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Department of Conservation

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The Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai is responsible for promoting conservation of the natural and historic heritage of New Zealand on behalf of, and for the benefit of, the present and future generations. DOC have a commitment to growing conservation knowledge, values and skills through programmes and initiatives with young people. The North Canterbury Partnerships team, based in Christchurch, supports young people to be actively involved in conservation.

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Education Outdoors New Zealand


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EONZ work is centred on supporting education outside the classroom (EOTC) practice in order to enrich learning. EONZ promotes best practice through support of schools' implementation of the Ministry of Education (2009) EOTC Guidelines, Bringing the Curriculum Alive and includes the development of resources, provision of professional learning development, framing network opportunities and access to expertise.

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Environment Canterbury


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Environment Canterbury is the regional council. We are working with the people of Canterbury to manage the region's land, water and air. We are committed to the sustainable management of our environment while promoting the region's economic, social and cultural well-being. We will achieve this by: working in partnership with communities in the Canterbury region; promoting sustainable management of natural and physical resources; using innovative, cost-effective and techically excellent methods; ensuring that decision-making is based on high quality information.

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New Zealand Outdoor Instructors Association


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The New Zealand Outdoor Instructors Association (NZOIA) has promoted excellence in outdoor instruction and guiding through qualifications for professionals since 1987. NZOIA is a qualification body for nine outdoor activities or disciplines with three levels of qualification, which are recognised nationally as the industry standards.

Many of the SOEP staff at Ara are NZOIA assessors in a variety of disciplines and regularly run external assessments for NZOIA. SOEP has been NZOIA accredited which means we are able to provide training and assessment of NZOIA Leader qualifications for our students. This is a great way for the students to gain valuable experience, industry qualifications and be work ready.

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Skills Active


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Skills Active Aotearoa is New Zealand's Industry Training Organisation (ITO) for the recreation, sport and fitness industries. We are a government-funded organisation and our role is to develop and facilitate world-class, nationally recognised qualifications that meet the needs of your business.

That means providing employers and business owners with solutions for qualifying your staff through recognising the training and experience you provide your staff on the job. These solutions provide value to your business and a competitive edge in the marketplace.

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Untouched World


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With over 1000 student graduates and 300 teacher-trainees and teachers involved in our New Zealand programmes since 2001, Untouched World Charitable Trust welcomes the many global and local partnerships that enable our 16-18year old young Kiwis to enhance their leadership capabilities, in the context of sustainability. Ara is one of those highly-valued partners and we look forward to continuing to develop our relationship.

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OutdoorsMark


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OutdoorsMark is a national outdoor safety audit programme designed by the New Zealand outdoors community for the New Zealand outdoors community.

One of OutdoorsMark's fundamental objectives is to give participants in adventure activities, and the public, the assurance that the management of the activities has been checked by an independent expert - an OutdoorsMark auditor. If the operation is assessed by the auditor as being at, or above, the benchmark standards of the OutdoorsMark certification scheme, Skills Active grants OutdoorsMark certification.

OutdoorsMark aims to:

  • Promote safe participation
  • Provide assurance that national outdoor safety standards for safety and professionalism are being met
  • Raise standards in the delivery of adventure activities
  • Reduce the risk of injuries and accidents
  • Establish procedures for continual review and revalidation.

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