Outward Bound Scholarships

» Read about last year's winners

Each year in partnership with Outward Bound New Zealand, MSSNZ is pleased to be able to offer two young people the chance to attend a 21-day Outward Bound course.

Outward Bound is all about showing people their full potential through challenge and adventure in the outdoors. Based in the Marlborough Sounds, Outward Bound has been providing courses for New Zealanders since 1962. Courses involve a range of activities, sailing, kayaking, high ropes, rock climbing, tramping, solo and more.

Over 46,000 New Zealanders have experienced an Outward Bound course and we hope that children of a parent or caregiver affected by MS will embrace this opportunity and take part.

Courses are based on real adventure. Attendees are impelled into experiences that are physically, mentally and emotionally challenging. The course will push their limits, take them outside their comfort zone and help them conquer their fears!

There are two scholarships, jointly funded by the MS Society and Outward Bound. They are available for children of someone affected by MS (aged between 16 and 26 years). The parent or caregiver does not have to be a member of an MS Regional Society. The child does not have to be living at home.

The scholarships are for places on either a Mind Body Soul course (16 – 18 years) or a Classic course (18 – 26 years). They must be taken up during 2008.

Included is the full cost of the course, travel to and from Picton and the cost of completing a medical (required by all students). The value is over $3,000 each.

2008 Winners

Megan Burns is a seventeen year old from Waiuku in South Auckland and lives on a chicken farm. She attends Strathallan College where she raised funds for the 40 hour famine. Megan has played netball since she was seven years old and has competed in two triathlons. She likes a team environment and has been involved in school productions. Megan’s mother has MS and she helps her with housework and doing the shopping as well as cooking meals.

Megan relishes the challenge of attending the course to be run at Anakiwa Tuesday 2 December 2008 to Monday 22 December 2008.

Willie Appelbe is the second scholarship winner and lives in Timaru, attending Timaru Boys High School where he is in his last year. His favourite sport is soccer but his main interest is music, playing four different instruments, the most recent being the piano. His most recent project is building an electric guitar. When Willie leaves school he intends to study in sound engineering at university. Willie’s mother also has MS and he will join Megan on the same Outward Bound course in December

» Read information for applicants

or download » Applicant Information in PDF format (52kb)

» Download application form (111kb PDF)

If you are unable to download the application form, please contact us and we will send you one.

Applicants will need to include signoff from their Doctor or MS Field Worker.