New Zealand

Current TRJ School: St Margaret’s College, Christchurch, New Zealand

Kia ora! My name is Leanne Chambers, and I am a Health and Physical Education teacher with nearly 25 years of experience. I am proud to work at an independent girls’ school in Christchurch, New Zealand. For the past 13 years, I have been a pivotal part of The Rite Journey programme at St Margaret’s College. My role has involved leading, creating, and continually developing and updating learning environments and activities to meet the ever-changing needs of our young people. My approach is centred around encouragement, empowerment, and creating opportunities for students to challenge themselves and achieve their goals. At our school, we have a robust mentoring programme and offer opportunities for celebration, reflection, and gratitude through our Calling and Departure ceremonies at the start of the programme and our Return and Homecoming ceremonies at the end of the year. Sharing these experiences with our extended families and community is a strength that I am proud to offer. I have had a wealth of experiences with the camp and solo (The Abyss) component of the programme. I’ve visited various locations around the South Island of New Zealand and engaged in a variety of outdoor activities with different providers. We continually review and reflect on different types of abyss experiences to ensure the best outcomes for all involved.

I strongly believe in the importance of this programme and the need for it to be given adequate time in the curriculum to allow students to flourish. I have experience in linking the New Zealand Health and Physical Education curriculum to our Rite Journey programme and developing learning outcomes for summative and formative assessment and reporting where appropriate. Over the past 13 years, I have witnessed the profound benefits of this programme on the lives of many young women. I look forward to supporting you and your team as we strive to create more resilient, empowered, and positive young people.