangatahi in our rohe (region) are missing out on experiences with us always sparks a desire to find a […]
Matua Mike Takes Top Honours at Recreation Awards
Mike Elkington (Ngāti Koata, Ngāti Kuia, Ngāti Toa Rangatira) was the recipient of the Supreme Te Tohu Manu Kura Outdoor Award at the 2022 Recreation Aotearoa Awards held in Nelson. The Award was in recognition of his mana in the outdoor sector, and for outstanding leadership in outdoor recreation. Known affectionately as ‘Matua Mike’ to […]
Kaimahi for Nature Connection Project reaches Te Tai Poutini tamariki
Whenua Iti have recently run the first Tamariki Tiaki Nature Connection Programmes for Westport North, Westport South & St Canice’s Schools The programmes are designed to connect tamariki to environmental sites of local significance by focusing on nature connection experiences that are fun and engaging for the students, but also align with the school curriculum […]
Whenua Iti Take New Programmes to Te Tai Poutini
Whenua Iti Outdoors (WIO) are expanding their range of programmes delivered on the West Coast to further support rangatahi, tamariki and the wider community of Te Tai Poutini. “We have been working alongside other youth support organisations on the West Coast to look for opportunities to be involved where it’s needed most,” says Mark Bruce-Miller, […]
Ignite Students Hit the West Coast
This year, students on the Ignite Programme graduated the 3-year programme following a final week of awesome adventures based at Te Tai Poutini (West Coast). This final trip helped to cement their learning and development and proved to the instructors just how much the boys have improved across the course of the programme. The 10 […]
Connecting with Nature this Summer
Being in nature fills up my cup and I do it as much as I can, especially over the summer holidays! Dana Carter works at Whenua Iti Outdoors as the Kaimaihi for Nature Connection Lead and shares a few insights as to how to make the most of our time in nature this summer: I […]
Whenua Iti Outdoors Celebrates 35th Year
It was a magnificent occasion on site at Whenua Iti to celebrate our 35th Birthday. At the centre of all the celebrations, as she should be, was Hazel Nash, still as vibrant and dynamic as when she first sparked the idea of Whenua Iti in the mid-80s. The evening kicked off with a mihimihi, lead […]
Leadership Ignited in Youth thanks to a Generous Donor
The first graduates of the MHS Ignite Youth Development Programme were recently celebrated when they arrived back at the Whenua Iti base from their final journey. Each year, a group of Year 9 students are selected to join this Programme, during which they will participate in a total of six weeks of wilderness-based and adventurous […]
Planting brings generations together at Waimeha/Waimea Inlet
Young participants (aged 7-12yrs) who took part in Whenua Iti Outdoors (WIO) holiday programmes had a beautiful afternoon planting trees with Rotary Club members at Rough Island on the Waimeha /Waimea Inlet. The planting contributed to the work of the Waimea Inlet Restoration Group, who have been funded by Jobs for Nature to bring back […]
Nature Connection activities well received by schools & tamariki
The nature connection programmes run so far this year at Whenua Iti have connected almost 1,000 tamariki with outdoor experiences to develop a love of nature that supports their learning, wellbeing & sense of belonging. A highlight for local primary schools has been the Mini Outdoor & Environmental Adventurers Programmes that are offered to the […]
Civil Defence Students Get Involved on the Flood-Hit Coast.
Students on the Civil Defence Emergency Response (CDER) Programme with Whenua Iti Outdoors have just had an amazing experience on Te Tai Poutini/West Coast where they have spent the week connecting in with volunteers, LandSAR & Buller Civil Defence to learn first-hand about the huge coordinated response that is underway to the devastating flooding that […]
Nature Connection Seminar Well Attended
It was great to see such a wonderful response to our Nature Connection seminar last week with over 60 people coming together to learn from Steve Porteous of Human Bushcraft and Wild Living about simple ways in which to establish nature connection with their students and in their own lives. Teachers, parents and local community organisations including Tasman […]
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