Agencies working with youth in Central Otago gave their unanimous support to "The Living Challenge (TLC)" when the plans were unveiled this week.
A charitable trust will be set up to run the programme and funding options explored.
The programme evolved as a result of the Alexandra Dare committee taking a closer look at how it could help young people at risk in the community.
Teachers, a lawyer, police, an outdoor education expert and a youth worker joined forces to develop a model aimed at year 7-13 pupils who were "falling through the gaps", working group chairman John Williamson said.
"We're excited about what we've come up with and we think it'll have a Central Otago-wide impact.
If proven here, it will expand to other areas and could possibly be used as a model around the country," he said.
"What we were trying to address was why kids are going off the rails when we have the skills and resources in our community to help them. It's obvious that they're looking for adventure.
"Some choose the safe and appropriate forms of adventure, but those that don't get channelled into other activities, more antisocial, and then offending."
Existing intervention programmes were of limited duration and often stopped before high school age.
The Living Challenge was based on an adventure-based mentoring programme called Challenge for Change, run in the eastern suburbs of Wellington, combined with Project Adventure community development models in this country and in the United States.
Young people eligible for the programme included those having difficulty at school, those with behaviour problems, those who were vulnerable to a neglectful or abusive home life and anyone who could develop in confidence from the programme or who had leadership potential.
Parents would be involved, as would older youths, in a leadership role.
Two existing adventure-based programmes would be expanded and the young people would receive ongoing mentoring.
"This doesn't aim to compete with any of the agencies that deal with youth in crisis. The aim is to intervene before they get to that stage and turn things around," Mr Williamson said.
Dunstan High School Outdoor Education head Eric Schusser, who runs adventure-based projects, said young people on the projects learnt a lot about themselves and also learnt how to apply their new skills to their "real life".
Mr Wiliamson said he hoped the programme would be extended to Cromwell, Roxburgh and the Maniototo by its third year and then to Queenstown and Wanaka by its fifth year.
It could begin next year and the first year of operation would cost about $105,000.
"That compares with what we've been told is the cost of prison care for an inmate for one year. So it isn't a lot, given the alternative."
A project co-ordinator and mentor co-ordinator would be employed and the programme would be based at Dunstan.
• Living Challenge
The programme:
> Aims to build healthy, well- adjusted and socially responsible youth.
> The target is at-risk youth, years 7-13.
> Monitors and tracks youth, trains youth leaders and provides mentoring.
> Based at Dunstan High School, Alexandra.
> Pilot year will cost $105,000, funding options being explored.
