Both the participants and their instructors reflected on the significant boost in confidence and skills that the Ignite programme had provided them at a graduation ceremony at Whenua Iti Outdoors.
The partnership programme between Whenua Iti Outdoors and Motueka High School is designed to stimulate positive change and foster personal development in young men across their first three years of high school. It offers the students a chance to build confidence as future leaders, enhance their skill sets and stay motivated to make the most of their school years. This year’s graduates marked the end of their three-year journey with an exhilarating final week of adventures on the West Coast that included caving through the challenging Winchhead Cave and rafting the Buller River.
“The Ignite Programme is a great example of a community partnership where an intervention is developed to provide targeted leadership opportunities for a selected cohort of students. The Ignite Programme is a three-year journey with a small group who may not know each other initially. By the time they get to year 11 there’s genuine camaraderie and a sense of personal achievement that they can draw on as they head into the workforce or to university”. Mark Bruce-Miller, CEO, Whenua Iti Outdoors
Now in its seventh year, this transformative programme has become a core activity within Motueka High School who have championed it from its inception. Crucially, the Ignite programme provides additional mentoring and support to selected students and offers experiential learning opportunities throughout the three years. The Ignite programme was established and funded with the generosity of a local community donor who identified the need in the community. It was co-developed with the funder to provide a platform for young men to be given the opportunity for self-development and to emerge as future leaders.
“My highlight for the Whenua Iti Ignite trips, has been reaching the top of Gordon’s Pyramid on our Mt Arthur trip. The not only the view was great, but also the sense of accomplishment of getting up there. I’ve also grown more confident in speaking my mind and giving ideas and thoughts to the group. I couldn’t have done any of that without Ignite”
“I’m actually really, really grateful this trip that I was able to learn new skills and have new experiences and also just appreciating everything. I think after this trip I’m more open to new experiences, it’s gotten far better. If someone said, do you want to go caving at the start of this I would have said absolutely not! But now I’m like, yeah, sure. I’m going to be really scared, but I think I’ll be able to do it anyway.”
“What I’ve learned about myself, is to communicate, to speak my mind because beforehand, I wouldn’t do that. So now I would in the real world.”
“I’ve learned that I’m capable of way more than I thought I was, and I can do anything as long as I tried hard.”
Some of the activities the group completed included rock climbing, abseiling, rafting, tramping, caving, high-rope challenges, and camping. They also learned essential life skills such as meal preparation and adventure planning.
Congratulations to: Alex Allan, Archie Peychers, Beau Davis, Carter Brew, Cohan McDougall, Liam Price, Mostyn Lattimer, Noah Hansen, Quinnton Satherley, Seth Baigent and Tyler Graham
