Pegasus Post: June 22, 2023

8 Thursday June 22 2023
New look on life after Outward Bound
LAST MONTH, Josh Rae laced
up his boots and ventured to
Anakiwa in the Marlborough
Sounds to attend an Outward
Bound Youth Activate course,
an eight-day adapted course
for young people with physical
disabilities.
The Mairehau resident is an
active teenager who lives with
cerebral palsy. He said being on
the course and away from the
stresses of everyday life in the
city gave him the opportunity for
self-reflection.
“It was the perfect place to find
your inner peace – it was serene,
calm and quiet. I took time for
myself and as a result, now have
a different outlook on life,” Josh
said.
“Nowhere else but Outward
Bound can you get that
experience – you can’t do it at
home. I loved being outdoors,
away from commitments, school
and tech.”
Outward Bound has offered
adapted courses for the past four
decades. Over the past few years,
the adapted course programme
has expanded to include the
Activate course for people aged
18+ years, the Youth Activate
course for 16–18 year-olds and
the Activate Leaps and Bounds
for 13-15 year-olds, who attend
with a parent or caregiver.
“We believe that there is more
in everyone,” says Outward
Bound diversity and inclusion
partner Leonie King.
“By helping people understand
their full potential we can help
make our communities and the
world a better place.
“The feedback from our
activate courses is phenomenal.
“We see participants of all
ages and abilities growing in
confidence in their physical
capabilities and growing their
resilience and interpersonal
skills.
PROGRAMME: For
Mairehau teenager Josh
Rae, who lives with
celebral palsy, Outward
Bound provided physical
and mental growth, with
challenges including a tree
canopy traverse.
“Outward Bound is as much
an inward journey as an outward
journey.”
While Josh is a keen kayaker
and footballer and many of the
physical aspects of the course
were doable for him, he found
traversing the tree canopy on
ropes challenging, overcoming
his fears with the help of
encouraging from his instructor.
The Papanui High student
also made some personal
discoveries over the eight days he
was away.
“I was really proud of myself
doing things that challenged me
physically, but I also discovered
that I am a better leader than I
ever thought I was.
“Usually I hang back when
I’m in a group situation, but
during the course when I was
told to lead, I did it and was
good. The skills I learned will
help with my role in the school
leadership team and also with
the volunteering I do for St John
Youth.”
King said Josh’s huria watch
(group) were “amazing young
people” who came together from
all corners of the country to form
a tight-knit watch.
“They departed Outward
Bound standing taller, feeling
prouder and armed with new,
strong friendships. From when
they arrived to when they left,
they showed a strengthened
belief that nothing can stop them
from doing anything they set
their minds to.”
Said Josh: “I would definitely
recommend anyone to go to
Outward Bound. It was different
to what I expected, but in a
good way.”
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