Youth Guarantee programme success at BoP Polytechnic

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Youth Guarantee programme success at Bay of Plenty Polytechnic

- 21 April 2011

The Ministry of Education launched their Youth Guarantee programme midway through 2008. Youth Guarantee is part of the National government’s aim to keep young people in education, and is specifically aimed at those considered most at risk, recognising that some students can be motivated in non-traditional secondary school settings.

Bay of Plenty Polytechnic was one of the first of the ITPs (Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics) to provide the free study programme for 16 – 17 year olds in 2010, and applied a holistic methodology to student learning.

Kuku Wawatai, Director Māori and Community Development at Bay of Plenty Polytechnic, said the Polytechnic had taken an innovative approach to the learning needs of the students.

“We commenced the process by identifying and accepting the challenge that existed for our young people. We wanted to be able to provide something hands-on, something tactile and kinaesthetic that we could apply immediately at home and in a community context. To provide something real to help these at risk young people on to a journey of sustained tertiary learning.

“Critical to the success of our programmes was ensuring we recruited people who had good community connections with a youth background and were teacher focused,” said Kuku. “Also essential was choosing the right programme to fit the needs of the students.”

With more than 120 programmes to choose from it was no easy task, but one programme really stood out for Kuku and his team, the Certificate in Maritime and Fishing Technology. The practical hands-on programme is heavily engaged in industry and embraces two of the core philosophies of Youth Guarantees, meeting the needs of the future and being whānau focused.

The six month programme also allows for a mix of innovative technology with a traditional focus. There are a high proportion of Māori working within the maritime industry, so the fit was ideal.

“Our first cohort of 40 students began their journey nurtured by a network encompassing focused and connected teachers, whānau, iwi and hapu,” said Kuku. “Testament to the success of the programme, all students were awarded their level three qualification with many planning to undertake further tertiary study.”

Feedback from the Tertiary Education Commission has been extremely positive for the Polytechnic’s programme and indicated that the Polytechnic and its communities had crafted and designed a programme that was both innovative and extremely relevant.

Following on from last year’s success, 2011 has seen the Polytechnic take on an additional 20 students, giving 60 young people the opportunity to successfully engage in lifelong learning.

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