Safety

At Outward Bound adventure and challenge takes place in the outdoors because we believe it is an amazing environment in which to learn. Students are placed in unfamiliar settings where there are real consequences - this provides them with an opportunity to learn through experience.  Outward Bound has in place a comprehensive and rigorous safety programme, to ensure it can deliver quality courses in a safe and supportive environment. We have our own dedicated Safety Manager and an External Safety Committee made up of independent outdoor industry experts. We have a regular programme of external safety audits in place for each activity and Outward Bound International carries out its own audits of the New Zealand programme every four years. It currently rates our safety programme as ‘exemplary’. The last review of Outward Bound’s safety policy was conducted in 2007.

Integral to safety are our instructors. We select only the best in the business who have the right combination of skills, experience and abilities. On top of their existing experience, our instructors are required to complete a rigorous six month training and induction programme. All our courses have at least two instructors assigned to them.

To ensure the safety of participants our Duty Manager regularly monitors weather warnings with the MetService. All weather information is provided to staff at morning meetings, placed on notice boards and communicated via marine radio and mobile phones. Potential weather problems are identified in advance and activities are adjusted accordingly. Our duty manager is on call 24 hours a day.