Opening the door: the story behind the Land & Wave Female Adventure Grant

By Jonny Berry · 29 Oct 2026

The outdoor Adventure space has always been a bit of a boys club, and we want to close that gap and create some amazing role models for future generations.

Here at Land & Wave we’ve launched a grant offering women up to 50% off the course fees for our 15 week Outdoor Instructor Training programme.

Our course has been running for over 10 years and now more than ever we want to help get more women into the outdoors.

Our dream is to one day run our winter training course with a 50/50 split of female/male participants.

Why We Created the Female Adventure Grant

The statistics speak for themselves.

If you walk into most outdoor centres, you’ll still find far fewer women than men leading the sessions and the gap widens at senior level. We believe this is down to a few factors, a “boys’ club” culture, a lack of visible role models and limited mentoring and networks.

At Land & Wave, we’ve seen first-hand the incredible impact that skilled, passionate female instructors have on the young people and adults they work with. Representation matters. When a teenage girl goes on her first kayaking lesson and sees a confident, capable woman leading the session, something shifts. The message is clear: you belong here too.

We created this grant because we want to be part of the solution. Not just talking about inclusion, but actively investing in it, removing financial barriers, creating a supported pathway, and welcoming women into the outdoor profession with open arms.

The Outdoors is a career that changes lives, including your own

Working as an outdoor instructor is not just a job – it’s a vocation. Every day, you’ll help people push their limits, discover new capabilities, and find their confidence in wild and beautiful places. You’ll work with school groups, corporate teams, families, and individuals, delivering experiences that people carry with them for a lifetime. Check out some of the jobs out there at the IOL Jobsite HERE

The 15-week Land & Wave Outdoor Instructor Training course is designed to get you job-ready. By the time you graduate, you’ll hold a portfolio of nationally recognised qualifications and have the practical experience to hit the ground running — whether you want to work for an outdoor education centre, a surf school, a charity, or set up your own adventure business.

The outdoor industry is growing. The demand for skilled, qualified instructors has never been higher. And with this grant behind you, the path has never been more accessible.

Don’t Miss Your Chance, Apply for the Land & Wave Female Adventure Grant Today

Our November 2026 cohort will be a pioneering group: the first women to benefit from this new grant and to help shape the future of gender equality in the outdoor industry. We’re proud to offer this opportunity, and we can’t wait to meet the women who will take it.

If you’re ready to take the leap, fill in the application form today. If you have questions before you apply, our team is always happy to chat, reach out via our website or social channels and we’ll be in touch.

Your adventure career starts here.