Outward Bound is New Zealand's leading organisation for showing people their full potential through outdoor challenge and adventure.
Established in 1962, OB still operates from its original location, Anakiwa, in the Marlborough Sounds. Anakiwa (near Picton) is regarded as the most perfectly situated Outward Bound school in the world. The natural timbered buildings merge gracefully into the curve of the bay and are backed by native bush. A long jetty stretches to where the school’s small fleet of cutters are at anchor.
The ‘classrooms’ of the school are the native bush, mountains, rivers and seaways of Marlborough. The Outward Bound Trust of New Zealand is a member of Outward Bound International.
This was founded by Kurt Hahn in Wales in 1941. There are 42 member countries. Hahn was an educator. In his words: “We are all better than we know. If only we can come to discover this, we may never again settle for anything less."
Working at Outward Bound
Our instructors are exceptional people. We select them from a wide variety of backgrounds, they are experienced, inspirational and empathetic. Outward Bound instructors are well trained, skilled at identifying and facilitating powerful learning and its transference back to everyday life.
Our most senior instructors deliver our business programmes. This is complemented with integrated workshops delivered by external facilitators.
Recruitment
Outward Bound specialises in, and holds a strong commitment to, the personal development of young people. With a strong vision and an exceptional strategic plan, we strive for quality outcomes in terms of ongoing personal development of staff and students, curriculum delivery and staff competence within an educational environment.
Our staff at Outward Bound are made up a passionate, energetic outdoor educators who thrive on seeing people develop in the outdoors. They come from a variety of personal and professional backgrounds with a range of experience in the outdoors and with people. Our team includes a wide range of experiences, training, qualifications and skills.
How do you become an Outward Bound Instructor?
There is no set path to becoming an Outward Bound instructor. One of the things that make our instructing team strong is the diversity of the staff team. Many of our staff have come from other professions and built up their outdoor skills through their own personal adventures. Combining these skills with some additional training they have taken on a new career as an Outward Bound instructor. Others have had formal training from various tertiary institutions. Many of them hold NZOIA and other industry awards, though this is not essential.
Examples of the road to becoming an Outward Bound instructor
Amy Horn
After leaving school Amy completed her 2 year Diploma in Outdoor Recreation Leadership at AUT before moving on to work at Adventure Specialties Trust in Auckland. During her 4 years there she completed a number of NZOIA awards, including Rock 1, Bush 1, Kayak 1 & Sea Kayak 1. Amy has been on several overseas excursions before joining us here at Outward Bound in 2007.
Amy enjoys spending her days off in the outdoors having adventures, spending time with family and friends and playing music. Amy is particularly passionate about working with youth and has recently begun full-time university studies and looks to move into community youth work once she completes her degree.
Malcolm Hughes
Malcolm is our Safety Manager and started here as an Instructor in 2005. Malcolm’s work history is long and varied including the army, building for 20 years, the police force, rat trapping and other various things! More recently Malcolm’s interest in the outdoors grew through his strong love of Multisport events. Malcolm started working as a tramping guide and has since done various other jobs in the outdoors before joining the team at Outward Bound.
Whilst being at Outward Bound Malcolm has attained his NZOIA Bush 2 and Rock 1 awards. He is also currently working towards his Certificate in Adult Teaching. Following his contract, Malcolm looks to move into polytechnic tutoring or management in outdoor organisation. Malcolm lives at Anakiwa with his partner and young baby. He enjoys spending time in the outdoors and is currently working on his recently purchased sail boat – the perfect family adventure vehicle!
Malla
Paul Mallamaci (Malla) came to Anakiwa after working for OB Australia for 4 years. He came to NZ for a holiday and ended up working here at Outward Bound New Zealand! Prior to working for OB Australia, Malla had a strong professional history in nursing and psychiatric care and has a wealth of knowledge around medical care in the outdoors.
Malla is a keen paddler, getting out on the river whenever he can. He recently used his month off to go to the States on a paddling road trip. Following his contract at Outward Bound, Malla is interested in working in more outdoor wilderness programs or perhaps combines his outdoor and medical skills to work in paramedics or outdoor first aid training. Of course if Liquid Logic comes through with a sponsorship deal he’ll be off paddling!
Malla has recently returned to Australia to tutor Wilderness First Aid courses.
Instructor Attributes
Outward Bound New Zealand aims to inspire personal and social development through value based experiential learning in an outdoor environment. Our Instructors are integral to the high quality of the courses Outward Bound New Zealand delivers and the work of an Outward Bound Instructor is both challenging and rewarding. Instructors are required to work with a wide variety of people, often in challenging situations. Our Instructors must be excellent communicators who are able to convey information clearly and concisely. Previous experience managing and facilitating groups in outdoor environments is an advantage.
Outward Bound courses involve real-risk activities. Our Instructors need to have well developed outdoor skills and be able to make decisions based on sound judgement and experience.
Below is a summary of the experience, skills and qualifications required prior to starting work as an Instructor. It is not necessary to have completed all of these before attending a staff selection course.
General
- Complete an Outward Bound Medical
- Current First Aid certificate and have completed a Pre Hospital Emergency Care (PHEC) or an Advanced/Outdoor First Aid course
- Submit a log of outdoor experience
Bush
- 35 days in the bush including a minimum of 5 days in untracked terrain and camping away from huts*
- NZOIA Bush 1 or 2 awards or equivalents are valuable
Kayaking
- 25 days of personal whitewater paddling on grade II or above and 5 days on Grade III or above*
- Completed a River Rescue/Safety course
- NZOIA Kayak 1 award or equivalent is valuable
Sailing
- Boatmasters course
- Marine VHF Radio Operators course
- 40 hours sailing time including at least 20 hours on the helm*
- Other maritime qualifications or experience is valuable
Climbing
- 10 days personal rock climbing experience*
- NZOIA Rock 1 award or equivalent is valuable
Driving
- Full Class I licence for a minimum of two years
- Full Class II licence
- Passenger endorsement
Teaching
- Experience working with groups - managing staff, coaching, training, teaching, instructing or guiding
- A teaching qualification is valuable
Swimming
- Must be a confident and competent swimmer
*Logged experience should be in the last 10 years.
All Instructors receive an intensive induction programme before beginning working with students, followed by a period working alongside experienced instructors.
All successful applicants will need to attend a selection course. Our selection courses are run several months (3 – 6 months) before we have positions available.
Hiring
New Zealand residents are contracted full time for a minimum of 3 years (including a training/induction period of 4 – 6 months). The New Zealand Immigration Service imposes a work visa restriction of one year for non-New Zealand residents.
For Outward Bound New Zealand to contract an overseas applicant for longer than 12 months we have to clearly substantiate that your skills and experience are not available in New Zealand. This is becoming increasingly difficult.
An important aspect of life at Outward Bound is the wider community. All instructing staff live on site and therefore must have the ability to work with and live alongside their colleagues, partners and families. The average age of instructors is around 30 years old.
Up to 14 potential instructors will be invited to attend a 5-day staff selection course. The staff selection course gives us a chance to get to know you and for you to get an accurate picture of life at Outward Bound Staff selection courses are held annually.
Applying
If you wish to proceed with your application, please complete and return the application form and the experience/skills/qualifications summary found on this page.
Where can life take you post-Outward Bound?
The technical and facilitative skills that staff develop during their time at Outward Bound open a lot of doors to a variety of jobs in the future. Some people have followed outdoor education into the schooling system, teaching at high schools. Others have followed the education path to a tertiary level, working at various polytechnics as tutors. Some have returned to the profession they were previously involved in. Many stay working in the outdoor industry either instructing or managing outdoor centers or adventure companies. And the rest of them keep coming back and working for longer!
Dominic O’Rourke
Current position: Commercial helicopter pilot, Kaikoura Helicopters
How I got to Outward Bound
I wanted to return to work in the outdoors, give something back, grow as a person, and be in an amazing team with fantastic people and friends. My experience at OB was all that and more.
I feel as if in some ways the role at OB was a job that led nowhere and everywhere. I felt that very few people, (and not me), would stay in the OB ‘fold’. For me the idea of developing yourself, pushing yourself and stretching constantly meant that I realized I was capable of anything post OB and truly the only thing holding me back was me. I then had no excuses for going ahead and accomplishing very difficult tasks or career moves.
They say students do a 21 day course and Instructors do a 2 ½ year course and I feel that is true if you are open to it and give it your all while there!
Life since Outward Bound
After I left OB, I travelled with my partner for one year, mostly in Central and South America, then a brief stint working as an Instructor and Tutor for Horizons Unlimited in Christchurch debating what I really wanted to sink my teeth into.
I then went for my dream job as a Helicopter pilot. I trained in Christchurch for 11 months then converted my commercial license in Canada and worked there briefly before coming back to New Zealand to fly here. Long term I am looking to fly in New Zealand, Canada, Antarctica and Papua New Guinea while moving into bigger machines along the way.
Things learnt at OB that made me go for a role as Helicopter pilot (a brutal career choice where there are probably 100 plus people for every job and there is a very high failure rate in every country around the world):
- Kurt Hahn’s philosophy of never again settling for less
- Seeing my potential out in front of me and not being willing to have any regrets later in life
- Things like working incredibly challenging courses and training for and competing in the Southern Traverse for OB and continually pushed me mentally further and grew myself belief
Valerie Lubrick
Current position: Kayak instructor/Biologist, Antarctica
How I got to Outward Bound
In the past I taught outdoor & environmental education and lead wilderness trips through working at outdoor education centers, summer camps, and as a qualified teacher in Canada, USA, and Australia. In these roles I really enjoyed helping others enjoy their time in the outdoors. I learnt a lot about myself and developed a sense of stewardship for the environment. So, OB was a great fit and combined all my loves. I had been an OB student in Canada on a dog sledding course and so understood firsthand the student experience and what OB could offer. I began working as an OB instructor in USA in 2000 and then began at OBNZ in 2003.
OB gave me amazing people skills through working with a variety of staff and students. I learned about myself in the process and began to understand my own abilities, to develop as a person and develop abilities as a leader.
From instructing at OB I learned:
- I am stronger and more capable than I thought
- I can learn a plethora of new skills
- OB is an amazing, fulfilling opportunity to learn about yourself while helping others discover themselves
- OB opens your eyes to the path to being the best person you can be, and reminds you that you are the one holding yourself back from realizing your dreams and full potential.
- I lived the passion, and lived my dream job and am grateful I had the opportunity to do so
For me the most rewarding aspects were: seeing others grow, develop, shout yahoo at the moon and realize there is more inside them than they had every thought; to push the boundaries and succeed.
Life since Outward Bound
I left OB in June 2005 and travelled around the world for one year. Following my return to NZ, I taught environmental education for Christchurch City Council and Enviroschools Foundation. Prior to being at OB I had worked in the fields of outdoor and environmental education and so for me I was returning to familiar work. The difference was that I now applied myself more. I applied the OB principal of craftsmanship, putting your best in to your work more because this was the culture at OB and is now my standard operating way. I sought real world meaning from my work and this inspired my commitment.
Things changed in late 2008. After 5 years of applying and trying my persistence paid off and I was offered the opportunity to fulfill a long time dream - to travel to Antarctica. I began sea kayak guiding and working as a biologist on cruise ships in Antarctica in 2008 and most recently in the Arctic. I now enjoy guiding but always have that personal twist, getting past facades of guests to get to know them for real, and help them realize all they hope to accomplish.
