Post 1:

Hello and welcome to your first weekly post on the NZQA Tertiary and International Learners Code of Practice. Today, we will be discussing one of the most important aspects of the Code – the provision of pastoral care to students.

As someone who works in a tertiary institute, you have a vital role in ensuring that your students receive the support and guidance they need to succeed. This means that you must take an active role in promoting the welfare and well-being of your students, and should be aware of the many resources available to help you do so.

One key requirement of the Code is that institutions must have a formal policy in place for providing pastoral care to students. If your institution does not have such a policy, you should work with your colleagues to develop one as soon as possible.

Additionally, the Code requires that institutions provide students with access to a range of support services, including counseling, health services, and academic assistance. To ensure that you are meeting this requirement, you should familiarize yourself with the resources available at your institution and encourage your students to take advantage of them.

Finally, it is important that you maintain regular communication with your students and are responsive to their needs. This means that you should be available to meet with students outside of class, listen to their concerns, and refer them to appropriate resources when necessary.

By following these guidelines for providing pastoral care to your students, you can help ensure that they receive the support they need to succeed in their studies and beyond. We’ll discuss more detail about these guidelines in our next weekly post.