Scholarships

Dear DCT
I am writing to express my sincere gratitude for your contribution towards my OB course. OB gave me a taste of the challenge and insight I was unaware I needed in my life. This course allowed me to truly test my boundaries and learn to thrive in an environment outside of everyday comforts. The saying 'There is more in you' was often repeated throughout my course and could not have been more accurate. An invaluable takeaway from this experience was learning that my body and mind are capable of much more than I initially thought. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to be reminded of what is important in life -that to foster meaningful connections with others and the environment around me will lead to a fulfilling life.

Through this course I have been inspired beyond measure to become a better version of myself. I have learnt to be honest and vulnerable with myself and others and through this I have started to look at opening doors that would have otherwise stayed closed. I have learnt to see myself differently and therefore start to treat myself differently. I have learnt about who I am, what I value and how I work best in a team. I have new goals and hopes for the future that without this experience I couldn’t have realised. I have learnt to put my heart and soul into the things that matter most and I am striving to surpass any personal goals I have set myself. As well as this personal growth I have also had the most amazing experiences, climbed mountain peaks, sailed the sounds, kayaked new rivers, witnessed mesmerizing sunrises and sets, run a half marathon, met the most inspirational and incredible people, pushed through challenges that I couldn’t have imagined possible and more!
ALL of this is thanks to you! Without this funding I would not have been able to attend Outward Bound and would be in a very different place right now. Outward Bound has changed the course of my life and I owe that change to you and your generosity.

I have managed to pinpoint my values and these I will be taking back into the community. Thanks for this opportunity, it will definitely make me a better person.

My course was amazing, quite possibly the best three weeks of my life! It was the most motivating, inspiring experience, and has definitely changed the way I have been living my life since I have been back.  I’d like to thank you for the support that you provided me for this course. Without it, I would have never attended the course and grown from it in the way that I have. I sincerely hope this is something you are able to continue to do in future so others can gain the knowledge and experience Outward Bound offers.

I used to think that perseverance and resilience were the same thing. Now I am starting to realise that persevering through something when the end is in sight is one thing, and that it is entirely different to be able to continue trying to do something you have either failed at multiple times before, or that you have to keep doing day in and day out to reach a goal.

Outward Bound has a quote – ‘There is more in you’. I am truly starting to believe that this true about me, and I am very excited to see where that belief in myself will take me once I get home. Thank you again for helping me to get to Outward Bound, it has been a truly life changing experience.

I was challenged physically, mentally, and emotionally in all the best ways, and my faith in the journey of life is deeper and stronger than ever. Thank you for blessing me with the opportunity to join McKenzie 671 on the journey of a lifetime. It has changed my perspective on life and I will forever cherish the memories made and the lessons learned.

OB has been a very busy and insightful experience for me. I have learnt a number of positive things about myself, along with recognising personal challenges such as living with other people 24/7 and dealing with that. I have learned to greater consider how someone else may be feeling before conversing. My gift to my watch mates has been 'Ask questions, don't make assumptions about people'. Thank you so much for your contribution to my personal growth, I appreciate your investment in me.

I would like to thank you for gifting me a scholarship to attend outward bound the last 21 days have been so insightful and life changing , I went to outward bound wanting to have a great time make friends, develop my leadership skills and other strengths , it has been all this and so much more , from day one they push you not only physically but also mentally forcing you to put your complete trust in a group of strangers who grew to be close family by the end of the course , outward bound let me try new activities such as kayaking and sailing which at home I wouldn’t get to do , it also pushed me physically with lots of exercise and a half marathon which I was super proud to get under two hours but also mentally with things like rock climbing and high ropes which I found hard not being a fan of heights . It also opened my eyes to how privileged I am and not to take small things like hot water or music for granted as well as giving new perceptions on how delicate our natural environment is and the small easy steps we can all take to help reduce waste and take better care of the place we call home. Once again I would like to thank you for all your support which without I wouldn’t of been able to attend outward bound , It was a once in a lifetime opportunity that has changed my life and also given me some amazing friends from all over the country and will be something I will never forget.

I have learned so many physical, mental and emotional skills on my course. OB has posed opportunities to consider our individualism, our values, strengths, weaknesses, and has allowed us time to really reflect on our lives up until now, and what the future looks like. All in the beautiful Marlborough sounds, in the bush, at sea, on rivers, and with 13 other young people from such diverse backgrounds, without any other distractions. Thank you so much for allowing me this opportunity to experience the NZ outdoors in such a unique way, to learn about myself, learn physical and mental skills, and to make friends and special memories. I am really looking forward to applying the learning back into my life.

I wanted to say a huge thank you for the support with my OB experience, it was really a once in a lifetime thing to do and I am still buzzing weeks after getting back. There were so many highlights throughout my time in Anakiwa, Really the most amazing aspect was connecting with such cool people. I cannot recommend OB enough to friends and family, again thank you for your support.

Thank you for your support towards my OB journey which took place in Dec 2019. The best way to summarise my experience in a sentence is, it was extremely challenging but extremely rewarding at the same time. I definitely will never forget my experiences and the people that made my journey, and supported me along the way.

I am learning to live in the moment, not to overthink, and to treat life as a journey, not a destination or a race. I have learnt that I am so much stronger and resilient than I gave myself credit for. It’s OK to ask for help, it’s not failure. This journey has so shown me there is so much more around me to explore and see, so much I have been missing out on due to my own thoughts being clouded by perceptions that are not reality.
Becky Masters 21 days March 2021

I am so grateful for the time we had at Anakiwa. For the impact on Toby, the difference it has made to his own self narrative, to the quality and depth of our relationship, and to the gift it has been for me. Thankyou so very much for investing un us, in our lives, and in our journey as a father and son.
Nga mhi tino nui to oha whakamiharo ki a maua. Te rangimarei me te aroha o te Atua ki a koe.
Greg and Toby Leaps and Bounds, April 2021.

I am writing to express my gratitude for generous sponsorship assistance towards helping me achieve my funding for Outward Bound.Outward Bound has helped me find my True North direction in life by clarifying my values and pushing me to discover there is more I am capable of.

I have learnt a huge amount whilst being here - both about myself, and the people and world around me. I have been inspired by the mental strength of my watch-mates, the kindness of my instructors, and the ongoing journey of growth, personal development, mental flexibility and self confidence. I am really excited to rejoin the 'real world' and begin to put in place the lessons I have learnt here. Many thanks, and here's to an amazing future NZ!

Outward Bound thrust me into the adventure of a lifetime which placed me face to face with my limits and helped me break them. I experienced sailing, climbing, tramping, kayaking, coastering and so much more. Outward Bound encourages you to reach your full potential whilst helping others around you reach theirs. I recommend it for all New Zealanders, young and old. Thanks to the help of the Duncan Charitable Trust, I was able to push myself to my potential, get to know inspirational watch mates and make personal revelations which I have carried out of Outward Bound and into my life. Honestly, I have been thinking about how to write this letter for the past week. I can’t image any words that will sum up the gratitude I feel for the opportunity given to me! You have helped change my life and for that I cannot thank you enough!

I have been able to really look at who I want to be, and how I can become a better and more giving member of my community. I look forward to encouraging as many others as I can to attend a course at Anakiwa. I believe the message taught here of appreciation, acceptance and love for each other, the world, and yourself, would benefit everybody.
Hannah Classic 21 days June 2021

The strength and closeness of our group is awesome. A key learning for me is trying to embrace the saying of Ma te Wa. I always thought it meant goodbye, but here it has a meaning more like ‘Wait for tomorrow’. That translates into just living in the ‘now’.
Emily Masters 21 days March 2021

My experiences on OB and the direction given by our leaders has allowed me to look deep inside me, and see what I want, and most importantly, what I need to do. Thank you, without your support this would not be possible.

It is with immense gratitude that I write to thank you for your support in sending me to Outward Bound to complete what had always been a dream of mine. Even with the high expectations I had going in, the experience managed to exceed them. Upon arriving at Anakiwa, I was placed in the Shackleton watch (Shackleton 652). Shackleton was an explorer who led expeditions into the Antarctic. The watch and I felt this was a fitting name as most of us were in our early 20\'s and searching to find what we valued and what we wanted to do with our lives. Our instructors, Nick and Tish, spent time exploring these ideas with us and thanks to them and through the Outward Bound experience, I have developed a strong idea of what I truly do value in life and what I hope to achieve. During the course, I participated in many activities such as sailing a cutter in a storm, rock climbing natural cliff faces, spending 3 days alone in the bush, hiking up mountains and many more. I faced my fear of the water by jumping off the Anakiwa jetty on a daily basis and intentionally capsizing my kayak. I made life long friends and memories that I will cherish forever. None of this would have been possible without your generosity. Since returning to the real world, I have maintained the habits I developed in Anakiwa such as waking up at 6 am and exercising every day. I have decreased my use of technology and feel more connected to those around me. I have become one of the hardest workers in my workplace and my managers have noticed a marked difference. I am receiving a promotion in October which I largely attribute to the work ethic developed during Outward Bound. I am very proud of the person I have grown to be and I look forward to taking my experiences and learnings forward and sharing them with others.

Thank you so much for sponsoring me to attend the Classic Outward Bound Course in 2021! It is an experience I will never forget, from multi-day Kayaking trips, to high-ropes, sailing and tramping - it sure was a massive adventure! The past three weeks have been the most physically and mentally challenging experience of my life. Numerous times I was pushed well out of my comfort zone, however the Outward Bound really showed me that you can always achieve more than what you believe you can. The course highlighted to me the value of people, and the way in which someone reaching out their hand or shouting words of encouragement can make a massive difference to someone's confidence or ability to keep going. I wouldn't have been able to complete the course with the never ending support of my watch-mates. I plan to take forward this experience as a reminder of supporting others throughout my career and to be a leader that supports, motivates and encourages others to achieve their own goals.
Thank you again!

I don't even know where to start with the amount of cool stuff we got up to at Outward Bound! But I'd just like to say thank you sooooo much for helping send me on the journey of a lifetime!!! I really appreciate it and I will never forget those experiences! I met so many interesting and amazing people who I will likely stay in touch with for the rest of my life! The past 3 weeks have been the most challenging, action-packed, enjoyable, happy, exciting moments of my entire life!Overall the course provided a great amount of detachment from the rat-race of daily life, and as a time to detach from the constant bombardment of the media, bad-news and politics. I found great clarity and really learnt how to appreciate the small things in life such as a nice bed, warm showers, books, music and my family. The course also provided an incredible amount of self development in such a short amount of time. Once I had returned to Picton from Anakiwa, I was beaming with my new found sense of confidence, leadership ability and purpose (I still am!). I really came to understand the OB phrase 'there is more in you than you think'.

This is an experience that will remain with me for the rest of my life, alongside the friendships that I have made here. To have this time to reset and gain mental clarity is golden. By gaining sponsorship from you it has allowed me to not to worry about my financial situation at the end of the course, and to truly live in this moment.
Amanda Classic 21 days June 2021

I realise that I have learnt so much, not only about myself, but about people, relationships, survival, nature, and life itself. I love my watchmates and instructors and it has sparked my passion for helping and growing with others. Coming to OB I was hoping to find a purpose, and I have done that. Power comes from within and the motto ‘There is more in you’ rings true. Thank you for your help, and for believing in me.
Keruslin Classic 21 days May 2021

The 21 day course was the most incredible experience that I will hold on to and remember for the rest of my life. I loved every aspect, from sailing in the sounds, to hiking in the native bush, kayaking down river rapids, and jumping off the jetty every morning after the mighty 3 km run.
I am, extremely grateful and feel so lucky to call this country home.
Keely 21 day Classic May 2021

This course honestly has helped me a lot with my personal growth, leadership skills, and my fitness. I have learnt so many different things and been challenged throughout. It has taught me about having a good mindset, attitude, and living in the moment. All with the most beautiful view in New Zealand! This course has impacted my life in a huge and good way. Many many thanks.

I went on this course expecting and looking forward to being tested physically and mentally and it really pulled through. I found the mental stimulation a rewarding challenge. The information gathered about you from yourself, and those who work with you before the course is extremely valuable. They drip feed this information to you throughout the first 3 days so you are not too overwhelmed by it. Then they dump you alone in the bush for 24 hours to think about it.As a result of this enlightenment I am attempting to adjust the way I approach tasks. I am also looking to increase my knowledge as this is an area that my boss has identified as a main area I need to  improve on. I did already know this but putting it into perspective with everything else and having the right guidance to reflect on what is truly important was extremely valuable.

Highlights: Learning to row & sail the Cutter/Whaling boat – Then Spending the night in it under a perfect starry sky with Phosphoresence in the water – Absolutely Spectacular. All the Leadership and Personal Awareness Training/Discussions. The SOLO was massively impacting in terms of time to just think, reset, get the compass bearings right, and strategise for life. Just the constant physicality and adventurous nature of the week – Made me feel like I refound my adventurous spark….had been feeling like I’d been getting a bit soft over the last couple of years. Great people to spend the week with. Some significant shifts in regards to my mindset about taking on challenge whether personal, professional or physical, emotional etc.