This means that each year, up to 500 workers who come to New Zealand to work with the RSE scheme will be eligible to receive 20 hours of free tuition in English, maths, finance, computer literacy, and health issues. The tuition will be available in five regions; Bay of Plenty, Hawkes Bay, Nelson, Marlborough and Otago from March 2012.
The Pilot RSE Worker Training Programme has already provided English language, numeracy and literacy training to around 580 RSE workers. An independent evaluation of the programme recommended extending it to allow more RSE workers to access the training. Currently RSE workers come to New Zealand from Samoa, Tonga, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Kiribati, and Tuvalu, and more recently, Papua New Guinea.
The intent of Vakameasina is not to issue awards or formal qualifications; rather the goal of is to maximise the development benefits of the RSE as a whole.
By taking up the offer of this training, RSE workers can increase their confidence speaking English, and receive guidance in various areas, including financial and personal goal setting, budgeting, workers' rights and responsibilities, leadership, computer skills, as well as general and sexual health.
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For more information please contact Development Manager Matthew Gibbs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Wellington, +64 4 439 8273.
