Advocacy groups worked together to create the new qualification which will provide important skills to those working with Pacific families.

Its importance is in no doubt: in New Zealand. Pacific children are 2.5 times more likely than other children to be physically punished.

In addition, family violence is a particular concern. Here in New Zealand, Pacific families are 44 percent more likely than others to experience physical or psychological violence.

Countering family violence

Training for the new qualification begins this October.

From then, frontline services, health and social workers will be able to complete the specialised family violence training to gain a Level 6 micro credential.

The new training programme includes cultural frameworks from eight Pacific nations including Samoa, Niue, Tonga and Fiji.

The Cause Collective (a community organisation that aims to create the conditions for communities to thrive) will deliver the training in partnership with Pacific community groups.

The New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) has granted the course historic accreditation.

Nga Vaka o Kaiga Tapu cultural lead Fa'amatuainu Tino Pereira (back row 4th from left, with facilitators from several Pacific communities) is pleased the course has been accredited.

He says the NZQA accreditation shows the mainstream recognises the important role Pacific communities play in providing solutions that come from their own communities.

"As Pasefika wisdom shows, ‘E fofo e le alamea le alamea' - the toxic fish has its own antidote" Fa'amatuainu says.

"This reflects a victory for Pacific communities who developed the Nga Vaka framework in response to addressing family violence more than 10 years ago."

Fa'amatuainu stresses the importance of high-quality training for practitioners, employers and communities.

"It ensures that practitioners are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to engage effectively with Pacific families while adhering to national standards for education and training."

Source

• PMN

But for those sitting a level one NCEA external religious education (RE) assessment, this wasn't the case. For them, the last day of last term turned into a worry.

It was on that day that they were preparing to go into the external assessment exam. It then emerged that students had been given different instructions about preparing for the exam.

At least one class had been told they could take photographed copies of a resource booklet into the exam and had those copies with them. Others weren't given this advice and were preparing to use only their memories.

CathNews spoke to a Director of Religious Studies in another school involved in the same RE assessment. She expressed surprise the teacher allowed the students to take photocopies of the resource booklet into the exam.

She said her reading of the instructions was the resource was not allowed.

A New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) spokesperson says the school approached NZQA's breaches team about the problem and is working with them.

Students at the Christchurch Catholic school for girls say they've heard nothing since being told of the investigation.

They say they're now worried they'll miss out on the six credits the external assessment represented.

Source

• NZCity