Youth Search and Rescue (YSAR) is opening a branch in Wānaka next year, and the organisation is seeking applications to the three-year programme from the next generation of emergency responders.

YSAR is a New Zealand charity dedicated to helping secondary students build personal, life, and leadership skills through hands-on authentic training, YSAR NZ branch support specialist Kelly Hoskin told the Wānaka App.

She said the organisation’s purpose is to empower the next generation of community volunteers within the search and rescue and emergency management sectors.

“It's a three-year journey that empowers young people to gain emergency management skills, build career pathways, and make life-long friends,” Kelly said.

“It is really exciting to get things up and running in Central Otago.” 

YSAR’s youth development and training programme is offered to secondary school aged students in the classroom, on site with sector partners, and in the outdoors. 

The programme is delivered via Wednesday evening classroom sessions throughout the first three school terms, reinforced by six practical weekend exercises (which include formal courses with sector partners such as Coastguard and LandSAR) throughout the year and culminating in an end of year exercise. 

The young members are “the next generation of community volunteers”.

Students learn skills such as bushcraft, first aid, search and rescue techniques, geospatial mapping, and leadership skills. 

Kelly (who is based in Alexandra) said YSAR is relatively new to the South Island with the Dunedin and Christchurch branches welcoming their first cohorts at the start of this year.

The Wānaka branch manager will be Aaron Power.

Applications are open now for the programme, which starts in February 2025. Young people aged 14-15 who are interested in finding out more or applying for the programme can find more information here.

PHOTOS: Supplied