Guest post: Outward Bound invitational course
By Sharon Nicholas Outward Bound Training Manager
Tēnā koutou,
Outward Bound is committed to recognising Te Tiriti o Waitangi as a part of our strategic vision, and to enriching our connection with students from a Māori background.
In the past Outward Bound has worked to recruit instructors with strong connections to Te Ao Māori, however, this has met with only limited success. In our efforts to deepen our bi-cultural commitments and reach more New Zealanders, we would like to appeal directly to communities and individuals with strong links to Te Ao Māori.
Outward Bound 3 Day Invitational course
To help achieve this whāinga, we would like to invite individuals with linkages to Te Ao Māori to attend a 3-day invitational course in August 2020.
The purpose of the invitational is to provide an Outward Bound experience that allows those attending to gain an insight into what we do. We will also showcase outdoor education as a career and our organisation as a workplace. We hope to gain ideas on recruiting staff from a Māori background and grow our understanding of how to better connect with Māori students.
Criteria for attending the invitational include:
- a strong interest in the development of people
- a strong interest in outdoor environments
- open to learning and sharing
- physically capable of completing a 3.2km run in under 25 minutes
- a good understanding of Te Ao Māori / Te Reo
- an interest in becoming an outdoor education instructor
- some maturity and life experience (most instructors are aged between 25-50 years)
Outcomes for participants
Outward Bound is committed to recruiting instructors with a good knowledge of Te Ao Māori. Instructors are offered a competitive salary, a supportive community, a wealth of learning opportunities, and a range of benefits including gear allowance, food while working, and subsidised housing. A minimum 3 year commitment is required for instructor positions.
Following the invitational, we are interested in providing an internship, with a view to training individuals to become instructors and for those participants who have, or are developing a range of educational or outdoor skills, to discuss pathways to working at OBNZ.
Working or training would provide a pathway for an individual to return to their iwi, rohe, hapū, or kura with a broad range of skills to develop the wellbeing of their communities. This could also open pathways to other employment, including other Outward Bound programmes we are developing within schools and communities outside of the school at Anakiwa.
Process
We welcome receiving a CV and cover letter from you on why you would like to take part in the invitational. If you have any questions, please get in touch with me on snicholas@outwardbound.co.nz or mob 022 422 0020. I’d love to hear from you.
Ngā mihi nui,
Sharon Nicholas
Outward Bound Training Manager
