InclusivePath is a disability-led initiative to transform our High Ropes Challenge Course in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland into an inclusive, accessible, and empowering adventure space for disabled people.

The course was gifted to ELTA (Experiential Learning Through Adventure) in 2024. While now operational, it lacks the adaptive equipment needed for disabled participants to take part safely and meaningfully. This creates a barrier to outdoor recreation, personal growth, and social connection.

Our project will remove those barriers by acquiring specialised adaptive harnesses and a hoist system, enabling people with physical and neurological impairments to fully participate. The impact is immediate and tangible: instead of watching from the ground, disabled participants will be able to climb, swing, and soar alongside their peers—sharing the same joy, challenge, and achievement.

This project is disability-led, with governance and design guided by ELTA trustee and project lead Mark Mandeno, a disabled outdoor educator. His lived experience ensures that accessibility and inclusion are not afterthoughts but central to everything we do.

By transforming a traditional ropes course into an inclusive adventure hub, we aim to inspire confidence, resilience, and community for participants of all abilities. We believe outdoor learning is a powerful catalyst for growth—and disabled people deserve full access to that experience. With your support, InclusivePath will show how a relatively small investment in adaptive equipment can create lasting change, sparking joy and empowerment for years to come.

What our grantee is saying: “Receiving this award means that people with various impairments in Aotearoa New Zealand will no longer have to sit on the sidelines when it comes to outdoor adventure! With the support of the Awesome Foundation, InclusivePath can open up our high ropes course to anyone and everyone, so participants with various impairments can climb, swing, and soar alongside their peers! This funding is not just about equipment; it’s about breaking barriers and sparking joy, confidence, and belonging! Thank you so much for the support, the Awesome Foundation!"