First 'watch' heads to Outward Bound

Self-Storage Gisborne and Clark Charitable Trust established the Tairāwhiti Outward Bound endowment fund last year.

Every year fourteen local students (called a ‘watch’) are chosen in partnership with our local secondary schools to take the life-changing journey to the renowned Outward Bound course in the Marlborough Sounds.

For three weeks they pushed themselves both physically and mentally. They got up early every day to hike, sail, kayak and take part in other challenges such as the solo expedition, where they had to spend two nights alone in the bush.

Feedback from some of the young adults that went on this first watch is that they appreciate their parents more, their families noticed they had matured a lot and that integrity was big part of their learning.

Self-Storage Gisborne director Peter Jex-Blake believes the schools course is important as “with the social needs this region has we think if we can reach children before they leave school, this is an opportunity to turn young adults into role models.”

Outward Bound are holding an evening to celebrate the first ‘watch’ at Tairāwhiti Museum on Monday 16 November at 7pm. Come along if you’d like to hear how they got on and how you can help to get more of our young people to Outward Bound in the future.

Donate to the Tairāwhiti Outward Bound fund

Read more about the Tairāwhiti Outward Bound fund