"I'm a clinical and non-clinical health coach. I landed the job before I finished the certificate." Cassar said she enjoyed the course because the teachers were amazing.
In addition to the core modules, students can choose one of two strands as the focus of their studies. These are mental health and addiction support or social services. Students also undertake a practicum in a setting relevant to the strand they select, to integrate their learning into professional practice.
A key benefit of this programme is the flexibility in how it is delivered. Students study face-to-face with tutors and their peers for two days a week and have three days for independent study or placement. For those already employed in a health care support role, this programme can be undertaken online.
Students take on 200 practicum hours in a work setting relevant to their selected strand to apply their knowledge and skills, enhance their learning and develop professional practice. This qualification meets the requirement for the Care and Support Workers Pay Equity Settlement. Completion will allow employees and those seeking to enter the industry to follow a career path, with qualification attainment linked to wage increases.
"I wanted to do something in mental health and I'd done all my other certificates overseas, so it was nice to have one that was rooted in te ao Māori and based in New Zealand," Cassar said.
"It was a good observing space for me, I loved observing the teachers and learning from them. It was nice how we learned how to take concise notes. I loved learning the Māori parts of the course - learning about the Treaty of Waitangi was valuable for me because of my current role.
"It's a great certificate for people who already have a background in this industry, and people who want to further their knowledge and careers," she said.
Cassar also runs her own business in Thames doing life coaching for people with eating disorders and drug addictions. She was doing that before the course.
Bill Shaw, academic staff member for the Centre for Education and Foundation Pathways, currently teaches the Certificate in Health and Wellbeing on the Wintec Thames campus.
"I moved on from teaching on the social work degree programme at Wintec in 2021, as I wanted to be closer to my home community in the Coromandel and to have more contact with the social service industry in the region.
"My industry experience includes over 30 years experience working in both the social service and mental health sector in a variety of different roles, including [as a] registered psychologist, counsellor, registered social worker, manager and tertiary social work educator," he said.
Shaw is a previous recipient of the Wintec Tertiary Teaching Excellence Award. In 2015, he was the winner of the Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers' Quality and Innovation Award for demonstrating excellence and innovation in social work education.
