Mastering Mountains Grant

Mastering Mountains Charitable Trust is on a mission to see people with neurological conditions like Multiple Sclerosis (MS) experience hope, connection and positive, life-long change through self-directed outdoor adventure.

For many living with neurological disorders, a life of adventure in the outdoors can feel far from reach. That’s why Mastering Mountains assists everyday people to overcome these challenges by helping them achieve their adventure dreams, experience hope and connect with community, thereby inspiring hope in others.

Mastering Mountains offers rehabilitation support and mentoring, to people diagnosed with MS, Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) or similar neurological conditions to help them overcome a specific obstacle so they can accomplish a self-directed objective in New Zealand’s outdoors.

Since being established in 2015, Mastering Mountains Charitable Trust has helped over 18 people, predominantly with Multiple Sclerosis, find hope outdoors with grants, coaching with goal setting, building on their strengths to experience hope, connection to community and positive life-long change along the way.

Opportunities

Grants on Offer

Mastering Mountains offers There are two programmes that people can apply for:

  1. Mastering Mountains Programme for single-day outdoor goals.
  2. Mastering Mountains Expedition Programme for multi-day outdoor adventures that involve at least one other person.

Support Package

Successful applicants are motivated individuals with an achievable outdoor goal that will improve mobility, encourage a healthy lifestyle, and strengthen their connection to community. In their programme, these people receive rehabilitation support (neuro-physio or personal trainer), outdoor gear and equipment, and mentoring, all aimed at helping them achieve their goal within a year of their application.

Each person’s programme package is individualised at the discretion of the Selection Panel. On average, previous packages are valued at $6,800 and include:

  • $3,100 of mentoring: 16 hours of one-on-one mentoring and support, in addition to 10 hours of group support and learning.
  • $2,150 of rehabilitation: access to a gym and 10-12 appointments with a neurophysio or exercise physiologist.
  • $1,100 of gear and equipment.
  • Up to $800 of expedition costs.

How to apply

Applications are open to New Zealand residents with a neurological diagnosis and are received annually between the 1st of April and the 31st of May.