Training for Good - July 2024: Celebrating business success, rugby player learner success, trainee supports and more

Celebrating business graduate success
Be in to win a Digital Prize Pack
Careerforce Manaaki Fund to help support learner success
Free mental health support for Careerforce learners
Boost your wellbeing this winter
Academic misconduct
Free study sessions to help progress your learning
How to make the most out of your study time
New support guides and videos to help Level 3 learners with their study
Trainee supports on Aka Toi
Where to from here?
Is an apprenticeship the next step for you?
2024 - 25 prospectus

Social Services Team leader, Peter Tupou is inspired by seeing lives change. The Auckland based Tongan encourages vulnerable Pasifika families to navigate positive outcomes.

Recently completing his Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management, with support from Careerforce, Peter’s graduation was recognised at a Pacific Celebration of Success event in Manukau’s MIT Theatre.

The Diploma gave Peter new business and management skills that helped him continue to follow his passion. He secured a new leadership role with Fonua Ola, a social services provider, that supports Pasifika families to be safe and well.

Manurewa Claimant Support Specialist, Tomasi Fale works in the Ministry of Social Development’s (MSD) Historic Claims Department, supporting people who have suffered abuse or neglect in state care. "I help people face the challenges that happened in their life, so they are able to move on with their life journey," says Tomasi.

Thanks to a leadership programme from Careerforce, and the support and encouragement from MSD, Tomasi has honed his management skills in the Claims Department by completing his New Zealand Diploma in Business (Level 5) Leadership and Management.

This success comes after Tomasi earlier completed an Apprenticeship in Mental Health and Addiction Support, also with Careerforce.

Your wellbeing is important to us. We value your feedback.

Just a reminder, on 12 June we sent you an email with a short three-minute wellbeing survey to help us improve the wellbeing support we offer all our learners. The survey sent on behalf of Te Pūkenga’s Learner Journey and Experience team, aims to monitor learner wellbeing across the country, and is completely anonymous.

Thank you to those of you who have completed the survey. If you haven't yet, there is still time.

Complete the survey before midday, Friday 5 July 2024, and you can enter a prize draw to win a Digital Prize Pack valued at $2791.00 containing an HP Pavilion 15.6" Laptop, STM Myth 15" 28L Laptop Backpack - Granite Black, Sennheiser MOMENTUM 4 Adaptive Noise Cancelling Wireless Over-Ear Headphones - Blue Denim and Logitech G604 Lightspeed Gaming Mouse by clicking on a separate link to the prize draw form.

NB You can only complete the survey and enter the draw once.

To start the survey, please click on the link below.
Learner Wellbeing Survey One 2024

Here's a reminder about the Careerforce Manaaki Fund to provide temporary financial assistance to learners facing unexpected hardship that is impacting upon their studies. Round 4 opens soon.

Round 4
Applications open: 8 July – 21 July
Applicants notified: 5 August 2024
Dates are subject to change

Successful applicants will receive a one-off payment of $400 to help with alleviating financial barriers. To apply for the funding, you need to complete the application form here when applications open.

To be eligible, you must be enrolled in a Careerforce programme and meet all the relevant criteria. For more information, please refer to our FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions).

You will be notified of the outcome of your application within two weeks of the fund closing date. Recipients of the Manaaki fund will be asked to provide feedback to Careerforce to enable us to measure the impact of this funding.

Please note that online applications only are accepted. If you require any assistance to complete the application, we are happy to help. Please contact us at Manaaki.Fund@careerforce.org.nz or on 0800 277 486 (and ask for the Manaaki Fund Team).

Are you going through a tough time and need support?

We’d like to help! We’re committed to promoting a healthy learning environment where Careerforce enrolled learners can talk to someone confidentially about their mental health when they need to.

Careerforce is extending support to those enrolled in a Careerforce programme* through a short-term pilot programme. Our Mental Health Advisors are available to provide assistance to individuals on their learning journey.

Our objective is to foster a positive and supportive learning environment where Careerforce programme participants feel comfortable seeking confidential support for their mental health and wellbeing. Support is available via phone, text, email, Microsoft Teams, or in-person depending on location.

To take the first step. Visit our webpage and complete the referral form.

This pilot is generously funded by Te Whatu Ora until 20 December 2024
*This pilot excludes Gateway learners

Winter can feel challenging on your health. Here are some simple ways to boost your wellbeing, whilst staying warm, safe, and well this winter.

Maintain a daily routine: With shorter, colder days, it can feel harder to keep our normal activities going. We usually feel better if we’re eating at regular mealtimes and going to bed at the same time. Regular sleep, balanced meals, and consistent wake-up times are crucial. Focus on balanced nutrition with seasonal, nutrient-rich foods, while being cautious of sugar intake to manage stress and inflammation. Support gut health with fermented foods and probiotics. Ensure adequate vitamin C and D intake during winter.

Stay connected: Regular communication with friends and whānau, whether by phone, online, or in-person, helps maintain social connections. Keep a list of contacts handy and reach out to helplines if feeling lonely.

Do things you enjoy: If we’re staying inside due to bad weather or recovering from a bad cold, it’s still important to take time to enjoy ourselves each day. Whether it’s reading, watching a Netflix series, or seasonal baking. It can also be fun to try something new, get creative or dust off an old hobby.

Get sunlight and exercise: Aim for at least 20 minutes of outdoor exercise daily. If going outside is challenging, opt for indoor activities like stair walking or online exercise and yoga videos. Staying active is essential for maintaining energy and mood during winter.

Look after your physical health:

Stay warm: Keep indoor temperatures between 18 and 21 degrees.
Eat well: Consume nourishing, hot meals with plenty of vegetables.
Stay hydrated: Drink 6 to 8 glasses of fluids daily.
Sleep well: Adjust your schedule to include more daylight exposure to combat winter fatigue. Practice a calming routine and avoid too much screen and heavy meals before bed.

By following these guidelines, it will help to maintain your physical and mental health during the colder months and can improve overall wellbeing.

In the last issue of Training for Good we covered the subject of academic misconduct among learners. Over the coming months we'll be reviewing our processes around this subject.

The key things to remember are that all assessment work completed must be your own and must be produced without assistance from other trainees or other sources. Where you have used the ideas of other authors, you need to acknowledge all the sources. Learners are reminded that their training agreement requires compliance with the Educational Regulatory Framework of Te Pūkenga: Te Kawa Maiorooro.

It's important to be aware of the serious consequences of academic misconduct.

If you are struggling with any of your assessments, or with literacy, please talk to your manager or assessor. You can also also attend one of our free study workshops across the country, or contact us at Careerforce. Please 'read more' for an overview of academic misconduct.

Would you like some extra support with your training programme? Our Achieve Study Hubs are face-to-face sessions where you can drop in, ask questions, meet with other learners, and receive help with your learning.

Our Achieve Study Hubs are scheduled across the country. Learners are also welcome to attend sessions outside their area. See the full schedule on our website.

Study support options for Māori and Pasifika
If you identify as either Māori or Pasifika, we also have study support resources and face-to-face study options available including wānanga, noho marae and talanoa events. See our Māori support page and our Pasifika support page.

You can RSVP by completing the online form on our website.

We’ve developed a series of valuable learning resources to support you in your learning and study. Whether you’re new to learning, or coming back to learning after some time away, these resources will help make your training journey more effective and successful.

We know that juggling study with work, family and other commitments, can be a struggle. In making the most of your study time, you'll find some tips on managing time and managing yourself to get the most out of your study time. Click the box below for more.

Youth Work Apprenticeship prepares rugby player for her next professional move

Former Black Ferns Sevens and Blues rugby union player Niall Williams represented New Zealand at an international level, at the 2016 Rio Olympics and winning a gold medal in the 2018 Commonwealth games.

In her heart she says she would like to be a professional athlete her whole life, but she knows that’s just not possible and will have to retire eventually.

At 36, Niall, now a semi professional athlete, shows no signs of slowing down. Niall plays for the Titans NRLW rugby league woman’s team on The Gold Coast, while also lending her expertise and experience to the Keebra Park Girls Sports Academy team in her role as specialist coach. She is also busy Mum to two young girls. And, on top of this, Niall has found time to complete a Youth Work apprenticeship with Careerforce.

Knowing that she would have to retire eventually, Niall looked into the opportunities, and the Youth Work Apprenticeship came up through the New Zealand Rugby Players Association (NZRPA).

"What’s really great is having people like Jo [Gresley] who come out and help you one-on-one. For me, it was great when I didn’t quite understand the assessment questions and she was able to sit down with me and talk me through it to give me get a better understanding.

"I love that it’s so adaptable to your situation. Being a pro athlete, having a family, I was able to log in during times that I wanted to get on and get the work done."

Covid-19 cases and hospitalisations have been increasing in recent weeks, prompting officials to say we may be experiencing another wave of the virus. Source Stuff June 2024.

It’s a timely reminder to check out these useful learning resources that provide reminders about hand hygiene and infection prevention. These will help to heighten your awareness about things you can do to be safer. Good hand hygiene and effective infection control are regarded as essential to preventing the spread of COVID-19.

Click on the image above or 'read more' to access the modules.

Keep up-to-date, and read more inspirational stories about your fellow Careerforce trainees, follow or like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/careerforceNZ/

If you’re having some challenges with your training, ask your assessor or employer for some advice. If you think Careerforce can help, do get in touch with us.
Careerforce.org.nz/contact-us/

Has anything changed? It's important that we hold up to date contact information in order for us to connect and provide updates on your training progress. If you have recently changed home address, contact number or email address, then please let us know by sending an email to info@careerforce.org.nz

Are you leaving your employment or wish to withdraw from your training? Please let us know by completing the "Training Agreement Termination" online submission form which can be found on the Careerforce website here

Tip: We suggest you check that all completed work has been assessed and reported by your assessor before requesting your training to be withdrawn. You can do this through iportal if you are a registered user or contact us on 0800 277 486.