New WEAPon to support students

PLAN TO ACHIEVE: School social worker and iwi champion Mereana Lopa says new action plans designed are helping whanau to better support their children's education. PHOTO/LYNDA FERINGA

A new action plan is helping students reach their goals and achieve NCEA.

The Ministry of Education and the NZ Qualification Authority have developed a new tool, called a whanau educational action plan (WEAP), as a way to help "iwi champions" support whanau who want to become more involved in furthering their children's education.

The plan, which sees whanau, iwi, social workers and schools work together toward understanding and meeting student goals, allows families to take a more active role in setting targets, timeframes and responsibilities.

Rangitane school social worker Mereana Lopa was one of 11 people to receive the WEAP training last year and become a designated iwi champion.

Mrs Lopa said there have already been some "big results", with one student passing level one NCEA and gaining extra credits for level two, and another gaining confidence and improved language skills. "It's really about ensuring the whanau when they are out there actually understand what NCEA is all about, so you set realistic plans with them to reach their goals."

One student started started using the plan after overhearing a friend talking about it and then suggesting it to his mother .

"The plan was around mum supporting her boy, making sure he got NCEA because he was kind of slipping off the rails and she was feeling like the nagging mum - and he got NCEA and credits for level 2 and the school was just as supportive because they could see his potential."

While the initiative was targeted at NCEA students, it was easily applied to younger students or different goals, she said. "I love the template and the tools that they have to offer and I can implement that with my own mahi at schools - I think it's brilliant."

Another student used the plan to improve his confidence in using English, which was not his first language, at school.

"His struggle at school was English so we had to introduce more English in the home, so we did a WEAP ... he achieved his goals by going to leadership programmes and not being shy about speaking out."

Setting up a plan with whanau helped them to take ownership of the targets, Mrs Lopa said. "The families have to own it, the children have to own it ... it's really up to the whanau."

Kahungunu ki Wairarapa also undertook the training and are working with secondary schools in South Wairarapa.