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Charter for
Business & Management Education
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Equity of opportunity, excellence in education, flexibility by design
To provide education and training that makes a positive contribution to the individual, the family, the community and to the greater social and economic welfare of the country.
BMETS is an Auckland based private training establishment that designs and provides flexible and innovative learning environments across the range of essential workplace skills for targeted groups [1] in different industry contexts. We provide foundation education and bridging education (Levels 1–4) using a supportive, holistic and whanau-friendly model that values and respects individual learners' strengths and goals. BMETS aligns itself with a philosophy of social development that focuses on achievement of outcomes by providing quality education and training that is relevant and accessible.
We aim to:
• Provide foundation skills [2] that will enable learners to progress to further education and sustainable employment
• Provide bridging education in collaboration with our tertiary partners
• Design in partnership with community and industry new educational programmes including distance learning
• Demonstrate responsiveness to changing educational, social and economic environments
• Offer critical pathways for Maori and contribute to the achievement of Maori aspirations
• Provide customised education and training based on the needs of the individual and the requirements of the workplace
Acknowledge and align our efforts to the following principles and values:
• The full development of individual potential
• The promotion of access to the National Qualifications Framework as a tool to facilitate formal recognition of skills
• The promotion of learning for life
• Assessment of current competencies against Unit Standards
• Commitment to the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi
• Celebration of cultural diversity
• Innovation, creativity and growth
Opportunities: Currently most of our focus is on training people to be youthworkers and caregivers. Both of these are growing fields, due to the increasingly aging population and the recognition of youth as a population of need, evidenced by growing numbers of jobs advertised for youthworkers.
With our new direction in educating youthworkers we have opportunities to work with Pakuranga Children's Health Camp, Special Education Services, Campbell House – Children and Adolescent Mental Health, Youth Horizon's Trust, the Police, Dave Marshall of Big Brother Big Sister, Nelson and other groups interested in mentoring programmes.
Challenges: Training people for social and human services requires an emphasis on creating safe, reflective practitioners who are able to use high-level generic skills, such as analytical capability, problem solving and adaptability, competently. This requires us as an organization to keep up-to-date with best practice in the field and provide supervision and close guidance to our learners in terms of field work / work experience and career choice.
Another challenge we face as an organization is the lack of diversification of funding we receive. As we rely on year-to-year TOPS funding this creates a risk to the organisation as a whole. We are looking to find other streams of income, whilst still remaining true to our goals of providing no or low cost high quality education. We have had a lot of interest of the wider community for services for youth and would like to be able fulfill some of this demand on an ongoing and long term basis.
BMETS recognises that many of our learners have capabilities that have not been acknowledged as part of their educational history. The recognition and development of an individual's strengths generates a confidence and a willingness to extend their skills. Mature learners, in particular, have accumulated a greater volume and quality of previous experience, which becomes a learning resource.
The features that set BMETS apart from other providers are that we:
• Offer industry qualifications, foundation skills and bridging qualifications through a learner-driven project-based approach.
• Have the flexibility to respond to labour market trends by designing and providing new programmes and pathways [3] to further education and employment.
• Have an holistic approach that is inclusive of the needs of people most disadvantaged in the workforce.
• Base the development of literacy competencies in the context of the learner's life and the workplace, using a problem-solving approach.
• Have established and maintained industry and community links to provide quality work experience opportunities.
• Are responsive to individuals' pathways and learning needs.
• Work with the learner to develop key competencies to succeed in higher education at Tertiary Education Institutions.
• Focus on self-paced incremental work experience placements that are matched to our learners' increasing skill sets and needs.
• Provide ongoing post-placement support for all learners.
• Seek input from stakeholders and government agencies regarding curriculum design and the learner support systems of our programmes.
• Aim to exceed our contractual outcomes.
• Maintain a student-centred approach resulting in consistently high levels of student satisfaction.
Our programmes aim for these key results:
• Learners are engaged in learning through early success.
• Learners make measurable gains in foundation skills; including literacy, mediacy, and financial literacy using a range of technologies.
• Learners fulfill their potential through access to higher education.
• Learners maintain an active role in the workforce.
• Learners are self-advocates and self-determining.
• Learners have transferable skills that lead to life-long learning.
BMETS contributes to New Zealand 's identity and economic, social, and cultural development by:
• Encouraging creativity and entrepreneurship through the provision of a safe learning environment, in which to incubate ideas.
• Extending training in foundation skills to include financial literacy and information technology.
Forming a partnership with Manukau City Council for the provision of a youth at risk programme, servicing clients of Children, Youth and Families; local schools and alternative education providers.
• Providing training in information technology particularly to people generally thought of as being on the wrong side of the digital divide such as Maori and Pacific peoples, those on a low income, sole parents and older people [4] as an integral part of our vocational training programmes.
• Providing training aligned to labour market needs; for example, where there is a demonstrated skill shortage, or a future need for skilled workers, such as the Aged Care Industry.
Providing training aligned to community needs, for example providing The Tuakana Project : a programme for at risk youth, providing free computer courses and business courses.
BMETS was one of the first BIZ providers in the country [4] . In 1998 BMETS was contracted to provide workshops for business owners and operators in the Manukau region. Service delivery included business and financial management, marketing, web design and e-commerce.
BMETS has been part of the evolution of community-based skills training for long term unemployed people. Our stated principle of full development of individual potential is integral to our contribution to the tertiary education system.
In 1987 under the structure of Te Piriti O Mangere Trust Inc the directors of BMETS identified the need for pathways to “mainstream education” for trainees attending Access [5] programmes. The following collaborative relationships were formed to introduce recognised qualifications within the training offered:
• Nga Tapuwai College – School Certificate Horticulture (Exam Centre)
• Lincoln University – Horticulture Theory and Practices (Distance Learning)
• Manukau Institute of Technology – Introduction to Horticulture. This was a course designed in collaboration with MIT [6] specifically for twenty of our trainees who attended with their tutor. This initiative was taken to introduce trainees to a higher education environment through supported learning.
In 1988, as a vehicle for teaching literacy skills to Access trainees, a weekly youth radio programme was produced in the studios of Access Community radio in collaboration with professional broadcasters Leona Brosnahan and Anna Soutar.
In 1994 BMETS, in partnership with the Residential Care Association of New Zealand RCA Incorporated and industry professional [7] , developed training materials to be used on a national basis that were aligned with Unit Standards registered on the then recently introduced National Qualifications Framework. In addition BMETS facilitated RCA training in the Auckland region for caregivers seeking to gain the new industry qualification; “The National Certificate in Support of the Older Person”.
In 1999 BMETS developed “Real Alternative Video Education” RAVE [8] as a pilot programme for the then new Youth Training initiative. As a result of the success of this programme BMETS went on to pilot the Youth Training programme WAV [9] . Successes included; one student employed in the television industry in Australia and another in Samoa on the basis of their video CVs; three students cutting a record with Flying Nun; and the purchase of student videos for Manukau City Council Libraries.
In 2001 BMETS was identified by Skill New Zealand as implementing best practice on the basis of high educational and labour market outcomes. Some of our stories can be read in the research of Dr John Benseman, Making Learning happen [10] .
Over time we have built up working relationships with MIT Foundation Skills, MIT Pathways, AUT Pathways and AUT Scholarships personnel. In 2002 and 2003 we were a community partnerships office for AUT. Since 2002 one BMETS students has been awarded an annual AUT Community Partnerships scholarship. Significant for these scholarships is the concept of reciprocity; recipients are required to contribute to their community in each year of their study.
BMETS current and ongoing contributions to the tertiary education system are to:
• Assist learners to increase their expectations, recognise their strengths, and achieve their learning goals.
• Raise the level of essential workplace and vocational skills to enable learners to gain qualifications there by demonstrating their ability to study at a tertiary institution.
• Equip learners with the key competencies often referred to as Mayer Key Competencies [11] that they need to participate in higher education.
• Provide a pathway for learners who have previously attended introductory care-giving courses elsewhere to complete the National Certificate in Support of the Older Person.
• Further assist our learners' to enter higher education by facilitating goal setting and enrolment and scholarship application processes.
• Provide ongoing mentoring and resources for past learners attending Tertiary Educational Institutions. Pathways for our learners in 2002 included acceptance into Auckland College of Education, The University of Auckland, Manukau Institute of Technology, Massey University and Auckland University of Technology.
We collaborate with TEIs to align our training with the entry requirements of higher educational opportunities.
We facilitate learner access to other community support and government agencies. A BMETS initiative with Inland Revenue and WINZ Manukau, to hold monthly network meetings for ex-students in business, has also been inclusive of the wider small business community.
We have offered free community night classes in partnership with Waikato Institute of Technology for the SPACE and WinTecActive Programmes at our Birkenhead site.
As the foundation PTE member of the New Zealand Association of Bridging Educators we are linked to the AUT, UNITEC, MIT and The University of Auckland and are committed to the development of bridging ties through joint discussion and research.
BMETS has a history of collaboration with other tertiary education providers from 1987 [12] . In 1995 BMETS brokered an agreement on behalf of eight Manukau Training providers with Skill New Zealand to utilise SuccessMaker ™ [13] a computer assisted literacy and numeracy programme. BMETS facilitated independent research with Auckland University to measure the effectiveness of the programme.
In 2002 and 2003 we provide community training at our Manukau site for a Massey University Extramural programme, Bachelor of Education (Adult Education) class. Over twenty people who live in the region between Auckland and Hamilton attended this class.
Currently, BMETS has the following collaborative relationships:
• We have long-established relationships with the “Foundation Skills, and Training Opportunities and Skill Enhancement Pathways” personnel at Manukau Institute of Technology and since inception the “Training Opportunities Pathway” [14] coordinator at AUT.
We work with other training providers who offer programmes for youth, such as Quality Training Services Limited, to provide our learners with work experience.
We pursue opportunities for collaboration if they meet the needs, and are in the best interests, of our learners, are consistent with our goals and objectives, and are in alignment with the Tertiary Education Strategy.
BMETS acknowledges the principles of Te Tiriti O Waitangi Appendix 2 as central to the provision of its education and training programmes. Consultation and collaboration with relevant communities is seen as vital for sound and effective learning and teaching practices.
BMETS has a record of providing equity of access and parity of outcomes for Maori learners based on the demographics of the individual training locations.
BMETS places importance on creating a learning environment for learners that encompasses the concepts of whanaungatanga and manaakitanga. BMETS actively acknowledges Te Reo as a taonga by supporting and assisting access to language development training and resources.
BMETS supports learners to research their whakapapa, and participate in kaupapa Maori referral and support networks and employment opportunities.
In 1992 BMETS in a joint venture with The Manukau Urban Maori Authority piloted a small business management programme to give 14 people the chance to explore self-employment as an alternative to continued long term unemployment. This pilot programmes successfully launched 13 people into business. BMETS continued to develop and offer an “Operate Your Own Business” course underpinned by relevant foundation skills for the subsequent 11 years.
WINZ Case Managers refer their PACE [15] clients to BMETS to launch their own businesses. Two learners of note: one that has had work commissioned by “National Museum of New Zealand Te Papa” and “Saatchi & Saatchi”; and another who produced the first Maori-oki CD/VCD/Video.
In 1994 BMETS under the guidance of Kaumatua Dr Cleve Barlow [16] initiated a Marae-based small business management programme in Whirinaki, which provided a collective outcome, as well as individual self-employment outcomes.
BMETS combined with the Maori Business Network to profile emerging businesses of 2001. “BMETS Entrepreneur” certificates and complimentary membership of MBN were awarded by the Manukau City Deputy Mayor Anne Candy and Maori Business Network CEO Moses Armstrong.
Our Manukau branch was a community-training site for the Massey University Extramural programme, Bachelor of Education (Adult Education) class that is kaupapa Maori in 2002 and 2003. Huhana Reihana [17] , who worked from BMETS Head Office, facilitates this class.
Successful learners return to BMETS frequently as role models, giving advice to current students, as well as bringing new learners to the programmes.
BMETS participates in strategy development fono of Pacific Peoples. For example; BMETS has been invited to events such as the “Pacific Vision Forum” in 1999, and “Improving Service Delivery for Pacific Peoples” community forum in 2003.
Ex-students and staff hold key Pacific Island Educational and Community positions; for example, Auckland University of Technology Pacific Islands Liaison Officer, Pacific Islands Advisory Board University of Auckland, Pacific Radio, New Zealand Representative on the Board for International Para-Olympics.
We have a reciprocal relationship with the Pacific Business Trust. We facilitate learner access to this organisation and associated services by supporting Trust activities and vice versa.
It is acknowledged that Pacific Peoples who attend our Support of the Older Person Programme have an extensive range of care-giving skills. This programme provides formal recognition of traditional roles. When combined with industry training and work experience, learners can gain a National Certificate by which they may return to the workforce as qualified caregivers or pursue careers in Health Science.
Pacific languages are identified as strengths in the labour market and in particular the public service, such as the health and education sectors. We have links with organisations that can facilitate employment for speakers of Pacific languages, for example, The Pacific Home Care Trust [18] , WINZ Work Brokers, Pacific Business Trust and Pacific Radio.
Our learners' participation in the arts has been encouraged through the promotion of competitions such as the Pacific Art Awards and Cult-Couture.
Pacific learners' aspirations to launch their own businesses have been fulfilled through the BMETS Operate Your Own Business Programme.
Successful learners return to BMETS frequently as role models, sharing the benefit of their experiences with current students, as well as bringing new learners to the programmes.
Whanau and significant others in our learners' lives are encouraged to support the learner and are welcome in the learning environment. Infrastructural support for learners and family members strengthens relationships and provides for sustainable learning outcomes.
Small classes provide benefits to our learners':
• By ensuring that we cater for individual goals and aspirations.
• By allowing flexibility in terms of content and delivery through customised learning packages.
• Through the development of close tutor-learner peer relationships and support from the administration team.
We are constantly trying to improve our effectiveness in relation to meeting the educational needs for learners. Recent improvements have included: a strengthening of administration procedures and administration support of staff and learners; a move to have both programmes under one roof to ensure the best use of physical and human resources, including administration.
A project-based, problem-solving approach to learning provides for intrinsic motivation, the integration of theory and practice, and learner self-efficacy [19] .
A range of assessment practices and processes are negotiated and agreed with learners.
Work experience and fieldwork projects are seen as fundamental components of the learning and are structured to meet the needs of the learner.
Advocacy services on behalf our learners' are provided as required or requested.
BMETS has a memorandum of understanding with Takanini Lodge, Rest Home and Private Hospital . The Nurse Manager [20] is BMETS specialist tutor for training in the care of people with Dementia.
Feedback, evaluations and ongoing dialogue with the learners and other stakeholders, together with current research on best practice, inform our process of continuous improvement in meeting learners' needs.
BMETS is committed to ensuring that we attract, retain, and develop staff of the highest calibre. Staff selection and professional development policies are viewed as critical [21] to the development and achievement of our learners'.
Staff selection is based on personal qualities, academic ability, relevant experience, qualifications, and understanding of the cultural, learning and personal development needs of our learners.
Staff need to know and understand different social mores, cultural aspirations, ways of being and of communicating – become critically aware of our own perspectives – so that we may better serve the increasingly complex and diverse needs of our learners.
BMETS provides opportunity for staff to attend national and international professional and personal development conferences.
We are committed to the principles of Equal Employment Opportunities and strive to maintain a staffing profile in accordance with the Equal Employment Opportunities Trust Charter [22] .
We ensure, through appointment and professional development, compliance with approval, accreditation and moderation requirements established by NZQA, ITOs and NSSBs, as they apply to teaching and industry qualifications and experience.
It is important for staff to be in alignment with BMETS principles and values, which include knowledge of Te Tiriti o Waitangi as the founding document of this nation.
BMETS has in place a ‘Managing For Performance' system for staff, which incorporates the identification of needs, setting of goals, resourcing, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of professional development.
BMETS is a limited liability company incorporated in 1992. Our organisational structure is one of a cross-functional team in which each member has input into decisions and directions of the organisation.
BMETS is registered and accredited with the New Zealand Qualifications Authority as a Private Training Establishment under the provisions of the Education Act 1989 and its subsequent amendments.
BMETS has three Directors, one of whom is also the Manager/Director of Studies.
Regular reviews of the Quality Management System, with input from staff and stakeholders, and audits of compliance and effectiveness ensure the accountability of the organisation. An audit by NZQA in 2004 confirmed the robustness of our Administration and Quality Management System by granting us a 3-year audit cycle, the maximum available and obtained by only approximately 10% of providers.
BMETS ensures that its financial, physical and intellectual assets are effectively managed.
BMETS maintains commercial premises that are situated in close proximity to town centres, including libraries and public transport. BMETS ensures that it has the equipment, staffing and management structures to give full effect to its mission and special character.
BMETS consulted stakeholders in the development of our Charter, and the views of the stakeholders are reflected in the Charter. The procedure listed below was followed.
We placed an advertisement in The New Zealand Herald on 18 th September 2004, listing the stakeholders of BMETS: See Appendix 1 for a copy of the advertisement and list of stakeholders. This meets the requirements of Section 159O of the Education (Tertiary Reform) Amendment Act 2002.
Our initial research in 2003 found that some learners, a key stakeholder group, did not understand the terminology of the word stakeholder. Thus the advertisement defined stakeholders, how stakeholders could have their views reflected, what the process of consultation involved and what stakeholders could expect from being consulted.
We placed our draft charter on our website www.bmets.co.nz and posted copies to stakeholder groups or representatives.
In addition to the request for submissions as outlined in the Herald advertisement we provided copies of the charter to the following people for comment.
• Kathy Phillips (BMETS Director of Studies)
• Ezekiel Robson (BMETS Tutor/ Youthline)
• Emily Harrop (BMETS Tutor / Moderation and Quality Management Coordinator)
• Margaret Pearce (BMETS Tutor / NZ Registered Nurse / Polytechnic Tutor)
All comments have been tabled and discussed in a series of daily meetings held over a number of weeks. The charter has been amended to reflect views of stakeholders who have submitted comments. In addition new versions of the charter has been circulated to stakeholders for further consultation.
BMETS provides training for caregivers and youthworkers. We are seeking feedback on our draft charter from our stakeholders - young people, older people, and the people who love and work with them. If that's you, we'd like to include your views. See www.bmets.co.nz or phone (09) 262 0458 for a copy. Submissions close 24/09/04.
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http://www.teac.govt.nz/Report4/Report/chapters/Appendix1.pdf
Principles Of The Treaty |
Definition Of Principle |
Implications For The Tertiary Education System |
Kawanatanga Principle |
Government Principle |
• Crown should make provision for tertiary education for all citizens. |
Tino Rangatiratanga Principle |
Self-determination Principle |
• Allows for Maori autonomy and authority over Maori tertiary education. |
Partnership Principle |
Good Faith Principle |
• All providers should act in good faith towards Maori as Treaty partners, with honesty and sincerity of intention. |
Protection Principle |
Taonga Protection Principle. |
• Maori taonga are deserving and worthy of protection, maintenance and expansion. |
Participation Principle |
Citizenship and Equality Principle |
• Providers should not entertain or allow marked differences in provision, process and product on the basis of ethnicity. |
[1]Targeted Groups: Are categorised by learner groups with no or low secondary school qualifications, who are in addition, at-risk of or are currently, experiencing long term unemployment, sometimes balancing a sole-parent role with work-test obligations, or encountering difficulties entering the workforce due to disability, age or personal circumstances.
[2] Foundation Skills: Set of inter-related skills including reading, writing listening, speaking, mathematics, problem solving critical thinking and using communication technology.
[3] Pathway (Pathway Plan): Plan that the learner develops to achieve goals.
[4] BIZ: Government commitment to strengthening management capabilities of Small and Medium Enterprises SMEs in order to improve their performance and ensure that New Zealand businesses are better placed to compete effectively.
[5] Access Programmes: Pre-employment programs administered by Regional Employment and Access Councils
[6] MIT Head of School of Horticulture David Puflett
[7] Loraine Hall New Zealand Registered Nurse , Manager Autumn Lodge Rest Home Hospital & Dementia Unit
[8] Real Alternative Video Education RAVE: A media programme in which learners scripted, directed and produced their own videos. Tutored by independent film maker Martin Rumsby.
[9] WAV: Television program in which learners produced footage and promos for Triangle TV during the Pacific Vision Conference. This programme was led by Susana Hukui, pioneer and presenter of Tangata Pasifika.
[10] Benseman, John. Making learning happen: A study of effective teaching in training opportunities: a research project sponsored by Skill New Zealand - Pukenga Aotearoa. Wellington , N.Z.: Skill New Zealand , 2001.
[11] Key Competencies (Mayer Key Competencies):
• Collecting analysing and organising information
• Communicating ideas and information
• Planning and organising activities
• Working with others and in teams
• Using mathematical ideas and techniques
• Solving Problems
• Using technology
[12] Refer to Section 4: Contribution to the tertiary education system as a whole
[13] The New Zealand franchise holder of SuccessMaker TM BMETS negotiated with has become “Success Education & Training” an independent PTE now wit contracts with the Tertiary Education Commission.
[14] Ngaire Harris AUT Maori Liaison Officer and Registered Nurse
[15] PACE: Pathways to Arts and Cultural Employment: The purpose is to assist Job seekers to strengthen their professional networks, increase their awareness of project funding sources and help them to identify other sources of professional development support. http://www.workandincome.govt.nz/find_a_job/arts_culture.html
[16] Dr Cleve Barlow: Kaumatua with published papers in linguistics, cognitive psychology, and computing. He has published the first grammar of the Maori language to be written in Maori and has written a concordance to the Bible in Maori.
[17] Huhana Reihana: Tutor, employed by the College of Education , Massey University . Huhana Reihana is currently developing a research proposal, as part of her Masters in Education (Adult Education).
[18] Learners who speak a Pacific language and who graduate from the “Support of the Older Person” programme are sought after by the Pacific Home Care Trust.
[19] Self-efficacy: Is the belief in ones capabilities to organise and execute the source of action required to manage prospective situations. Professor Albert Bandura 1988.
[20] Gail Harrison Nurse Manager Takanini Lodge Rest Home & Private Hospital , BMETS lead tutor for training in the area of dementia.
[21] Benseman, John. Making learning happen: A study of effective teaching in training opportunities: a research project sponsored by Skill New Zealand - Pukenga Aotearoa. Wellington , N.Z.: Skill New Zealand , 2001.
[26] Equal Employment Opportunities Trust EEO: The EEO Trust helps employers adapt to and embrace the diversity of the workforce through the use of EEO principles and best practice. http://www.eeotrust.org.nz/