Supporting young Māori and Pasifika year olds that are outside the education system to attain NCEA Level 2 or equivalent qualifications.

Transcription

1 Supporting young Māori and Pasifika year olds that are outside the education system to attain NCEA Level 2 or equivalent qualifications.

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3 Count Me In What is Count Me In? Why is extra effort to lift Māori and Pasifika outcomes required? Why focus on NCEA Level 2 or equivalent qualifications? Who is Count Me In targeted at? Why does Count Me In require a multi-agency approach? What is the role of a Count Me In Facilitator? What is the Count Me In Intervention Aproach? STAGE 1: DISCOVER Identify, and collect background information on, a young person to support Step 1: Identify a young person to support to attain qualifications, and establish a client management system Step 2: Meet with the referral agent to collect background information and management requirements Step 3: Meet with the young person to establish your relationship, explain the purpose of Count Me In, collect background information, and secure written consent for the collection and use of their personal information Step 4: Complete Stage 1 Report STAGE 2: VERIFY Establish a baseline, and build the young person s understanding of NCEA and qualifications Step 5: Discuss NCEA and qualifications with the young person Step 6: Introduce the young person to Career Planning and Vocational Pathways tools Step 7: View the young person s Record of Achievement, and identify their existing NCEA and/or NZQF credits Step 8: Complete Stage 2 Report STAGE 3: CONFIRM Work with the young person to determine their options Step 9: Identify NCEA credit top-up requirements Step 10: Identify pathway options to progress their career aspirations Step 11: Present and discuss options with the young person Step 12: Complete Stage 3 Report Page - 3

4 STAGE 4: RESPOND Support the young person to make informed pathway choices Step 13: Work with the young person to select options, and identify support needs Step 14: Meet with the selected provider and young person s supporters/influencers, and agree support roles Step 15: Accompany the young person to enrol in and start their chosen course(s) Step 16: Complete Stage 4 Report STAGE 5: SUPPORT Support the young person to successfully attain qualifications Step 17: Meet with the young person to determine progress and identify any emerging issues Step 18: Meet with the young person s course provider and supporters/influencers to discuss the young person s progress and identify any emerging issues Step 19: Work with the young person, course provider and supporters/ influencers to address issues and improve supports if required Step 20: Complete Stage 5 Report TEMPLATES 1.1 Client Management Form 3.3 Consent Form 4.1 Stage 1/Discover Report 7.1 Career and Qualification Plan 8.1 Stage 2/Verify Report 12.1 Stage 3/Confirm Report 14.1 Support Agreement 16.1 Stage 4/Respond Report 17.1 Monitoring Form 20.1 Stage 5/Support Report INFORMATION 3.1 Engaging Young People in Learning 3.2 Count Me In 5.1 NCEA Summary 10.1 Youth Guarantee Fees-Free Scheme 13.1 Supports Available Page - 4

5 TOOLKITS Early Learning Literacy and Numeracy NCEA Career Planning/Vocational Pathways Education Agencies NOTES All users please note: This Facilitator s Guide is a living document that will be updated as required, to ensure the information is as current as is possible. An e-copy of this Guide is available on the Count Me In page on Page - 5

6 ART The Achievement (Achievement, Retention and Transition) initiative works in partnership with secondary schools to identify young people at risk of not achieving NCEA Level 2, with a particular focus on Māori and Pasifika students. Better Public Services Delivering better public services is one of the Government s key priorities, in recognition that New Zealand families expect the Government to spend their hard-earned taxes on the things that matter. To do this, the Government has set specific targets that it expects the public service to achieve: Reduce the number of people who have been on a working age benefit for more than 12 months Increase participation in early childhood education. Increase infant immunisation rates and reduce the incidence of rheumatic fever. Reduce the number of assaults on children. Increase the proportion of 18-year-olds with NCEA level 2 or equivalent qualification. Increase the proportion of 25 to 34-year-olds with advanced trade qualifications, diplomas and degrees (at level 4 or above). Reduce the rates of total crime, violent crime and youth crime. Reduce reoffending. New Zealand businesses have a one-stop online shop for all government advice and support they need to run and grow their business. New Zealanders can complete their transactions with the Government easily in a digital environment. Early Learning Taskforce The Early Learning Taskforce was established to drive momentum towards achieving the Better Public Services Early Childhood Education (ECE) Target (#2 to increase participation in early childhood education) by increasing the understanding of the value of early learning and ECE participation amongst priority groups. Literacy Literacy is traditionally understood as the ability to read and write. The concept of literacy is expanding in OECD countries to include skills to access knowledge through technology and ability to assess complex contexts. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) defines literacy as the ability to identify, understand, interpret, create, communicate and compute, using printed and written materials associated with varying contexts. Literacy involves a continuum of learning in enabling individuals to achieve their goals, to develop their knowledge and potential, and to participate fully in their community and wider society. NCEA National Certificate of Educational Achievement. NEET Not in Education, Employment or Training. Page - 6

7 NZQF The New Zealand Qualifications Framework (NZQF) is the definitive source for accurate and current information on quality assured qualifications in New Zealand. It covers senior secondary school qualifications and tertiary education qualifications. Numeracy Numeracy is the ability to reason and to apply simple numerical concepts. Basic numeracy skills consist of comprehending fundamental arithmetics like addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Substantial aspects of numeracy also include number sense, operation sense, computation, measurement, geometry, probability and statistics. Teen Parent Units Teen Parent Units (TPUs) provide the opportunity for second chance education for teens that have had to opt out of their schooling early due to pregnancy and parenthood. Te Kura Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu/Te Kura (the Correspondence School) is a distance education provider offering personalised learning programmes to students from early childhood to Year 13. Trades Academies Trades Academies focus on delivering trades and technology programmes to secondary students based on partnerships between schools, tertiary institutions, industry training organisations and employers. Students in years 11 to 13, who are interested in a career in trades or technology are able to combine study at a trades academy with studies towards their NCEA and a nationally transferable tertiary qualification Level 1, 2 or 3. Youth Guarantee Youth Guarantee initiatives are about improving the transition from school to work, by providing a wider range of learning opportunities, making better use of the education network, and creating clear pathways from school to work and study. Page - 7

8 INTRODUCTION

9 What is Count Me In? Count Me In has a finite lifespan of 2 years. As shown below, Count Me In is a multi-agency intervention, providing targeted and tailored support to Māori and Pasifika year olds outside the education system to re-engage in learning and attain NCEA Level 2 or equivalent qualifications. Count Me In will complement efforts by the Ministry of Education and other education agencies to rapidly lift outcomes for and with Māori and Pasifika young people within the formal education system. The Ministry of Education will also be focused on reducing the numbers of Māori and Pasifika leaving the education system without at least NCEA Level 2 or equivalent qualifications. In-System Out-of-System Ministry of Education and other education agencies Multi-agency, including those in the justice, welfare and social service sectors, iwi and employers Strengthened existing initiatives, programmes such as ART, Trades Academies and Youth Guarantee, and support for those learning through Te Kura and Teen Parent Units Count Me In Targeted and tailored support to reengage in learning and attain NCEA L2 or equivalent qualifications NOTE: If you find any Māori and Pasifika under the age of 16 in need of educational support, please bring them to the attention of our regional Ministry offices via ministry-of-education/contact-us/regional-ministry-contacts/ Count Me In also has a focus on supporting the work of the Early Learning Taskforce to increase Māori and Pasifika participation in early childhood education (ECE). Participation in high quality ECE has significant benefits for children and their future learning ability. Some studies have found that ECE: positively impacts literacy, numeracy, and problem-solving skills well into the teenage years; and helps to develop strong foundations for future learning success, leading to higher levels of achievement and better social outcomes. ECE participation has been identified as a key factor in supporting vulnerable children, which has led to its inclusion as a Government Better Public Services (BPS) target: to increase participation in early childhood education to 98% of all new entrants by See Page - 9

10 The target group for the ECE area is parents with 4 year old children that have not previously or consistently participated in ECE. If you come across any parents or families with children this age not in ECE, please support them to ring 0800 ECE ECE ( ) to talk about options with an advisor, or access information on options through the Parents Portal govt.nz/early-learning/early-childhood-education/ Why is extra effort to lift Māori and Pasifika outcomes required? Count Me In is a response to the recognition that (in 2013): the NCEA or equivalent Level 2 outcomes for 18 year old Māori and Pasifika young people were significantly below the national average 2 ; and insufficient numbers of Māori and Pasifika students are currently retained in the formal education system to achieve the BPS target of 85% of 18 year olds gaining L2 qualifications by % National Average 71.40% Pasifika 63.30% Māori 4000 Data 3 indicates that: the largest numbers of Māori and Pasifika young people outside the education system are 17 year olds that are in the justice system, employed, and NEET/on welfare; and the regions where the biggest gains can be made are Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Gisborne (due to disproportionately poor outcomes for their Māori population), and Manawatu/Whanganui Māori Pasifika Māori Pasifika 16 Year Olds 17 Year Olds Employed NEET/On Welfare Justice System Why focus on NCEA Level 2 or equivalent qualifications? A Level 2 qualification gives people opportunities in terms of further education, employment, health outcomes and a better quality of life. It also helps New Zealanders develop the skills needed to reach their full potential and contribute to the economy and society. Success in education is essential to the Government s goal of building a productive and competitive economy Whilst indicative 2014 results show improvements (67.9% and 73.5% respectively), shortfalls remain. 3 - Broad estimates using 2013 Census population data and associated in-system and out-of-system data. 4 - See Page - 10

11 Who is Count Me In targeted at? The target group for Count Me In is: Māori and Pasifika year olds that are outside the education system in Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Gisborne, and Manawatu/Whanganui. This limited focus recognises that: Māori and Pasifika year olds outside the education system have extremely limited options without appropriate qualifications; young Māori and Pasifika will make up an increasing proportion of our national workforce in the future, and our economic prosperity will depend on all in our national workforce being skilled and highly productive; there is an apparent lack of active management approaches for the 17 year old age group (outside the education and welfare systems), which falls between youth and adult provisions; significant Ministry (and other education agencies) resources are already focused on reducing the number of year olds leaving the education system without any formal qualifications; and the Ministry and other agencies can use respective resources more effectively by working together to support young Māori and Pasifika to attain qualifications. Why does Count Me In require a multi-agency approach? As shown below, our access to the target group will be enabled through partnerships with agencies that work with these young people in the justice and welfare sectors, with iwi, and with employers Effecting the Count Me In intervention Working with NZ Police Ministry of Justice (District Courts) Child Youth and Family Services (CYFS) Target Group Segments In the Justice System 761 Māori 178 Pasifika Influencing Ministry of Social Development Whānau Ora Commissioning Agencies Social Service Providers NEET/in the Welfare System 1,323 Māori 583 Pasifika Working through Department of Corrections Te Puni Kōkiri Iwi Employers Employed (and not studying) 1,586 Māori 492 Pasifika Note that these numbers are approximations based on past agency and 2013 Census data. Page - 11

12 What is the role of a Count Me In Facilitator? A facilitator is someone who helps people [identify and then] understand their objectives and assists them to plan how to achieve these objectives. The facilitator remains neutral meaning he/she does not take a particular position in the discussion. As a helper and enabler, a Facilitator contributes structure and process to interactions so groups/individuals are able to function effectively and make high-quality decisions. 5 Your role as a Count Me In Facilitator is to guide young people through a process of: establishing their starting point and development aspirations; connecting with education providers; attaining qualifications; and progressing career pathways. This will involve developing and maintaining open, responsive and constructive relationships with education providers, agency partners, relevant community organisations, and supporters/influencers of young Māori and Pasifika people. It will be important to ensure that young people are fully engaged, understand each step, can make informed decisions, and take responsibility for those decisions. You will be responsible for ensuring that outcomes, actions and questions are properly recorded, and appropriately dealt with as required. What is the Count Me In Intervention Approach? This Facilitator s Guide has been developed to support anyone working with young people to connect them with education providers, attain qualifications, and progress career pathways. Step-by-step guidance is provided, based on our five stage intervention methodology, as shown on the next page. This approach may also be integrated with existing case management practices. At each stage, we ask for reports on each young person s progress. This information is important as, when it is aggregated/combined, it will help us to: identify how many NCEA or equivalent credits young Māori and Pasifika people have exited the education system with; measure and report the impact of targeted and tailored support for young Māori and Pasifika people to attain qualifications and progress career pathways; and identify and report emerging policy issues that are adversely affecting Māori and Pasifika outcomes. Although it is aimed at supporting those young people outside the formal education system, the Discover, Verify and Confirm stages may also provide valuable support for those looking to encourage young people still at school struggling to find direction. 5 - Bens, Ingrid (2012). Faciliating with ease! San Francisco: Wiley Page - 12

13 DISCOVER IDENTIFY, AND COLLECT BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON, A YOUNG PERSON TO SUPPORT VERIFY ESTABLISH A BASELINE AND BUILD THE YOUNG PERSON S UNDERSTANDING OF NCEA CONFIRM WORK WITH THE YOUNG PERSON TO DETERMINE THEIR OPTIONS RESPOND SUPPORT THE YOUNG PERSON TO MAKE INFORMED PATHWAY CHOICESS SUPPORT SUPPORT THE YOUNG PERSON TO SUCCESSFULLY ATTAIN QUALIFICATIONS Page - 13

14 This Guide also includes: Templates to help capture key discussions or developments, and report on achievements at the end of each stage. Information, to explain specific elements (e.g. the National Certificate of Educational Achievement/NCEA), and support discussions and decision-making. Toolkits, to ensure access to more detailed information and interactive resources to support engagement, discussions and decision-making. We also have the following Count Me In resources available to support you: A page on the education.govt.nz website, where copies of the Guide, templates, information and toolkits are available, as well as regular updates; A Facebook Page to support networking amongst Count Me In Facilitators; Our -box (CountMeIn.mailbox@education.govt.nz), where referrals can be made, questions and requests for support can be posted, and reports can be submitted; and Our 0800 number (0800 Count Me In/ ) number, where referrals can be made. Page - 14

15 STAGE 1: DISCOVER

16 1 Identify a young person to support to attain qualifications, and establish a management system 1.1 Client Management Form 2 If a young person has been referred*, meet with the referral agent to collect background information and management requirements 3 Meet with the young person to explain the purpose of Count Me In 3.3 Count Me In Collect background information Secure written consent to collect and use personal information 3.2 Consent / Registration Form 4 Complete Stage 1 Report 4.1 Stage 1/Discover Report *Ministry of Education staff will respond to Police, CYF and District Court referrals made through 0800 Count Me In ( ) or CountMeIn. mailbox@education.govt.nz Page - 16

17 Step 1: Identify a young person to support to attain qualifications, and establish a client management system As detailed earlier, our target group for Count Me In is: Māori and Pasifika year olds that are outside the education system in Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Gisborne, and Manawatu/Whanganui. Outside the education system means that the young person is not enrolled in a school (including Te Kura/the Correspondence School, alternative education or a Teen Parent Unit), or a tertiary provider. If the young person is a beneficiary (receiving the Youth Payment or Young Parent Payment) from the Ministry of Social Development, they will be catered for by Youth Service Providers. Once you have identified a young person to support, establish a system for capturing your discussions. We have included an example Client Management Form (see Templates 1.1) for your use, and adaptation as required. Client files must be stored in a way that is protected at all times from unauthorised viewing and/ or theft. Step 2: Meet with the referral agent to collect background information and management requirements If the young person has been referred by Police, CYF or the Youth/District Courts, they will have important information on the young person to help you build an understanding of their background. Police and Youth Courts may have Preventative/Alternate Action Plans, where young people are required to develop and implement education plans to avoid prosecution. CYF may require education plans to be completed before Family Group Conferences. These management requirements will have deadlines which you ll need to work with the young person to meet. The referral agent will also have helpful information on services and people that can support the young person s learning, and may themselves be available to support you and the young person you are working with. Page - 17

18 Step 3: Meet with the young person to explain the purpose of Count Me In, collect background information, and secure written consent for the collection and use of their personal information When you first engage with the young person, it is important to build a rapport with them and demonstrate your commitment to helping them move forward. Sitting down and having a lot of eye contact may be awkward for some youth. Taking them outside for a walk where you don t have to make as much eye contact may provide a more comfortable environment for the young person to talk about themselves at the beginning of your relationship. When supporting young people to re-engage in learning, it will be important to help them identify and overcome barriers to learning. As detailed in Engaging Young People in Learning 6 (see Information 3.1), important factors influencing engagement may include: motivation to learn; ability to read; an ingrained sense of failure; having the right information, advice and guidance; a lack of ambitious and achievable aspirations; and support from parents/caregivers and other adult and peer role models. At the heart of it all is the overriding need to communicate with young people, to listen to them, and to value them as individuals. This includes developing trusting relationships with young people, and ensuring they are actively involved in determining their future choices. Focus on the positive achievements that young people have already made and how they can progress, rather than focusing on the negative aspects of the young person s past educational experiences 7. To successfully support the young person you will need to ensure they are fully engaged in the process. We have included material (see Information 3.2), for you to explain to the young person, on Count Me In and the process you will be using to support them to connect with education providers, attain qualifications, and progress their career pathway. It is important to remember that building a relationship with the young person may take time, developing over the course of several engagements. It will also be important to meet with the young person s parents/caregivers to explain what Count Me In is, how you will be supporting the young person to connect with education providers, attain qualifications, and progress their career pathway, and encourage the parents/ caregivers to take active roles in the process. 6 - See 16-review 7 - Ibid Page - 18

19 Collect any background information you need to effectively support the young person, including their contact details, and the names and contact details of any people who are supporters/ influencers of the young person. At this point, you will need to secure their agreement to participate in Count Me In and their written consent for the collection and use of personal information using our Consent/Registration Form (see Templates 3.3). Note that this consent may have already been secured through our referrals process. Step 4: Complete Stage 1 Report Although you will be collecting a lot of information to help you support the young person, for our monitoring and reporting processes we only require the following information for this stage: Reference Number for privacy (of information) reasons, we do not want to collect client names, and instead will create a unique reference number for the young person when we ve received your report. Age whilst our target group is primarily 17 year olds, we are conscious that support may also be sought for 16 and 18 year olds. Gender we are interested in monitoring the numbers of males and females we engage. Geographic Location knowing the town/city where the young person is will help us determine the impact we are having in priority and other regions. Ethnicity we are interested in monitoring the numbers of Māori and Pasifika that are being supported. Identification Source this is primarily to help us track referrals and identifications through other networks. Management Requirements we would like to track other agency requirements and deadlines. Consent Secured we need confirmation (yes/no) that the young person has given their consent for the collection and use of their personal information. Notes we are particularly interested in knowing if there are any issues emerging at this stage, what you will do to address these, and if you require any support. The reporting template is an Excel spreadsheet that captures data at each stage of our Count Me In process. We have provided examples in the Stage 1 Report section (see Templates 4.1) to help you complete the report. The populated spreadsheet is to be ed to CountMeIn.mailbox@minedu.govt.nz at the end of every fortnight. Page - 19

20 STAGE 2: VERIFY

21 5 Discuss NCEA and qualifications with the young person Use 5.1 NCEA Summary Form NCEA Toolkit 6 Introduce the young person to Career Planning and Vocational Pathways tools Career Planning Toolkit 7 View the young person's Record of Achievement, and identify their existing NCEA and/or NZQF credits 7.1 Career and Qualification Plan 8 Complete Stage 2 Report 8.1 Stage 2/Verify Report Page - 21

22 Step 5: Discuss NCEA and qualifications with the young person Whilst we are focused on supporting young people to attain NCEA L2 and equivalent qualifications, it is important to explain how qualifications support career and lifestyle choices. At this stage it may be more helpful to ask general questions: What things do you like doing/are you good at? Writing? Sports? Designing or building things? Hobbies? Art? Helping others? How did you find school? What did you like about school? What didn t you like about school? When and why did you leave school? Is there anyone you admire or want to be like? Why? What is your dream job? Why is this your dream job? Are there any reasons why you aren t pursuing qualifications to get your dream job? How much do you know about NCEA and qualifications? How much do your parents/family members know about NCEA? We have included material (see Information 5.1) to help you explain NCEA to the young person and answer any questions they may have. A helpful analogy is to liken NCEA to building blocks, towards a qualification and dream job. You can also use digital resources within the NCEA Toolkit to engage the young person and build their understanding. The short video explaining NCEA/qualifications on the Māori Future Makers website ( com/ncea-steps-to-success) would be a good place to start. If the young person s parents/family have a limited understanding of NCEA and qualifications, give the young person a Get the Cred Board Game to take home and play with his/her family and friends. This is a fun way to learn about NCEA and qualifications, and will help parents/ family members and friends to support the young person s re-engagement in learning. Page - 22

23 Step 6: Introduce the young person to Career Planning and Vocational Pathways tools If the young person is finding it hard to describe what they want to do (career-wise), go to www. careers.govt.nz/plan-your-career/not-sure-what-to-do/ and work through the prompts. This is a very useful website that has been developed for this purpose. You could also show them some of the videos on the Māori Future Makers website www. Māorifuturemakers.com, letting them choose according to I m good at, I d like to and/or I m interested in. Click on the Profiles, Whānau and Rongonui tabs to view different types of videos. Page - 23

24 Or view the Pacific Achievers videos on the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs website govt.nz/pacific-achievers-2 Career Planning Careers NZ offers a range of information and tools to support informed careers decision-making. Encourage the young person to explore the website, following prompts and using the different interactive tools, including: CareerQuest, which recommends jobs based on young people s actual interests. Young people rate their interests in a range of areas from no interest to very interested. The tool then recommends particular jobs based on this data. Know Your Skills helps people identify what skills are, and how they can discover their own skills and use them towards their career. Skill Matcher helps young people to generate job ideas based on the skills they enjoy/are interested in learning, shows them how their skills could apply to many occupations within New Zealand, and provides them with tips on what steps to take next. Compare Study Options enables people to compare earning and employment information across different study areas. CV Builder is an easy to use tool that will create a CV based on the information that is entered. The jobs database can also provide helpful summary information on different jobs, including pay rates, the number of people doing the job, and job opportunities. Job pages also provide more detailed information on the job and how to enter the job. Page - 24

25 Like the jobs database, the Occupation Outlook contains education, employment and income information on 50 key occupations in New Zealand to give you a clearer picture of possible career paths. These 50 were chosen for their size, popularity, and potential for future growth. Go to for more information, or encourage young people to download the Occupation Outlook app from Apple itunes or Google Play. Vocational Pathways Vocational Pathways help students see how NCEA Level 2 standards align with six industries: primary; services; social and community services; manufacturing and technology; construction and infrastructure; and creative. Profile Builder is a tool that helps students to explore their study options. Students can see where they are heading and think about where they would like to go by inputting the standards they are currently doing or might like to do. Capturing Information Once the young person has identified the career or job they d like (or even several options), record this for future reference. We have included an example Career and Qualification Plan (see Templates 7.1) for you to help build with the young person you are supporting. Step 7: View the young person s Record of Achievement, and identify their existing NCEA and/or NZQF credits To establish the young person s starting point for progressing their career pathway, you will need to view their Record of Achievement (ROA). The ROA is an official transcript of all the standards and national qualifications that a person has ever achieved. A National Student Number (NSN) and password is needed to access an ROA. If the young person has not received or has forgotten their NSN and/or password, phone or the NZQA Call Centre HelpDesk (during business hours), answer several questions, and the NSN will be provided. Once this is known, go to for-learners/records/login.do and follow the login instructions. Page - 25

26 The ROA will show all NCEA (achievement) credits and/or NZQF (unit standard) credits that the young person has achieved. Record the number of credits the young person has achieved at NCEA levels 1 and 2, and any NZQF credits they may have attained whilst at school. Text in red will appear at the top of the ROA if the young person has any unpaid fees. If the young person does have outstanding payments due, discuss with them whether you can contact their parents/family to explain what this means and ask if they can make the payment to ensure the young person s credits are awarded. Note that Youth Guarantee learners that access fees-free places are eligible to have their unpaid fees paid through a process administered by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA). If neither of these options is feasible for the young person, let us know as we could enter into negotiations with NZQA on behalf of learners. To determine if the young person has the required 10 Literacy and 10 Numeracy NCEA L1 credits, you will need to click on the Vocational Pathways tab on the menu to the left of the ROA. Page - 26

27 If the young person has achieved the required NCEA L1 Literacy and Numeracy credits, ticks will appear against these, as shown below. If the young person has not achieved the required Literacy and Numeracy credits, crosses will appear against these. You will need to go back to the young person s ROA and scroll through the attained NCEA/NZQF credits to determine if the young person has achieved any Literacy and Numeracy credits. Note that Literacy and Numeracy credits may be attained through traditional subjects like English and Maths, but can also be attained through other subjects. To find out which achievement and unit standards meet Literacy and/or Numeracy requirements for NCEA, go to: and download the Spreadsheet of literacy/ numeracy achievement standards. to identify relevant Work and Study Skill unit standards. Note that not all education providers will be accredited to deliver these unit standards, but they provide a helpful reference. Capture all relevant information in the Career and Qualification Plan. Page - 27

28 Step 8: Complete Stage 2 Report At this stage, we need information (continuing from the Stage 1 Report) on: Last Date in System this will help us determine and report on how long young people have been outside the formal education system. Career Aspirations we are interested in identifying the nature of career aspirations that these young people have, and to what extent these are provided for through existing tertiary education options. NCEA L1 Credits we are interested in tracking whether young people are achieving the requisite 10 Literacy and 10 Numeracy credits, and any other NCEA L1 credits they may have attained. NCEA L2 Credits it will be important to identify and report any NCEA L2 credits young people have already attained, and how many more are required to attain their full 80 credits/ NCEA L2. NZQF Credits some schools offer unit-standards-based credits to students, which can be counted towards an equivalent L2 qualification. Notes we are interested in knowing if there are any issues emerging at this stage, what you will do to address these, and if you require any support. Remember that the reporting template is an Excel spreadsheet that captures data at each stage of our Count Me In process. We have provided examples in the Stage 2 Report section (see Templates 8.1) to help you complete the report. The populated spreadsheet is to be ed to CountMeIn.mailbox@minedu.govt.nz at the end of every fortnight. Page - 28

29 STAGE 3: CONFIRM

30 9 Identify options to top-up NCEA credits Use 7.1 Career and Qualification Plan 10 Identify pathway options to progress their career aspirations Use 7.1 Career and Qualification Plan 10.1 Youth Guarantee Fees-Free Scheme 11 Present and discuss options with the young person Use 7.1 Career and Qualification Plan 12 Complete Stage 3 Report 12.1 Stage 3/Confirm Report Page - 30

31 Step 9: Identify NCEA credit top-up requirements During this step you may be working alone, or with the young person, to collect relevant information on the options they have to attain qualifications and progress their career pathway. Begin by identifying how many NCEA credits the young person needs to achieve an NCEA or equivalent NCEA Level 2 80 credits 60 credits from Level 2 20 credits from any level Level 2 qualification. As detailed in the NCEA Summary (see Information 5.1), 60 credits at Level 2 or above are required, as well as 20 credits from any level. If the young person has not achieved the required 10 Literacy and 10 Numeracy credits at Level 1, these could make up the 20 credits from any level. Identifying how many credits the young person needs will help inform thinking on course options to ensure they attain NCEA Level 2 or equivalent qualifications and progress their career pathway. Step 10: Identify pathway options to progress their career aspirations During this step you are exploring options to enable the young person to attain NCEA Level 2 or equivalent qualifications as they progress their career pathway. The first place to start is with their career aspiration(s) and identifying the qualifications required in these industries/ occupations. Your first useful reference is the Careers NZ jobs database jobs/ Enter the desired job(s) that the young person has identified in the search box, or find jobs by industry and interest area. As shown below, each job profile includes information about the job, how to enter the job, and job opportunities. Page - 31

32 Click on the how to enter the job tab, and view the Entry Requirements and Secondary Education requirements. The Secondary Education section will list NCEA qualifications that are required for that job. The Entry Requirements will identify if a tertiary qualification is required, and what type(s) of tertiary qualification(s). Use the Career and Qualifications Plan (see Templates 7.1) to record the young person s: desired job/career; required secondary and (if relevant) tertiary qualifications for the desired job/career; and current NCEA and NZQF credits. Pathways Now you need to identify what pathway options are available for the young person, including: returning to school to gain the credits required to attain NCEA L2; or enrolling with a tertiary provider to undertake a course to achieve the credits required to attain an NCEA L2 or equivalent qualification. Secondary School Although it is highly unlikely that our target group will want to return to secondary school, as they may not have been in the education system for some time, this is still an option that should be explored. Ask the young person if they can remember, or estimate, when they were last enrolled in the education system. If this is an option that the young person is interested in, contact the regional Ministry of Education office to ask them to identify secondary schools in the area and work with these schools to determine if they would be willing and able to enrol the young person. Page - 32

33 Tertiary Courses Fees-Free Pathways Within the Government s Youth Guarantee programme is the Fees-Free scheme (see Information 10.1), which is designed to provide year olds with an opportunity to study towards NCEA Level 2 aligned with the Vocational Pathways, or equivalent, at tertiary providers free of charge. Students take part in full-time study in programmes which are usually vocationally focused. There are over 10,000 fees-free places per annum for young people offered by a range of Tertiary Education Organisations (TEOs) including Polytechnics, Wānanga and Private Training Establishments. Go to to identify fees-free providers in your area. You will need to make contact with the provider(s) to identify which fees-free course options they have available, and the number of places they have available for those courses. Note that the funding that TEOs receive includes provision for student pastoral care and travel. Other Options At foundational levels (1-2) there may be other fees-free options available for young people, although these will not have the travel support that the Youth Guarantee Fees-Free scheme offers. There will also be fee-paying options which, whilst less attractive, offer insights into the kinds of pathways available to the young person to progress their career pathway. Helpful sites for identifying courses include: Which Course Where, which has information about tertiary education providers, qualifications and courses that might help you make decisions about tertiary education The Tertiary Education Commission s website Learners/What-can-I-learn-and-where/Courses-and-providers/ Careers NZ s database for specific courses or information about training providers in different regions If you already know the names of tertiary providers in your region, check out their websites too. At this stage it may become apparent that the young person is not yet ready for a full tertiary course, and that bridging options may be more suitable. These could include shorter top-up courses that will bridge the young person into higher-level qualifications. Record all identified (at least 3) pathway options on the young person s Career and Qualification Plan. Page - 33

34 Step 11: Present and discuss options with the young person In presenting and discussing options with the young person, it will be important to give them as much information to consider as is possible. For the various pathway options, you should identify: the length of the course(s); costs, including fees, books and materials (unless these are already covered through the Youth Guarantee Fees-Free scheme); any other costs that could be incurred such as accommodation/living and travel to and from classes; learning and pastoral supports offered by the course provider; whether credits can be transferred to another programme if the young person decides to change courses. If you have any concerns about the performance of any of the tertiary providers you have identified, you can also visit the TEC website performance-in-tertiary-education/educational-performance-at-individual-tertiary-providers/ The educational performance information seeks to answer questions such as how many students are: successfully completing their courses; completing their qualifications; progressing to higher level study; and being retained in study. Using the populated Career and Qualification Plan, explain the options you have identified to the young person and respond to any questions they have. If they raise issues you hadn t thought of, you may need to gather more information to help them make an informed decision. If they also identify supports they require to undertake the course, capture these (and report them in the next stage) so you can engage with relevant service providers to wrap this support around the young person and/or their family. Page - 34

35 Step 12: Complete Stage 3 Report At this stage, we need information (continuing from Stage 1 and 2 Reports) on: Job/Career Qualification Requirements we are interested in the nature and levels of secondary and tertiary qualification requirements that are required to achieve the young person s desired job/career. Required Credits for NCEA Level 2 or Equivalent this will help us identify and report how far the young people we are working with are away from achieving NCEA L2 or equivalent qualifications. Available Pathway Options we are interested in identifying whether there are sufficient pathway options within and across our priority regions. Notes we are interested in knowing if there are any issues emerging at this stage, what you will do to address these, and if you require any support. Remember that the reporting template is an Excel spreadsheet that captures data at each stage of our Count Me In process. We have provided examples in the Stage 3 Report section (see Templates 12.1) to help you complete the report. Don t forget that the populated spreadsheet is to be ed to CountMeIn.mailbox@minedu. govt.nz at the end of every fortnight. Page - 35

36 STAGE 4: RESPOND

37 13 Work with the young person to select options, and identify support needs 13.1 List of Available Supports 14 Meet with the selected provider and young person s supporters/ influencers, and agree support roles 14.1 Support Agreement 15 Accompany the young person to enrol and start in their chosen course(s) 16 Complete Stage 4 Report 16.1 Stage 4/Respond Report Page - 37

38 Step 13: Work with the young person to select options, and identify support needs Selecting Options As it is likely that you will have identified several options for the young person to consider, you will need to help them make a decision on what s right for them. Work with the young person, and their family if appropriate, to identify the pros and cons of each option. Use all the information you have collected thus far to inform discussions. If you feel it will be helpful, take the young person to visit course providers, meet with tutors and look at training facilities. Arrange for the young person to talk to people that have completed the course(s) they are interested in, or are in the job(s)/career(s) the young person is interested in. Do as much as you can to ensure that the young person is making an informed decision, and not just trying to please you or their family, or is too overwhelmed by the information to make a choice. Once they have made their decision, work with them to finalise details, including confirming there is space (preferably a Youth Guarantee Fees-Free or general fees-free) on the course. Identifying Support Needs Whilst accessing the Youth Guarantee fees-free or general fees-free options will cover course costs (including travel see below), the young person may have other needs that, if not addressed, may affect their participation in training pathways and eventual attainment of qualifications. Work with the young person to identify if they have any other needs that you can find support for. For example, do they have appropriate identification (e.g. a birth certificate, licence or passport)? Do they have literacy issues or difficulties filling out forms? If they have credit issues, can you find a local budget advisor to help work on this? Are they accessing appropriate health or support services? It may also be appropriate to discuss whether there are any supports that can be wrapped around their family as well particularly if any issues may impact the young person s ability to engage in learning (e.g. looking after younger siblings). It will be important that you secure the support of others who provide different social services, so you and the young person do not lose sight of the qualification (and better life quality) objective. Page - 38

39 Travel Costs The Tertiary Education Commission may reimburse the cost of daily travel for Foundation- Focused Training Opportunities or Youth Guarantee learners. Payment can be made for learners actual travel costs from their home to the agreed training site. Learners must supply evidence of the actual cost of travelling to and from the training site. The process for accessing these payments will need to be discussed with the chosen provider at the time of enrolment. Payments will not be made for: travel costs if a learner does not spend anything on travel; and extra travel costs e.g. travel from a training site to a site for workplace experience, as these are programme costs which base fees cover 8. Other Financial Supports Scholarships, grants and awards may be available to support your young person s tertiary education. Go to: for information about what s available and how to get it. for a searchable database of over 2,200 awards, scholarships and grants for individuals in New Zealand. Iwi/Māori and Pasifika education grants or scholarships may also be available. StudyLink is a Ministry of Social Development service that manages student allowances and loans. Student Loans are not available to under-18 year olds, but some 16 and 17 year olds are able to access the Student Allowance. Student Allowance is a weekly payment to help with living expenses while studying, and it doesn t have to be paid back. To get a student allowance you usually have to be studying fulltime or limited full-time. How much you get depends on: your income; if you have a partner, and their income; if you have children; your parents income if you are under 24 and don t have children; and if you live with your parents while you re studying. As part of the student allowance, applicants may be able to get an accommodation benefit to help with your accommodation costs. See accommodation-benefit.html For detailed information, ring (Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm) or go to www. studylink.govt.nz/ 8 - See Page - 39

40 Youth/Social Services We have included a directory of some of the support services in our target regions (see Information 13.1) which we are sure you will be able to build on. Step 14: Meet with the selected provider and young person s supporters/ influencers, and agree support roles Ensuring the young person has a wider support network is a critical part of your role. It is not intended that the young person become dependent on you, so the more you can involve others, and encourage them to provide more long-term support of the young person, the better. Meeting with the selected provider is a first step, to ensure they understand the young person s aspirations and needs, and can provide appropriate support. Tertiary education organisations are expected to support students to build on their achievement and progress to higher levels of education. They receive pastoral care funding for each student, to ensure their needs are met and they are fully supported to successfully complete their courses. The young person will also have a range of supporters/influencers around them, which may include family (direct or extended), friends or role models. Engage with as many of these as you can, ensure they understand the young person s aspirations and needs, and seek their agreement to support the young person. We have provided an example Support Agreement (see Templates 14.1) to capture what the provider and supporters/influencers are going to do to support the young person. This could include ensuring that the young person: attends their course everyday; is engaged and supported in their learning; meets course requirements (including assignments); successfully attain their qualifications; identifies any problems that could affect their ability to complete the course; and/or seeks advice and support when required. Page - 40