Programmes
Nature.
Community.
Wellbeing.
Empowering people with neurological conditions to accomplish meaningful goals in Aotearoa New Zealand’s natural environments: getting active, finding hope, strengthening connection, and creating lasting change.
About our programmes
Whether your goal is big or small, in a national park or your local gardens, our programmes are designed to help you live well, get active, reconnect with what matters most, and grow in hope.
Te Ako Whaiaro | Self-Directed Programmes draw on evidence-based approaches from positive psychology and health psychology to help you live well, clarify what matters most, and take meaningful steps towards your goals. These wellbeing resources are ideal for anyone living with a health condition who wants to become more active and strengthen their sense of hope.
Te Ako Ngātahi | Learning Together Programmes specialise in mentoring and peer support for people living with multiple sclerosis and functional neurological disorder. These programmes build on our wellbeing resources, providing expert guidance to help participants to achieve their personal goals.
Programme application process explains everything you need to know about our application process and how we select our programme participants. Here you’ll also find information about subsidised access to our programmes.
Te Ako Whaiaro | Self-Directed
Programmes
Resource Library [Free]
Access our resource library, providing you with tools and strategies for managing your health condition, live well, increase your resilience, and take concrete steps toward achieving your goals. The Resource Library is ideal for anyone looking for answers to specific questions.
Location: Online
Status: Open all year
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Resource library: Includes over eight hours of recorded seminars
Education: Access to our online psychoeducational courses
Seminars: Five bi-monthly educational seminars featuring guest experts
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We believe everyone should have the opportunity to access the support they need, regardless of their financial circumstances. We offer access to this programme for free, actively reducing barriers that might otherwise prevent people from getting the help they need.
Wellbeing Programme
Access our wellbeing curriculum, helping you define a goal and develop your wellbeing tools for a greater sense of hope. The Wellbeing Programme is ideal for anyone with a health condition who’s looking for management tools and happy to progress at their own pace.
Location: Online
Status: Open all year
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Resource library: Includes over eight hours of recorded seminars.
Education: Access to our online psychoeducational courses.
Seminars: Five bi-monthly educational seminars featuring guest experts.
Personalised Mentoring: One 1:1 session (one hour) with a mentor or coach.
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It costs us approximately $299 per person to run this life-changing programme for one year.
We believe everyone in our community should have the opportunity to benefit from this educational programme.
Thanks to the generosity of our donors, financial assistance is available for those who need it. If cost is a barrier for you, please get in touch to learn more about the support available.
Te Ako Ngātahi | Learning Together
Programmes
Online Community Programme
Access our wellbeing curriculum and supportive community to help you progress towards your goals, make changes, and strengthen your sense of hope. The 12-month online Community Programme is ideal for anyone with a neurological condition looking for a supportive community and effective management tools.
Location: Online only
Date: October 2026 - September 2027
Status: Accepting applications
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Resource library: Includes over eight hours of recorded seminars.
Education: Access to our online psychoeducational courses.
Seminars: Five bi-monthly educational seminars featuring guest experts.
Personalised Mentoring: Three 1:1 sessions (one hour) with a mentor or coach.
Group mentoring: 11 structured group mentoring sessions (one hour) to share knowledge and inspire each other, held online over Zoom.
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It costs us approximately $1,599 per person to provide a full year of support through this life-changing programme.
We believe everyone in our community should have the opportunity to benefit from this educational programme.
Thanks to the generosity of our donors, financial assistance is available for those who need it. If cost is a barrier for you, please get in touch to learn more about the support available.
In-Person Community Rehabilitation Programme
Our in-person Community Rehabilitation Programme integrates neurological rehabilitation and peer support for optimal long-term outcomes. This 12-month programme provides tools for long-term symptom management specifically designed for people with functional neurological disorder or multiple sclerosis.
Location: Christchurch only - limited to eight places
Date: October 2026 - September 2027
Status: Accepting applications
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Resource library: Includes over eight hours of recorded seminars.
Education: Access to our online psychoeducational courses.
Seminars: Five bi-monthly educational seminars featuring guest experts.
Specialist clinical support: An initial neurophysiotherapist assessment followed by three 1:1 follow-up sessions, creating an individualised rehabilitation programme.
Supervised exercise: 48 weeks of supervised group rehabilitation programmes with a qualified professional.
Gym membership: A full-year gym/pool membership with the Christchurch City Council.
Personalised mentoring: Three 1:1 sessions (one hour) with a mentor or coach.
Group mentoring: 11 structured in-person group mentoring sessions (2 hours) to share knowledge and inspire each other, held in a local outdoor setting (weather permitting).
Gear: Your own Mastering Mountains fleece and tee to wear on your adventures.
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It costs us approximately $6,099 per person to provide a full year of support through this life-changing programme.
We believe everyone in our community should have the opportunity to benefit from this educational programme.
Thanks to the generosity of our donors, financial assistance is available for those who need it. If cost is a barrier for you, please get in touch to learn more about the support available.
Whāia te ite Kahurangi ki te tūohu koe me he maunga teitei.
Seek the treasure that you most desire, and if you bow your head let it be to a lofty mountain
- Māori whakataukī
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![A woman standing on a rocky mountain trail holding a flag that says "Mastering Mountains." She is wearing a white long-sleeve shirt, black shorts, hiking boots, a baseball cap, and a backpack. The background is a lush, green, mountainous landscape with small shrubs and rocks.]()
"Mastering Mountains helped me accept & open up about my diagnosis, showing me that setbacks aren't the end but part of the journey - and that I can still embrace adventure in my own way."
Steph Nierstenhoefer
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![Bryce Mackenzie]()
"This programme opened my mind. With a bit of help, I have achieved something that I thought I may not be able to do."
Bryce Mackenzie
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![Katy Glenie]()
"I had thought that my life could no longer be full of adventures in the outdoors after my diagnosis. I now know there are so many ways to seek and find adventure."
Katy Glenie
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![David Kyle]()
"This has been trajectory altering, enabling me to continue MTB riding with friends and giving me more confidence about the future in terms of riding with my son."
David Kyle
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![Kirsten Dixon]()
"With the right support I can achieve more than I thought! I have shed some self limiting beliefs I imposed on myself with diagnosis."
Kirsten Dixon
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![Woman smiling and holding a flag with the text "Mastering Mountains" in front of a mountainous landscape with a lake, trees, and a clear blue sky.]()
"Empowering & life-changing. I can barely hold the tears as I reflect on how deeply I have been cared for and supported in my disability and pathway back to the outdoors journey."
Raffaela Dragani
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![Man with sunglasses holding a 'Mastering Mountains' banner in front of Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany under a blue sky.]()
"You made my dream a reality. I cannot recommend the experience enough—every sight, smell, sound, taste, and feeling was incredible."
Sam Smith
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![Two mountain bikers, a man and a woman, standing outdoors on a gravel trail, smiling at the camera, holding a white flag that says "Mastering Mountains," with green trees and bushes in the background.]()
"Mastering Mountains has changed my life – I now have goals and aspirations that I never imagined were possible."
Jodie Leqeta
Application process
Applying for our group programmes
We are committed to helping as many people as possible experience hope and get active outdoors. However, because places are limited, we use a set of selection criteria to ensure our programmes are the best fit for those who apply. We believe in being transparent about this process, and you'll find more information about each step below:
1. Complete the Hope mini-course
Our free mini-course, Navigating Toward Hope, draws on an evidence-based psychological framework to help you identify a meaningful goal, strengthen your sense of agency, and cultivate hope through purpose, and connection.
The course provides an introduction to the principles and approaches that underpin all of our programmes and resources, giving you a taste of what it's like to work with Mastering Mountains. It also helps us better understand your goals, aspirations, and current circumstances, enabling us to determine how we can best support your journey.
Please note:
You can complete this step at any time of the year.
Registering for this course will give you access to the Resource Library.
At the end of this course, you’ll need to indicate your interest to continue your application.
2. Complete a short application form
From 1 July to 31 August each year, we accept applications for our group programmes. Once you have completed the Navigating Toward Hope mini-course, we will send you a link to the application form during this period.
The application form asks for some additional information to help us accurately assess your application and determine how we can best support you.
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Through the application form, we will ask for some additional information. This includes:
Your contact details
Your current level of mobility
Whether you hold a Community Services Card
A fundraising target
A letter from a health professional confirming your diagnosis
A letter of recommendation from a friend, family member, or other supporter
We will keep all this information confidential.
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We aim to provide free access to our programmes for as many people as possible, but our resources are limited and demand for our services is greater than our funding allows.
To help ensure equitable access, we prioritise financial support for those who would otherwise face barriers to participation. The level of subsidy offered is determined on an individual basis by our Board of Trustees. For many participants, this will mean free access to a programme. For others, it may mean they are invited to make a small contribution.
Our goal is simple: to ensure that cost is not an unnecessary barrier for those who would benefit most from our support.
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As part of the application process, we ask applicants to set a personal fundraising goal and commit to making a genuine effort to achieve it. While every situation is different, we generally encourage participants to aim for a fundraising target of at least $1,500.
Fundraising plays an important role in helping Mastering Mountains continue supporting people into the future. As a charitable trust, we rely on the generosity of our community to make our programmes possible. By fundraising, you're not only investing in your own journey—you’re helping create opportunities for future participants to access the same support. It also provides an opportunity for participants to invite their wider community to become part of their journey. We will provide guidance, resources, and encouragement to support your fundraising efforts every step of the way.
3. We assess your application
During September, our board of trustees carefully reviews all applications and allocates the places and funding available for the coming year.
As demand for our programmes often exceeds our capacity, we assess applications against a number of criteria that reflect our mission and approach.
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At the heart of our work is the belief that spending time engaging in physical activity outdoors can have a positive impact on health and wellbeing. Outdoor activity does not need to be extreme or take place in remote locations. We consider any goal that encourages participation in outdoor and natural environments, creating opportunities for growth, learning, wellbeing, and connection with the natural world.
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We believe that supportive relationships are essential for long-term wellbeing. We therefore give preference to applications that foster connection with others and create opportunities to strengthen relationships with friends, family, peers, and the wider community.
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We are committed to supporting meaningful, lasting change. We look for goals that have the potential to help participants build confidence and capability, strengthen their sense of identity and purpose, and create positive changes that extend beyond the programme itself.
In addition to these criteria, we also consider factors such as financial need, location, readiness to engage with the programme, and the overall fit between an applicant's goals and the support we provide.
4. We get back to you
Once we’ve completed our selection, we will get in touch to offer you a spot on one of our programmes. We aren’t always able to offer people a spot on the programme they applied for. If this happens to you, you will still have a place at Mastering Mountains, whether that’s in our self-directed programmes or Community Programme.
Please note:
At this time, our in-person Community Rehabilitation Programme is available only in Ōtautahi Christchurch. Participants must have a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis or functional neurological disorder.
All applications for our group programmes from outside of Canterbury, or with other neurological conditions, will be considered for the Community Programme.
Frequently asked questions
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We are looking for determined individuals based in New Zealand with an achievable outdoor goal and the motivation to achieve greater mobility and social connection through a healthy lifestyle and exercise outdoors.
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Choose an activity that genuinely excites and motivates you. We love to see walking, hiking, cycling, climbing or kayaking goals that challenge an applicant (requiring them to train), but not so difficult that they are unattainable. We don’t look for hardcore; we look for achievable — for some, this might look like a multi-day hike, but for others, this might look like a walk around Hagley Park.
When we consider an application, we prefer applications that strengthen the connection to community, for the benefit of both the individual applicant and their community or family. If possible, consider activities that make it easy to include others.
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Here are the documents that you will need before submitting your application:
Letter from your Primary Health Professional (e.g. your GP, Neurologist, Neurology Nurse, Physiotherapist, Neurophysiologist, or Occupational Therapist) confirming: a) your diagnosis; and b) your current health status and ability to pursue your outdoor objective. This should include reference to your current level of mobility and general health status.
Supporting letter (or email) from a referee that states the following: a) their relationship to you; b) why they think you should get accepted to a programme; c) and how the programme would benefit you and your community. Your referee is welcome to submit their letter by emailing info@masteringmountains.org.nz.
Accessing our programmes
We believe everyone should have the opportunity to access life-changing rehabilitation support and experience the benefits of spending time outdoors, regardless of their financial circumstances. That's why we offer subsidised access to our programmes, reducing barriers that might otherwise prevent people from getting the help they need.
Our funding is allocated with a focus on equity, helping ensure support reaches those who would have the greatest difficulty accessing specialist rehabilitation or outdoor opportunities. We are also committed to upholding the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and supporting equitable health outcomes for Māori. Where possible, we seek to distribute our resources in ways that contribute to a fairer and more inclusive health system.
Please email us if you have any questions.