Recreation Aotearoa are pleased to announce that 25 organisations around New Zealand have been awarded a share of the $1.5M Outdoor Activity Fund.

The Outdoor Activity Fund aims to increase participation of rangatahi (young people) in outdoor recreation and connect more rangatahi to their Māori culture through outdoor activity. Access to the outdoors is a special part of living in Aotearoa but not everyone can take advantage of it. The fund seeks to support organisations to bridge that gap. 

This is the fifth time the fund has been distributed to outdoor activity providers and is the first time that applicants have been able to apply for multi-year projects (up to three years).

Recreation Aotearoa Outdoors Programme Manager, Kieran McKay, says, “Working with the fund has highlighted the incredible work being done around Aotearoa for our young people through diverse programmes, and by people who are often working within financial restraints. The amount of applicants for the fund has shown that the investment needed in our sector is huge. A big thanks goes to Sport NZ for the financial commitment, to my wider team at Recreation Aotearoa for supporting the bicultural kaupapa of this fund, and to our Tāngata Whenua (Māori) and Tāngata te Tiriti (non-Māori) panels."

Highlighting Recreation Aotearoa’s journey as a Te Tiriti o Waitangi focused organisation and improving recreational accessibility for Tāngata Whenua, this round of funding has seen more than 50% distributed to projects and programmes targeted at engaging with Māori rangatahi.

Recreation Aotearoa Kaiarahi Tikanga Māori (Māori Cultural Advisor), Kuruho Wereta, says, “We took a double hulled approach to the evaluation process by engaging with two panels, one Tāngata Whenua and one Tāngata te Tiriti. We also positioned rangatahi on each panel to honour the kaupapa of the fund, which is to support rangatahi in engaging with the outdoors.” 

"Through the programmes for Tāngata Whenua, we hope to shine light on Māori processes, practices, and values within the outdoor recreation space. We look forward to watching these projects evolve and flourish.”

The full list of successful applicants is below:

• Adventure Specialities Trust to provide adventure activities for rangatahi from marginalised communities.
• Ahikaa Associates to deliver wānanga for iwi and hapū in Te Tairāwhiti, supporting development through indigenous frameworks and the environment.
• Aurora College to support a four day school camp on Stewart Island for Aurora College students.
• Duke of Edinburgh’s Hillary Award to expand the delivery of the award to more rangatahi.
• E Tipu E Rea Whānau Services to support a programme for young Māori father's to reconnect with their cultural identity through fishing.
• First Step Outdoors to support outdoor programmes for young women and girls.
• Graeme Dingle Foundation to support outdoor programmes focused on rangatahi and tamariki.
• Hawaiki Kura for a series of wellness and empowerment wānanga targeted at Māori residing in the Te Tauihu and Te Waipounamu area.
  
• Hillary Outdoors to develop a life skills programme for students who attend the Aotea Learning Hub on Great Barrier Island.  
• Ignite Sport for the Empower programme, which supports sport and recreation opportunities for young people with disabilities.
• Living Springs to provide accessible outdoor opportunities for vulnerable rangatahi in Canterbury.
• Mangakino School to support tamariki and rangatahi from Mangakino School in attendeding EOTC programmes in the local area.
• Ngā Kura ā Iwi o Aotearoa to provide a programme for young people to become leaders through environmental, social, and cultural elements. 
• Ngaa Taiohi o Te Rangitaupi to support wānanga for tamariki and rangatahi focused on cultural, environmental, and wellbeing connection. 
• NZ Sailing Trust for Hine Moana, a school holiday youth development programme for young women and girls.
• Raglan Rock Adventures to develop a climbing club with Raglan Area School.
• Scouts Aotearoa to support Venture, an adventure and skills development programme for rangatahi aged between 14 - 19.   
• St Therese School to support rangatahi and tamariki to attend school camp. 
• Toi Tangata to develop the number of skilled kaimahi Māori working to increase participation of rangatahi and whānau in self-determined outdoor activity.
• Te Toki Voyaging Trust to upskill volunteers through water safety training and boating education.
• Te Wharekura o Manaia to provide opportunities for rangatahi Māori to engage with the surrounding natural environment.
• Tuhourangi Tribal Authority for provision of mountain biking opportunities for the iwi of Tūhourangi.
  
• Waka Abel Tasman to develop a waka programme for rangatahi with disabilities. 
• Wilderness Canoe Trust to provide an adventure programme for rangatahi in Motueka.
• World Off-Road Riding Department (WORD) for supporting leadership in rangatahi through mountain biking.

The Outdoor Activity Fund is managed and distributed by Recreation Aotearoa on behalf of Sport NZ.