Our People

YSAR Trust legal entity – Charities Commission CC56119, Certificate of Incorporation Number 271681, NZBN9429047027787

Background – Est 2009, The Youth Search and Rescue  programme, is an independent non-profit Charitable Trust and Incorporated Society in which youth receive training over a period of three years. The programme was initially started to address the aging population of the community volunteers aligned to the Search and Rescue (SAR) and Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) sectors. In 2009/2010 New Zealand SAR secretariat released research suggesting that 67% of all Search and Rescue volunteers were male and over the age of 40. Another report was published in 2019 by volunteering New Zealand, little had changed in 10 years. It was clear that the emergency response sectors were entering a period where there was an increase in the number of volunteers unsuitable for field deployment and that this would continue to a point of crisis from 2020 and beyond unless this was addressed at a strategic level. In addition, the demographic within SAR did not represent the national and local demographics highlighting a need focus recruiting more on gender balance and ethnic diversity. Since its inception YSAR has gained significant interest nationally to provide SAR and CDEM training to New Zealand youth.

Key Objectives for the Board of Trustees – To ensure YSAR  is managed: 

• Being the catalyst and driver of the YSAR
• Providing leadership so it achieves its goals
• Using the collective resources available to achieve its goals to develop a thriving and sustainable local YSAR group.

The current Board of Trustees are: Andrew Scott, Neil Penniston, Gemma Periam, Hiraina Tangiora, Ryan McMasters and Peter Zimmer.

To contact the Board of Trustees please email [email protected]