Te Haerenga i Te Waipounamu - The South Island Journey at Lake Brunner.
Canteen Aotearoa, in collaboration with Waipuna, successfully held the Te Haerenga i Te Waipounamu adventure therapy programme in April 2024. This immersive four-day canoe journey on Lake Brunner in Aotearoa's beautiful South Island offered a unique and healing experience for young people impacted by cancer.
The Te Haerenga i Te Waipounamu programme aimed to explore the benefits of Adventure Therapy for rangatahi impacted by cancer. Drawing from established research, Adventure Therapy has been shown to enhance emotional resilience, boost self-efficacy, promote social connections, and offer much-needed respite from mental health struggles (Buzzell & Chalquist, 2009). By connecting participants with nature and offering opportunities for group processes and self-expression, the programme sought to improve rangatahi's self-esteem, confidence, life skills, and overall resilience.
The journey brought together a small group of rangatahi, aged between 16 and 22, each with their own cancer experience. These participants were guided by expert facilitators from both Canteen Aotearoa and Waipuna, an outdoor adventure specialist. While Canteen provided psychosocial support, therapy, and opportunities for peer connection, Waipuna took the lead on safety and outdoor instruction, ensuring that each participant could embrace the therapeutic elements of the programme in a safe and supportive environment.
The results were overwhelmingly positive. In post-programme surveys, participants reported improvements across all seven key domains measured, with a notable increase in their connection to others and nature. The immersive experience of being in nature stood out as a key factor in their healing process, offering a powerful therapeutic benefit for both mental and physical well-being.
One rangatahi reflected, "Leaving phones at home was the best part of the camp. Being disconnected from the outside world was so vital to feeling refreshed when I arrived home. It's something I reflected on and realised I should do a whole lot more often."
Another rangatahi said: "I very much enjoyed the session around the fire, hearing about experiences that had impacted and changed the course of our lives. It was so lovely to see people grow in openness over the few days we had together."
This feedback speaks to the core value of the programme - creating space for young people to disconnect from the stresses of everyday life and reconnect with themselves and others in a profound way. The calming effect of nature, combined with the camaraderie and emotional support shared with fellow participants, allowed for a deep sense of relaxation and personal growth. The positive shift in emotional wellbeing and peer connection was clear, with participants reporting significant improvements in self-expression, confidence, and resilience.
These promising results highlight the potential of Adventure Therapy as a holistic approach to supporting young people affected by cancer. Through a unique blend of nature-based therapy and psychosocial interventions, the Te Haerenga i Te Waipounamu programme provides an invaluable opportunity for participants to find healing, build resilience, and form lasting connections.
As we look to the future, we are excited to continue offering this transformative experience to more Canteen members, helping them rediscover their strength, resilience, and sense of connection with other rangatahi impacted by cancer.
