New Zealand Certificate in Health and Wellbeing (Social and Community Services) (Level 4) (Community Facilitation) or (Mental Health and Addiction Support) or (Social Services)

Aligned with community and industry needs, and national strategies, this qualification will provide you with the practical knowledge and skills you need for a career in social support work. This is a holistic programme, that develops your knowledge and skills to facilitate wellbeing across the four dimensions; hauroa (health) including tinana (physical), hinengaro (mental and emotional), whānau (family and social) and wairua (spiritual and connection).

About the programme 

Are you a compassionate, open minded and optimistic person? Do you value manaaki, whanaungatanga and partnership?

Can you inspire hope and facilitate wellbeing across the four dimensions of hauroa (health) including tinana (physical), hinengaro (mental and emotional), whānau (family and social) and wairua (spiritual and connection)?  

Aligned with local and industry needs and national strategies, this programme will provide you with the practical knowledge and skills you need for support work in social service, disability or mental health and addiction settings. Work placements are an important part of your learning and you'll do this whether you're studying on campus or online.

Our graduates have a high employment rate and many are offered work during or after their fieldwork placements in the second semester. 

So, if you want to make a difference in your community, if you are a mover and a shaker, and if you have a genuine interest in supporting people to live their best life, then apply for this programme and kick start your rewarding career! 

Studying part-time 

We know that full-time study isn't always possible. We also offer an on campus, part-time option over two years. 

Courses

This programme is made up of seven courses. You will complete six compulsory courses and choose one specialty strand course:
  • Community Facilitation
  • Mental Health and Addiction
  • Social Services
If you choose to complete one specialty at the Certificate level, you are not restricted to that specialty should you choose to progress to the Bachelor of Social Services.
Compulsory courses 
Course name Summary Outcomes

Aotearoa New Zealand

Semester 1

Term 1 

15 credits 

Develop your effectiveness in
support work with mana whenua and tangata whenua  

  1. Articulate how the principles of Te Tiriti O Waitangi inform health and wellbeing support work
  2. Display regard for Kai Tahu and Te Ao Māori values and concepts in practice Utilise te reo and tikaka to display bi-cultural competence 

Self and Culture 

Semester 1

Term 1 

15 credits

 

Enhance your self-awareness
and aptitude for working with 
cultural diversity

 

  1. Empathise and display cultural competence with people from diverse backgrounds 
  2. Apply human development theory to identify how life experience impacts on identity, culture and wellbeing 
  3. Reflect on personal and professional development needs and implement personal goal plans 

Theories, Models and Tools 

Semester 1

Term 2 

15 credits 

Aiming to incite ihi, wehi and wana for the theory, models and tools informing planned and intentional practice

 

  1. Select culturally-appropriate theory, models and tools to support tangata whai ora and where relevant their whanau 
  2. Apply a planned change approach to engage, gather information, develop and review plans 
  3. Display effective interpersonal skills and essential attitudes and values for work in the health and wellbeing sector 

Community Project

Semester 1

Term 2 

20 credits 

Build your capacity to 
work in teams
participating effectively
and contributing to leadership   

  1. Act responsibly and display leadership skills 
  2. Develop and use networks to solve problems and practice sustainably 
  3. Give and receive constructive feedback and reflect on performance 

Workplace Practice 

Semester 2

Terms 3 and 4 

25 credits 

Ensure you are work-ready and able to integrate and apply 
knowledge, values and skills in a health and 
wellbeing workplace  

  1. Work independently and collaboratively, 
    demonstrating resourcefulness, organisation and professionalism in a health and wellbeing setting 
  2. Establish rapport and communicate effectively to provide strengths-focused, planned, intentional and culturally-competent support for clients 

Hauora 

Semester 2

Term 4 

15 credits 

Become equipped with skills and strategies to 
facilitate and maintain
the health and safety of
self and others 

  1. Integrate hauora principles and legislation to uphold tangata whai ora rights and dignity 
  2. Utilise strategies to manage risks and keep self and others safe 
  3. Apply tō kete tūhauora to build resilience and promote wellbeing and work life balance 
Strand courses 
As part of your application, you need to select your first, second and third choice of strand. We will aim to give you your first choice but due to high numbers, this isn't always possible. If you are very particular about your first choice, please use your personal statement to strongly outline why.  

Course name Summary Outcomes

Strand: Community
Facilitation (Disability) 

Semester 2

Term 3

15 credits 

Be empowered so
you're able to facilitate
client autonomy and strengths in a
disability context  

 

  1. Recognise characteristics, and impacts, for a range of motor, sensory and intellectual disabilities 
  2. Monitor your own attitudes, values and skills to uphold industry standards and ethical practice 
  3. Access and draw on supports and resources to address barriers and support autonomy 

Strand: Mental Health 
and Addiction 

Semester 2

Term 3 

15 credits  

 

Be empowered so
you're able to facilitate
client recovery and strengths in a mental health and addiction
context

  1. Recognise characteristics, and impacts, for a range of mental health and addiction issues 
  2. Monitor you own attitudes, values and skills to uphold industry standards and ethical practice 
  3. Access and draw on supports and resources to enhance recovery and build resilience 

Strand: Social Services 

Semester 2

Term 3 

15 credits 

Be empowered so 
you're able to facilitate
client resilience and strengths in a social services context 

  1. Recognise characteristics, and impacts, for a range of issues related to family violence, inclusion and community wellbeing 
  2. Monitor your own attitudes, values and skills in relation to industry standards and ethical practice 
  3. Access and draw on supports and resources to reduce vulnerability and build resilience

Work placement information 

Work placements are an important aspect of your practical learning experience and, as much as possible, we aim to position you in a work placement that will enable you to pursue and meet your career and life aspirations. 

Depending on your specialty strand, you may find yourself supporting clients for the Special Olympics, working in a kaupapa Māori service, running a baking group or art activity in a day programme, working on a ward at a hospital, participating in an afterschool or holiday programme, working in elderly care or playing indoor football with a group of youth.

Placement process 
  • At the beginning of semester two, you'll complete placement preference forms
  • Following this activity, the placement coordinator and the team will discuss your preferences, strengths and any gaps and match you to a placement we feel will be appropriate for you.
  • Campus students and online students living in Dunedin or close by will be allocated a placement by our placement coordinator.
  • Online students and those from outside of Dunedin will need to follow this process:
    • you are required to explore workplace opportunities within your local community and bring placement possibilities to our placement coordinator
    • we encourage you to begin this process as part of your networking requirement in semester one and we will have conversations with you so that you are not doing this on your own
    • our placement coordinator will then work with you and your placement possibilities to negotiate a placement
    • it is imperative that any service providing a placement agrees to meet our placement requirements to keep everybody safe and happy and ensure that you can meet programme learning outcomes. 
Placement and networking timeframe, days and hours 

Placement hours (110)

Daily work activities, placement goals and assessment work

Networking hours (20)

Networking hours may include:

  • staff meetings or training outside of scheduled placement hours 
  • visiting internal services distinct from the placement service 
    outside of scheduled placement hours 
  • attending external training or established networks 
  • visiting external services that the organisation or clients interact
    with 

Placement start date

Anytime from late August

Placement end date 

Any time before mid-November 

Placement timeframe

6 weeks minimum and 12 weeks maximum depending on start date

As a guide:

  • a minimum of 6 weeks requires 18 hours per week 
  • a maximum of 12 weeks requires 9 hours per week 

Placement days

 

Negotiated between the student and the mentor 

Please do not schedule placement hours on class days. Class days are Thursdays and Fridays in Term 3 and Fridays in Term 4

Further study options 

Students completing this programme follow a wide variety of pathways. Many gain employment in the field and others choose to further their study with our Bachelor of Social ServicesBachelor of Occupational Therapy or Bachelor of Nursing

Others decide they want to follow a different path and choose to do further study in Design, Management, Culinary Arts, Horticulture, Sport, Law or Teaching (to name a few!)

We are part of Te Pūkenga

When you apply to study with Otago Polytechnic, you will be enrolled with Te Pūkenga, the new national network of vocational and applied education in Aotearoa New Zealand. You will learn in the same way, in the same place, and with the same people, and you will graduate with a Te Pūkenga qualification.

Disclaimer

While every effort is made to ensure that this sheet is accurate, Otago Polytechnic reserves the right to amend, alter or withdraw any of the contained information. The fees shown in this document are indicative only. Both domestic and international fees are subject to change and are dependent on the development and implementation of Government policies. Please note that additional fees may from time to time be required for external examination, NZQA fees and/or additional material fees.