FROM roadworks to bookwork, a new collaboration between Land Based Training and Wairoa Financial Literacy Services came to fruition on Monday. The collaboration opens new pathways for local rangatahi through the courses offered by both organisations.
With Wairoa Financial Literacy Services, Land Based Training can now offer their students a new path to strengthen their literacy and numeracy skills along with civil infrastructure. With over 20 students (so far) seizing the opportunity to enroll in the courses, it’s a sign that more vocational pathways are what some local ranagatahi need.
Students of Wairoa Financial Literacy Services welcomed Land Based Training students to their class and acknowledged the rangatahi for joining them on Monday. “I am very proud that you are taking up this mahi,” one financial literacy student said. “There is so much here to learn today for your future — make the most of it,” another student said.
Moving home to Wairoa and sharing his skills and experience with his community has been a dream for Land Based Training tutor Moose Tipuna. Land Based Training regional manager Tim Snape has worked with Mr Tipuna to turn this dream into reality.
Land Based Training has established partnerships with Wairoa Financial Literacy Services as well as Whetu Marama Makoro Marae, to create new avenues for
ranagatahi and help further their education, training and employment options. Mr Snape said working with the marae and Wairoa Financial Literacy Services was a significant step to support the aspirations of rangatahi and tangata whenua by providing them with these opportunities.
“It is exciting to have a presence in Wairoa and to awhi (nurture) and manaaki (cherish) the Wairoa community” said Mr Snape.
There will be classes for civil infrastructure Level 2 at the marae and literacy and numeracy in conjunction with Wairoa Financial Literacy Services on Queen St.
Mr Snape said both programmes helped to build akonga (students) confidence in their abilities, skills and knowledge.
While the course at Wairoa financial literacy focuses on improving students’ literacy and numeracy with courses up to Level 3 NCEA, the course at the marae allows for an NZQA-approved qualification. This includes the civil infrastructure unit standards, which will provide the ability to gain NCEA Level 2 with a vocational pathway.
Mr Snape said having over 20 akonga enrolled in the courses gave them confidence that the community welcomed their training.
“The whanaungatanga (kinship) and manaakitanga (hospitality) received has been outstanding.”
Mr Snape said both tutors, Marilyn Ioakimi (Wairoa financial literacy) and Mr Tipuna, have a wealth of experience in education and are passionate about passing their knowledge on while supporting akonga to succeed.
Source: Wairoa Star, 8 September 2022, http://www.wairoastar.co.nz/FrontPage/Page.aspx?id=wspage001&p=20220908
