New Zealand Certificate in Health and Wellbeing (Social and Community Services)
Social Services
A course by
UCOL
Gain entry-level skills to support and promote health and wellbeing in individuals, whānau and communities with a focus on mental health and addiction support.
NZ$6,984
inc GST
Enquire about international pricing
Core skills this course teaches
Demonstrate respectful relationships and cultural understanding
Respect people's socio-cultural identity, life experiences, and self-knowledge in diverse health and wellbeing settings.
Apply Te Tiriti and person-whānau perspectives
Relate the history of Māori as tangata whenua and person-whānau interconnectedness to your support role.
About This Course
This one-year, full-time certificate prepares you for a career supporting people's health and wellbeing, particularly in mental health and addiction contexts. You'll learn to build respectful relationships, apply bi-cultural models, develop self-awareness, and foster hope and resilience. Practical placement (200 hours) forms a significant part of the curriculum, giving you real-world experience in community health, mental health, and support work settings.
Course Content
- Respectful Relationships (30 credits, 50 placement hours): Socio-cultural identity, building respectful relationships, listening skills, consent processes, Pacific cultural values, models of health (Falefono, Whare Tapa Whā), needs of children.
- Bi-Culturalism and Marae Protocols (15 credits, 25 placement hours): Te Tiriti o Waitangi, Māori as Tangata Whenua, person-whānau interconnectedness.
- Role Clarification (15 credits, 25 placement hours): Support worker role within the sector, mental health and addiction approaches, human and consumer rights, professional boundaries, stigma, and social exclusion.
- Self Awareness (30 credits, 50 placement hours): Reflective practice, resilience theory, self-care strategies, risk identification, personal capability.
- Professional Development (30 credits, 50 placement hours): Health and safety, workplace reporting, supervision, networking, advocacy, recovery planning, principles of recovery in mental health and addiction support.
Entry Requirements
NCEA Level 2 or equivalent
Build towards these roles
Disability support workerDiversional therapistHousing and budget support workerTamariki ora supportField officerHealth and wellbeing coachCommunity health workerMental health and addiction support workerSocial justice advocateRefugee support workerCommunity development worker
UCOL is a polytechnic built around the kind of learning that actually sticks — hands-on, practical, and grounded in the real world. With campuses across the lower North Island and a programme range that stretches from trades and health to creative arts and IT, it's a strong fit for learners who want a clear path into work without unnecessary detours. Whether you're fresh out of school, changing direction, or building on what you already know, UCOL is set up to meet you where you are.
