By donating to the Inspiring Explorers™ Fund, you will grow the Shackletons and Hillarys of tomorrow and safeguard the legacy of exploration.
Thanks to supporters like you, thousands of young people have been inspired by the Antarctic explorers you admire. From the classroom to polar expeditions, over 15,000 young people have directly participated in this programme. They’ve grown their ‘Explorer Mindset’ and stepped out of their comfort zone.
Through outreach initiatives they have created a ripple effect in their communities, connecting with hundreds of thousands of people to share their experiences and the stories of the Antarctic explorers whose legacy the Trust cares for on behalf of the international community.
We need your help to fund the next five years of this powerful programme!
Our donors create opportunities for young people to connect with and be inspired by the qualities of legendary Antarctic explorers like Scott, Shackleton and Hillary.
“I love how the Antarctic Heritage Trust allows young people like me to not only discover the world, but to discover that little Kiwis like us can make the biggest difference,”
Destiny Martin, South Georgia, 2023
“I grew up in a family of 12 we really struggled financially, so something like this, I didn’t think would happen at all,”
shared Destiny.
When they were accepted into the Trust’s 2023 Inspiring Explorers Expedition™ to South Georgia, it was a dream come true. The expedition allowed Destiny to connect with so many aspects of the world that they had yet to discover. “Whether that was connecting to the Atua, the moana, and the incredible wildlife around me, it also allowed me to deeply connect with myself, and others,” shared Destiny.
“When I stood in Grytviken, I imagined myself in the cold of their times. How the harsh weather spared no man, and how they overcame these challenges. This was a big moment for me, because in school, they tell you these stories of incredible people from all walks of life. And being a kid you just can’t believe that someone could do something so bold and so extraordinary. It seems almost too good to be true. But now, I know that these stories hold true, and I know the significant amount of influence these incredible people like Shackleton can have on our generation,” she shared.
The Inspiring Explorers™ programme draws heavily on the explorer qualities of curiosity, resilience, leadership, innovation, and team work.
From expeditions to the world’s polar regions, events in Christchurch, Gateway City to Antarctica, to New Zealand-based expeditions and our unique education programme, we encourage young people today to challenge themselves and explore what might be possible.
The programme will include:
Inspiring Explorers™ become ambassadors for the Trust’s work to conserve the historic huts by sharing their experiences with their communities and the Trust’s global network when they complete the programme.
We know that if young people identify with the legacy the Trust cares for, then they will value it and in the future be motivated to protect it.
For a limited time, all donations to the Inspiring Explorers™ Fund will be matched dollar-for-dollar up to NZD $40,000 thanks to a generous donor.
This means a gift of…
Make your donation by the 31 May 2025 deadline to double your impact today!
Inspiring Explorers Expeditions™ are for youth (18–35) giving them the opportunity to explore their backyards right through to the world’s most extreme environments in the polar regions.
The Young Inspiring Explorers™ Programme encourages students to become modern-day explorers. From one-day conferences to multi-day programmes, we challenge school-age youth to step out of their comfort zones.
The Inspiring Explorers Education™ programme develops cutting-edge immersive technology, touring to classrooms and public venues to help people gain a deeper understanding of the huts we care for in Antarctica.
Antarctic Heritage Trust
7 Ron Guthrey Road, Christchurch 8053, New Zealand
Private Bag 4745, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand
Antarctic Heritage Trust
7 Ron Guthrey Road, Christchurch 8053, New Zealand
Private Bag 4745, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand