New Zealand Certificate in Health And Wellbeing –Community Facilitation, Mental Health and Addiction Support or Social Services

Credits 120 (1.0 EFTS)

Campus Waitākere

Career opportunities

• Disability support worker

• Caregiver

• Mental health support worker

• Peer support worker

• Health and disability advocate

• Addiction support worker

Highlights

• You’ll complete at least 200 hours of work placements in a setting that is relevant to the strand you are enrolled in. This can be prearranged, or we can arrange a placement for you when you start the programme.

• Gain up-to-date knowledge about key legislation and policies such as the New Zealand Public Health and Disability Act 2000 and Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

• You’ll learn more about yourself and others by examining different cultures, values and attitudes.

• Develop key literacy skills which will enable you to be a highly skilled communicator, and create a trusted and open relationship with the people you work with, as well as their families/ whānau and community networks.

• Learn from the best: you’ll be taught by lecturers who specialise and work in community facilitation, mental health and social services across Aotearoa New Zealand.

Start dates February or July

Duration Full-time for one year or part-time options available (for domestic students only)

Annual fees $6,500 (NZD)

(Approximate domestic fees only. Includes GST but excludes the Compulsory Student Services Fee levy)

Want to improve the lives of vulnerable people within your community? This programme is the perfect starting point for a career in community facilitation, the mental health and addiction sector, and social services.

Programme overview

The support and care of society's most vulnerable groups requires specialist expertise. This programme will develop fundamental skills to enable the lives of individuals with disabilities, their families, people who need mental health and addiction support, or those affected by abuse, violence/family violence, alcohol and other drugs, gambling and crime.

You’ll gain a good understanding of national service structures, funding models, and the roles and responsibilities of community organisations and facilitators within Aotearoa New Zealand.

You’ll use your own experiences and values to understand your role within the sector, then harness your unique qualities to assist and encourage the people you work alongside.

While this programme is full-time, you’re only required to be on-campus for three days a week. The remaining time can be spent on self-directed learning or work experience.

Community Facilitation

In this strand, you'll develop an understanding of common physical and intellectual disabilities in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Using models like the Social Model of Disability and Te Whare Tapa Whā, you'll identify where people with disabilities require support, what barriers they face, how colonisation has contributed to Te Ao Māori and Pacifica contexts - and then how they can overcome those barriers to live full and happy lives.

Mental Health and Addiction Support

This strand is designed to give you everything you need to practise safely and professionally as a mental health support worker. It emphasises kindness, care and compassion, and respects individual identities and experiences, particularly when it comes to recognising Te Ao Māori. You’ll also learn about relevant legal issues such as human rights and privacy.

Social Services

The needs of at-risk people are influenced by many factors - the barriers they face and how colonisation has contributed to Te Ao Māori and Pacifica contexts.

Using models such as the Person-Centred model and Te Whare Tapa Whā, you’ll learn how you can help people overcome these barriers to achieve success.

Admission requirements

For this programme, you’ll need:

Academic

1. Four years’ secondary school education

2. One of the following academic achievements:

• 12 credits at NCEA Level 1 in two subjects

• A pass in two School Certificate subjects

• A New Zealand Certificate in a relevant discipline at either Level 2 or Level 3, or equivalent

3. Consent to a safety check as set out in the Children’s Regulations 2015 (formerly known as the Vulnerable Children’s Act) including:

• Provide two forms of verified ID that show you’ll To be 16 years old by the time the programme starts and gives evidence of any name changes

• Complete an NZ police vetting form

• Provide the names of two referees who Unitec can contact

• Pass a mandatory interview process

• Provide a CV detailing a chronological summary of your work history for the past five years and the name of any professional organisations, licensing and registration authorities that you’ve been or are a member of.

4. Complete a self-declaration of criminal convictions and medical conditions form

English

If English is not your first language, you’ll also need 12 credits at NCEA Level 1 in English.

If you don’t meet the English criteria above, we have a range of English Language programmes available. There are additional English requirements for international students – you can find more information on our website.

Other options

If you don’t meet these requirements, you could apply for special or discretionary admission.

For more information download the programme regulations: unitec.ac.nz/socialwork

International Students, please visit unitec.ac.nz/international