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After 29 years as a postal worker, I was made redundant. I had
no qualifications to move into another job. My husband had
recently passed away as well. I turned to a benefit to support
me. My caseworker encouraged me to look at other opportunities.
I wondered if it would be worth doing a diploma at my age.
I pictured myself on the benefit, standing in a queue waiting
for handouts. I thought there must be a better life out there
for me. I saw how beneficiaries were being treated. I knew I
could do more to care for them. I was inspired.
Social work was the answer to my passion for supporting our
whaanau in the community. I completed a diploma in social work
at Manukau Institute of Technology but I didn’t stop there. I
moved into the Maaori mental health team at CMDHB. Here I was
supported to complete a Bachelor of Social Work at the
University of Auckland.
A big part of being a social worker is knowing how to
communicate with different people to find out what they need.
Having life skills and being able to pass them on is a useful
too. My favourite part of the job is seeing the expression on
people’s faces when they achieve what they’re working towards.
If helping people take control of their lives inspires you too
then social work is the way to go.
Rae
For more information contact:
Manukau Institute of Technology, Department of Nursing & Health
Studies
Telephone: (09) 968 8736
Email:
info@manukau.ac.nz
The University of Auckland, Faculty of Education
Phone: (09) 623 8883
Email:
education@auckland.ac.nz
Connie Hii
Academic Programmes Administrator
Massey University
Phone: (09) 441 8164
Email:
c.hii@massey.ac.nz
Unitec Course Information Centre
Phone: 0800 10 95 10
or (09) 815 2945
Email:
courses@unitec.ac.nz
Rose Leonard
Te Waananga o Aotearoa
Phone: (09) 256 5900 |
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