Kia ora, I’m William Pike the Founder and CEO of the William Pike Challenge, an author, inspirational speaker and have always loved adventures in the great outdoors!
I believe that to achieve and experience anything ‘extraordinary’ in our lives, we need to be able to step outside of our comfort zone.
What I learnt from my near-death Mt. Ruapehu experience was, when you’re faced with challenge and change, success or failure comes down to one thing – whether you are already prepared to step outside your comfort zone – or whether you’re not.
So, when the chance came up to build a programme that helps young New Zealanders step outside their comfort zones, I jumped at it!
William Pike’s love of exploring New Zealand’s great outdoors began at a young age and was developed further at Westlake Boys’ High School where he was a keen sportsman – a three-time national water polo champion – and developed a passion for outdoor pursuits. In 2006, William graduated with a Bachelor of Education with first-class honours and began a fulfilling career as a primary school teacher in Auckland.
On September 25, 2007, a year after he started teaching, William climbed Mt Ruapehu with a friend, James Christie. On their way back down, in fading light they decided to spend the night in the Dome Shelter. That evening, Mt Ruapehu erupted. The maunga shot an epic amount of rocks, water, and mud down its slopes, crashing violently into their hut. Crushed and critically injured, William hung onto life while James ran down the mountain in the dark to get help.
Almost 24 hours later, William woke up in Waikato Hospital and although he survived, his right leg had to be amputated below the knee and he faced a long, gruelling rehabilitation process.
William learned to walk again with a prosthetic limb, returned to teaching, returned to Mt. Ruapehu and now lives a life full of adventure. What William eventually learnt from his Mount Ruapehu experience was, when you’re faced with challenge and change, success or failure comes down to one thing – whether you are already prepared to step outside your comfort zone – or whether you’re not.
Since founding the William Pike Challenge in 2010, the programme has grown to involve nearly 130 schools from around New Zealand in 2024 and impacting the lives of more than 30,000 Year 6 – 13 tamariki who have taken part.
The annual programme encourages young people to develop 21st-century skills by stepping outside of their comfort zone to achieve and experience extraordinary things.
William says, “I was fortunate to have experiences in my teenage years, such as tramping, sports, and giving back in my community that I believe prepared me to overcome big challenges and shape me into the person I am today. After returning to the classroom as a teacher, I questioned whether the students in my class were prepared to step into their world with confidence and reach their full potential. I was not convinced. So, I had a wild vision; to get students into the outdoors, into their community and trying new stuff.
“For about 12 months I had my ‘radar’ on, looking for opportunities to bring my vision to life. I ended up connected with a school in Taupo and together we collaborated on the idea. After 12 months, they asked if they could call the initiative the ‘William Pike Challenge’. I initially said no, but they twisted my arm and the rest is history.”
We provide the support, online platform, and inspiration to help you create and deliver an exceptional EOTC programme tailored to your community and ākonga (Year 6+). Over the school calendar year, student ‘Challengers’ work through three pillars under the guidance of their teachers.
Our bespoke online platform allows Challengers to track, measure, and reflect on their journey. Equally, teachers can support, approve, and monitor Challengers’ progress. The William Pike centralised resource hub enables both teachers and students to access guidance and inspiration at any time.
Outdoor Activities provide opportunities for young people to step outside of their comfort zone, take risks, build confidence and strengthen relationships with peers. Outdoor Activities not only build positive wellbeing, 21st-century skills and an explorer mindset, they also remind our youth about the beauty and accessibility of New Zealand’s landscape.
Bushwalks, a high ropes course, mountain biking, orienteering or rock climbing nare great examples.
Studies have shown that spending time in nature improves mental well-being by lifting your mood and decreasing feelings of depression, anxiety and stress. Investing in our youths’ mental health means they’re more prepared to overcome challenge and change that will inevitably come their way.
Community Service allows young people to explore, develop and strengthen empathy, humility and compassion. Characteristics many young people may not have had the opportunity to untap. Giving back to the community also provides opportunities for young people to step outside of their comfort zone, develop communication skills, connectedness with the local community, peers and whānau and embrace a greater sense of purpose.
Examples of Community Service include tree planting, rubbish pickup, charity fundraising, community food drives or helping at an organisation like the SPCA.
Many young people continue to do voluntary work well after they’ve completed the William Pike Challenge; those feel-good feelings are hard to shake off!
A Passion Project is a sport or hobby that’s totally new to the young person and are usually done in their own time. They encourage young people to take on a challenge and develop their self belief, work ethic and commitment. Trying something new and working hard to master it develops determination, concentration and resilience.
Learning a new sport or a new language, learning how to cook, photography, horse riding, or sketching – Passion Project options are endless!
Activities offered by the school, like a language or sport can be attributed to Passion Project hours.
With the William Pike Challenge, students are challenged in ways that simply can’t be achieved inside the classroom. Their self-worth and self-esteem grow. Their physical and mental wellbeing improves. They develop a sense of purpose by thinking beyond themselves and giving back to others – something that many kids struggle with! For students, the positive outcomes are countless.
For schools and teachers, the William Pike Challenge also provides many benefits. In addition to having happy, accomplished students, the William Pike Challenge provides a point of difference to retain and attract students. It can slot into any school’s timetable and be molded to meet a school/community need.
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