New Zealand Certificate in Health and Wellbeing (Social and Community Services)

The programme consists of 120 credits.

Respectful Relationships (30 Credits) (50 work experience hours)
Develop an understanding and acceptance of socio-cultural identity, experiences and self-knowledge, and apply this to build respectful relationships with people, family and/or whanau in a mental health and addiction setting. The course covers:

• Listening skills
  
• Respectful relationships
• Consent processes, protocols and workplace practice
• The needs and vulnerability of children
• Pasifica cultural values
• Falefono and Whare Tapawha models of health and wellbeing

Bi-Culturalism and Marae Protocols (15 Credits) (25 work experience hours)
Gain an understanding of the history of Māori as Tangata Whenua, and knowledge of person-whanau interconnectedness to enable you to relate this to your own role in a health and wellbeing setting.

Role Clarification (15 Credits) (25 work experience hours)
Gain the knowledge and skills to relate the purpose and impact of your own role as a support worker to the aims of the wider health and wellbeing sector. The course covers:

• Biological, psychological, sociological, holistic and alternative approaches to mental health and addiction
• Values, attitudes, skills and core competencies for support work
• Professional boundaries
• Human rights
• Consumer rights and workplace responsibilities
• Stigma, discrimination and social exclusion

Self Awareness (30 Credits) (50 work experience hours)
Develop self-awareness through the application of a reflective practice that enables you to develop effective strategies and apply these to help build the resilience of people, family and/or whanau in a mental health and addiction setting. The course covers:

• Theory and practice of self-awareness
• Personal risk identification and management
• Reflective journaling
• Self-care strategies
• Theories and practices of resilience building
• Capabilities of children

Professional Development (30 Credits) (50 work experience hours)
Learn to actively contribute to a culture of professionalism, safety and quality, and promote the autonomy of people, family and/or whanau in a mental health and addiction setting by using tools and strategies that support people's recovery. The course covers:

• Health and Safety legislation, including workplace reporting
• Principles and practices of supervision
  
• Principles and practices of networking
• Information, education and advocacy in mental health and addiction support
• Recovery concepts and practices in mental health and addiction support work, including those related to children
• Developing a recovery plan

Previous Related Programmes

The New Zealand Certificate in Health and Wellbeing (Social and Community Services) supersedes and takes the best from the following programme of study, which is no longer offered:

• National Certificate in Mental Health (Mental Health Support Work)

From 2023 our nursing, medical imaging, social services, and healthcare ākonga will be learning in Te Whaioranga, the purpose-built healthcare education centre for UCOL Manawatū. This state-of-the-art learning environment enables our nursing, medical imaging, social services and healthcare ākonga to learn across disciplines and functions, familiarising them with real-world practices and ensuring they become ‘workforce ready’ graduates.

Wairarapa and Whanganui provide comfortable learning environments with many opportunities to learn from our industry partners. This will prepare ākonga for real-world practices and ensuring they become ‘workforce ready’ graduates.

• Declare any previous criminal convictions prior to admission being confirmed. Convictions of any offence may not necessarily exclude applicants from enrolment; the decision is at the discretion of the Academic Portfolio Manager
• Authorise UCOL to obtain a background check from the New Zealand Police Licensing and Vetting Agency
• Attend an interview with the Programme Lecturer. 
  

For more information about NCEA Credits see the UCOL NCEA explained page.

In addition to the Domestic Entry Requirements, the following applies to international student applicants.

English language proficiency
International student applicants whose first language is not English must have an IELTS Academic score of 5.5 with no band score lower than 5 (or equivalent including TOEFL). IELTS scores used must be taken from a single IELTS Test Report Form (i.e. combining scores from more than one test is not permissible).

Under 20 years of age
In addition to this, international applicants under 20 years of age must have NCEA equivalency.

This qualification is not associated with professional registration or a clinical scope of practice.

Work experience
There are 200 work experience hours in the programme. It is strongly recommended that all students wanting to do the programme seek advice from the Programme Lecturer.

Recognition of prior learning
Applications for Recognition of Prior Learning, including Cross Credit, Credit Transfer and Assessment of Prior Learning may be made on the Recognition of Prior Learning Form where a student believes all learning outcomes for a course have already been met. Applications will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the UCOL Academic Statute and other relavant policies and procedures.

Application checklist
It will make the process easier if you prepare the following before you apply:

• National Student Number (NSN) (If you don't have a NSN, you may request one from NZQA, or you can supply a verified copy of your birth certificate, passport or Whakapapa statement.)
• Evidence of your highest level of academic achievement (and evidence of prior learning, if applicable)
• Evidence that you meet the entry requirements of the programme
• A completed Police Declaration Form
  
• Check if you're eligible for additional support or a scholarship. If you're 19 years or younger, you may be eligible to enrol in one of our free Youth Transition programmes.
  

Note that you will need to provide any verified documents in person, via post or email (not via the online application form).

The programme is approved by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority under the provisions of the Education and Training Act 2020, and Universal College of Learning, a business division of Te Pūkenga is accredited to teach it.