New professional counselling service provided free to all learners at Te Pūkenga

Wherever learners are across New Zealand, they will be able to access new services whenever they need it. This includes all learners who will be able to access Vitae services which are contactable 24 hours a day, with a duty counsellor always on hand for emergencies.

“Our strategy for ākonga success includes promoting the wellbeing of our ākonga, which we know in turn enhances the wellbeing of whānau. We know that access to relevant services can be game-changing when it comes to their success with us. Our size and scale as an organisation now means that we can make services like this available for all learners whether they are campus-based, work-based, or online,” says Tania Winslade, Deputy Chief Executive Learner Journey and Experience.

Learners can call to discuss any problems that they might be experiencing, such as study or training stress, relationship problems, anxiety or depression, as well as reach out if they are undergoing harassment or any other kind of violence. The service can also be accessed via an app for smart phones, which provides a direct link to Vitae support services such as counselling and trauma response.