Funding from Tait Foundation has enabled Science Alive to take its Outreach programme on the road, expanding access to hands-on STEM learning across Canterbury.
With this support, Science Alive has purchased a purpose-built outreach van, allowing their team to travel directly to schools and deliver engaging, interactive science and STEM programmes. This removes common barriers for schools, such as time constraints, transport logistics, and limited resources, while bringing high-quality learning experiences straight into the classroom.
Both organisations share a commitment to making STEM education accessible to all learners. The outreach van plays a key role in achieving this, helping bridge gaps and ensuring more students can participate in meaningful science experiences. These programmes are designed to spark curiosity, encourage experimentation, deepen understanding, and empower students to draw their own conclusions - all while having fun with activities that often go beyond what schools can typically provide.
By removing obstacles and increasing access, initiatives like this help build the pathways needed to support students through education and into future STEM careers.
Science Alive is now reigniting its outreach efforts across Canterbury, once again bringing the excitement of hands-on science to local schools and communities. Their programmes are carefully designed to inspire curiosity, promote exploration, and create learning experiences that are meaningful, memorable, and inclusive, truly bringing science to life.
Many Cantabrians will remember the much-loved Science Alive centre on Moorhouse Avenue, located in the old train station.
Features like the clock tower, vertical slide, and bed of nails remain strong memories for visitors. While the centre was lost following the Christchurch earthquakes, the charitable trust has continued its mission behind the scenes, working to make science engaging and accessible for all.
Today, that mission is carried forward through a free online learning portal available to New Zealand schools and homeschoolers, a curated online shop, and a growing collection of educational resources and articles. The outreach programme is another vital part of this work, helping ensure that impactful STEM experiences continue to reach young people and communities throughout the region.
Interested in bringing Science Alive to your school, community, or next event? Or want to learn more about the possibilities? Term 2 is nearing full, but we are now taking bookings for Term 3 and 4.
Connect with our Outreach team via our website, we’d love to work with you.
Join us on our mission.
Feeling inspired by this story? There are many ways you can make a difference. Whether through support or partnership, big or small, you can help expand access to high-quality STEM learning for tamariki across Aotearoa.