New horizons for Outward Bound Old Boy

A great development opportunity is again offered to local youth in the 16 to 18-year-old age group. Applicants are invited from all backgrounds and the offer also extends to young people in the workforce and not just senior school pupils as some believe.

Boot camp has something of a formidable sound to it. Alternatively Outward Bound, in not dissimilar ways, is more structured in a developmental and educational sense, and designed to put challenges to entrants both on an individual and team basis during the three week duration of the course. Many have never been encountered before, posing both mental, physical and strategic challenges to be faced and overcome on both an individual and a team situation.

Outward Bound is not necessarily designed to create world beaters, but to move and motivate young people outside their normal comfort zone and find new strengths in achievement, new interests and meet and make new friends in creating awareness of their full potential and possibly change their outlook on life.

One such former participant is Lachlan Ewing, a 17-year-old Mangawhai lad in his last year at Rodney College who tells his own story:

“At the start of the year I was lucky enough to receive a scholarship from the Mangawhai Club to attend the outdoor education institute of Outward Bound. Since then I have become part of the Outward Bound champion's programme, an initiative where former OB students undertake their own challenges to raise funds for Outward Bound, so they can award scholarships to deserving young people who could not afford the course otherwise.

“My challenge is to walk most of the length of the South Island on the Te Araroa trail over the summer of 2017-18, beginning at Queenstown and completing my walk at Anakiwa, Marlborough Sounds, the home of Outward Bound in NZ. I will be walking unaccompanied for about two months and hoping to raise $5000, enough to pay the full fees of a future student.

“I was inspired by the work that Outward Bound Trust of New Zealand do during my time there in January this year, so I wanted to raise money for them as part of my participation in Outward Bound Champions. I believe that a key component of Outward Bound that taught participants so much about themselves was the undertaking of arduous tramping. So this is why I intend to fundraise for Outward Bound.”

Lachlan will begin his walk on the December 9 this year from Queenstown, and continue walking north to Anakiwa for about two months. In true OB spirit he knows many nights will be spent in a tent in the back country and he will carry his entire livelihood on his back throughout the journey.

“The more people that know about Outward Bound Trust of New Zealand, the greater their impact, so please also spread the word by sharing my page with your friends and family. Thank you in advance for your generosity, it means a lot!” he says.

n To support Lachlan and ultimately provide an opportunity for another young person to attend Outward Bound, a page has been set up on the OB Champions site. Donations can be made at obchampion.everydayhero.com/nz/lachlan, and any support will be greatly appreciated. Please help me help them by giving whatever you can using the 'Give Now' button.

- ROB POOLEY