How Learn Active began:
Karla launched Learn Active in 2012 as an extension to the Duke of Edinburgh award she was running at a special education school in Christchurch.
Learn Active was officially Incorporated on the 1st Feb 2013 and became a registered charity on the 24th of April 2015.
Karla has since developed Learn Active into a full-time, sustainable organisation with the support of an amazing team of staff, volunteers and board members over the years.
Our Vision: Enriching the lives of people with disabilities.
Our Mission:
To provide a compassionate space for people with intellectual disabilities to develop personal and interpersonal skills through regular and ongoing outdoor activity programmes.
Our core organisational values:
* Offering long-term ongoing placements with no time or age restraints
* Add value to people’s lives. Learn Active is not just an experience
* Provide safe and enjoyable programmes by trained and experienced staff
Our passionate team of qualified instructors carefully tailor and craft our programmes so our students gain:
* Self-confidence
* Independence
* Commitment
* Social skills
* Organisational skills
* Physical fitness
* Team-work skills
* Technical outdoor skills
* Social connections
* Adaptability
* And have lots of fun while doing it!
Meet the Board who support the mahi:
MIKE MURPHY – Chairperson
CMInstD AFNZIM BSc
I have extensive experience leading small to medium sized business predominately in Manufacturing over the last 30+ years.
More recently I have concentrated on roles around Governance – Director of a Relocation Company, Board Advisory Roles in IT and Food Manufacturing, and Board roles in the ‘Not for Profit’ sector particularly in the Disability area.
As the father of a 28-year-old son with Down Syndrome, I feel strongly about businesses that operate in this area as their contribution to the lives of young people with disabilities is immense.
I believe my experience provides guidance and support to Learn Active, across the full range of Employment challenges and strongly believe in the future of Karla and her team to provide a safe and challenging environment for our young people to thrive and develop important life skills.
Molly Ngatai – Vice Chairperson
Jay Taylor – Treasurer
A results-driven HR leader with extensive experience designing and executing comprehensive People Strategies that directly support organisational mission and growth.
My expertise is centered on transforming the HR function from administrative support into a strategic partnership, deeply integrating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) principles throughout the organisation.
At Learn Active, the profound level of care and service delivered to students sets the benchmark. I greatly admire and am excited to partner with Karla and the team, recognising that this dedication to students fundamentally dictates the reciprocal investment made back into the staff team- a core value alignment that drives service excellence.
Dr. Angela Bland – General Member
PhD MA TESOL EMBA CG (Affiliate)
I have a background in education in the primary, secondary and tertiary sectors; including overseas teaching and leadership experiences working with migrants, former refugees, and international students, teaching English as an Additional Language. I have worked on different projects for NZQA and the Ministry of Education. More recently, I worked for the University of Auckland supporting professional development of primary and secondary Language teachers across the motu. I am always on a linguistic journey; with most recently completing Level 4 te reo Māori at Te Wananga o Aotearoa.
I have built on business and governance experiences in recent years by completing an Executive Masters in Business Administration (Massey University) as well as becoming qualified as a Chartered Governance Professional and Chartered Secretary through the International Chartered Governance Programme (ICGP).
At home, my husband and I have two children and a dog. Our son is 21 years old and will finish in the Kimi Ora Department at Papanui High School this year (2025). Our daughter is in Tāmaki Makaurau navigating post-university life.
I believe that Learn Active plays a crucial role for people with intellectual disabilities, and as a parent of a child with an intellectual disability, educator, and governance specialist, I am very proud to be on the Learn Active Board to support Karla in the amazing work her and her team continues to do.
Tony Donaldson – General Member
I have spent 27 years in client facing roles, from guiding people to the top of Aoraki mt Cook, and running multi week traverses in Antarctica, to managing clients for nationwide businesses. The most important values both in the outdoor world and the business landscape is communication and respect.
Learn active resonates with me as I firmly believe In the value of the outdoors as a teaching and learning experience, and helping Karla provide that opportunity to students with disabilities holds great social value to me.
I am privileged to be a part of Learn Active and always happy to help out in any way I can.
learnactive.co.nz 