Draft Charter
Draft Charter
3 Distinctive/ Special Character
4 Contribution to New Zealand’s identity and
economic, social and cultural development
5 Contribution to the tertiary education
system as a whole
6 Approach to collaboration &
co-operation
7 Approach to Treaty of Waitangi Obligations
8 Approach to meeting learner needs
10 Governance & Management Structures
& Principles
Target Education Ltd’s Charter has been prepared to fulfill the requirements
of the Tertiary Education Commission and the Education (Tertiary Reform)
Amendment Act of 2002, which require every organization receiving funding from
the Tertiary Education Commission to have a Charter approved by
The Charter sets
out the
The Planning
process at Target, through which this charter has been developed, is an
integral part of the organizations administration and development. The Charter and Targets strategic direction
have been determined through extensive consultations internally and externally
with a particular focus on the Pacific Community and with significant
stakeholders who have played a significant role in the development of Targets
programmes and its overall service provision
Target Education
established in
“Our aim is to build a learning culture that links education and training development to economic advantage. We provide opportunities to school leavers, youth and individuals throughout their working life to gain skills that will assist them into the workforce and enhance their lives.”
“In all aspects
of our service in training provision we at Target act on our conviction that
all people have a natural need, inclination and ability to learn and improve
their life circumstances.
“We know that
all people respond best in a learning environment in which they are accepted
without prejudice and respected as individuals with diverse cultural, religious
and socio economic heritage. Our aim is
to provide such a learning environment.
“We believe as
educators that focusing on the positive potential of our clients, rather than
perceiving and judging them in their current circumstances contributes
significantly to their own recognition of their potential. We commit ourselves to respecting that
potential in our clients and encouraging their realization of it.
“We understand
that our clients are responsible for their own learning and as such regard
ourselves as facilitators and providers of learning opportunity. We respect the self-determination and
capability of our all clients.
“We understand
that our service involves the development of people holistically and that the
learning environment we provide must cater to the needs of the whole person,
physically, emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually.
“We recognize
the current knowledge, methods and attitudes in the field of education are
rapidly advancing. We commit ourselves
to maintaining parity with these trends so that we are constantly enhancing our
knowledge, skills and attitudes and so providing our clients with best possible
quality of service”.
Targets
Over the past
decade Target has positioned itself as a provider of entry-level education and
training to school leavers with no qualifications, youth and special needs
categories of the community. (i.e. women returning to
work). We offer a range of programmes from the National Qualifications
Framework from level 1 to level 6 and deliver our programmes
across the
Our
community of interest is in particular the Pacific Community. We also have many
Maori and other students who choose to attend our courses. Our learner profile
from 2002 is shown in the attached histogram:
We believe our
distinctive character lies in our vision statement. It is our intention to inspire people to
discover and apply their natural intellectual and creative potential so that
they can contribute meaningfully and responsibly to society and to the broader
community at large. Our programmes embody the following principles:
Comprehensive:
We deliver a range of programmes from entry-level certificate
to Level 6 on the NZQA framework. These programmes are specifically designed
and targeted for hard to reach Pacific communities. Our programmes directly
staircase with more advanced programmes run by our partners(see
section 6 below).
Responsive: The
programmes are responsive to the needs of the students and of the communities in
which they live and work. We have developed a student centred
culture and support systems. There is a strong focus on learner
support within a small friendly and culturally safe environment. (see
below in section 8)
Focused: Learning programmes are focused upon
student centered teaching and learning informed by research, practice, the
learner and wider employment sector needs. This means that each learner works
in a self-paced manner with guidance from tutors and an individualized work
programme that often involves off-site visits and industry placement.
Accessible:
Programmes are located within communities and in locations of area of
need.
Innovation:
Programmes are innovative and driven by economic and social goals together with
aspirations of our community of interest.
Committed: We are committed to meeting the needs of
our learners. This is reflected in staff approaches and attitudes as well as
Target’s established and rigorous quality management system. This System
is now firmly established and has undergone vigorous internal and external
audits.
Target Education is currently delivering the
following programmes:
|
Program Name |
Qualification offered |
Funding |
Total # of places |
|
Alternative Education |
NC Employment Skills |
MOE |
|
|
Office Administration (Computing, Accounting) |
|
Training Opportunities (TEC) |
|
|
English for Employment |
Unit standards only |
Training Opportunities (TEC) |
|
|
Focus on Career & Development |
|
Youth Training (TEC) |
|
|
Social Services |
|
|
|
|
Work Based Training |
Unit standards only |
|
|
|
Pasefika
Youth on Track |
Non – unit based |
|
|
|
Pasefika
Employment Skills |
NC Employment Skills |
Training Opportunities (TEC) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Target
Education also delivers a Diploma of Social Services to Level 6 on the NZQA
framework and has one-off contracts from Work & Income NZ and TEC. Our
current revenue streams
are funded by the State;
this allows us to provide fully funded courses strategically positioned and
affordable at the community based entry level. Target has made a decision that
in serving hard to reach communities we will not deliver EFTS programmes in more
than 25% of our courses, as we understand now that student loans are adding to
some of the biggest poverty problems in South and
During the next
five years Target will be focusing its courses in the following areas:
a)
It will
be maintaining and enhancing, through continual quality improvements from
customer feedback and innovative ideas, the following courses:
q Foundation Skills
q Computing training
b)
It will
be developing new approaches and courses, in particular:
q Work based training, especially for the
placement of students doing the Diploma in Social Services
Leveraging off the skills set and capabilities of
Target in the Pacific community to deliver courses that addresses significant
gaps in Pacific services:
•
Social Services
•
Mental Health Certificate
•
Community Health Workers
Certificate
•
Human Services Certificate
•
Youth Work Certificate
•
c) A further area for Target to investigate is the international market where target will leverage off some of its existing services and provide a fully fee paying option. This area will focus on ESOL and literacy and foundation education.
q These courses will continue to be delivered
in all three of its locations in Panmure, Henderson
and Papatoetoe.
During
the next three years Target intends to purchase and expand its premises in
Henderson and Panmure.
It already owns its Papatoetoe site. It intends to develop accommodation for
its current courses and implement new courses as discussed above. Our long-term
view is to establish a Pacific Social Services Education and Training Centre
where we would deliver education and training to meet the needs of the Pacific
workforce gap in this area. There is a paucity of Pacific community health
workers, social workers and social service staff in the workforce. As the social disparity issues grow our
training programmes need to be positioned to supply a workforce for this
sector.
As
shown in the Learner profile, Target Education Limited has a large number of
Maori and
The
overall picture for the well being of many Pacific people is very bleak. Pacific peoples are lagging behind the rest
of
Pacific people will constitute 20% of
In its recent
briefing paper to the current government, New Zealand Treasury commented on the
strategies needed to break the cycle of disadvantage as follows:
“it remains true that Maori and Pacific people are
disproportionately represented in the group that do worse than the median.
…policy should address its primary effort to improve outcomes for those Maori
and Pacific people who do worse than the median for the population,
…Improving literacy and numeracy skills of Maori and Pacific students at
primary school level is a priority for further development….” (NZ Treasury
2001)
With regard to one
of the areas within which Target operates,
Target has
approximately 230 placements for learners at any one time, almost half of which
go on to further educational placement and a further quarter of which find
employment after working with Target.
This means in essence that approximately 200 students are transferred
from state dependency to a situation where they are gainfully employed and have
an increasing likelihood of being socially responsible and financially
contributing citizens of the nation.
Beyond the
financial contribution is the personal benefit that students receive from being
in a positive environment whereby they learn disciplines of contribution and have
the support of Whanau / Fanau / Aiga
which provides a sense of well-being for the period they are with Target.
Through the support networks of Target students also learn their own cultural
skills derived from their own background.
Ø
Through
its courses and activities as described in this Charter, Target intends to
continue to assist many who would otherwise have “failed” within the systems of
learning.
Ø
It will
continue to assist to perpetuate the culture and traditions through which
Pacific, Maori and other students have emerged and assist to re-establish
connections which may otherwise have been severed.
Ø
Target
will continue to develop the individual disciplines, attitudes and skills
required for ongoing learning, development and success in the workplace through
its courses and its support systems.
Ø
Target
will continue to provide a family environment with internal staff and peer support so a culture of achievement and development is
maintained.
Ø
Through
the establishment of appropriate networks, each student will be linked with
community support networks that are of relevance to their needs.
Ø
Target
will continue to stay connected to community aspirations and voice and ensure
our programmes are able to reflect this.
Target’s
contribution to the tertiary environment is both similar to and differentiated
from many other private tertiary enterprises that specialise
in Pacific training. Its Pacific focus means that it is one of
eight private training enterprises that focused on the Pacific community with a
staff structure, management and governance positions representative of and
clearly linked to the Pacific community.
It’s family
orientation, strong support networks, as well as focused and disciplined
methods of teaching and learning mean that Target’s environment is often a lot
more friendly, personalized and culturally safer than larger tertiary
institutions which students can find themselves as rather anonymous.
It’s small size also means that Target is able
to quickly and easily respond to changes in learner requirements and market
demand. It has a capacity to change
courses, improve, and change delivery modes very rapidly, being a relatively
small tertiary education provider. Its
distinctive approach to learner support and pastoral care means that it can
become a laboratory for educational innovation and assist in creating new, successful
methods of delivery, which could be transported to other tertiary education
institutions.
In carrying out its
activities, Target itself is in a learning mode and through the organisations within which it participates (see Section 6),
it both shares its own learning and adopts better practices and approaches from
other tertiary institutions and organisations. Particularly its role in Pacific Island
Peoples' Training Organisation New
Ø
Drawing
from the above discussion, Target intends to continue to innovate, to develop
modes of delivery that are successful in assisting formerly low achievers to
become accomplished in developing attitudes and skills necessary for the
workplace and further learning.
Ø
It will
continue to contribute to its sister training organisations
in PIPTONZ and share information of relevance to its stakeholders who
contributes students to it and to whom it contributes students.
Ø
Target
will continue to focus on School leavers, women returning to work, youth
requiring alternative education and Polynesian and hard to reach students who
have failed in the mainstream.
Ø It will provide a holistic approach to learning and the ability to staircase to progressive study for those who wish to move from one level qualification to another at their own pace and in ways which support their learning styles and progression.
The aim of Target
Education is to provide learners with the ability to either
successfully transfer and be successful in further training and
education in the area that will then provide them with direct vocational
skills; or alternatively to provide students with the necessary life skills and
attitudes needed to move into work.
This position in
the education spectrum means that Target needs to cooperate with a number of
diverse parties in the community and with other organisations. The attached table (to be developed)
identifies a number of courses delivered by Target and the institutions and
courses into which these programmes staircase.
As can be seen there is significant collaboration with other tertiary
education providers. In some cases
specific relationships have been entered into (e.g. with Manukau Polytechnic
for the Diploma in Social Services.)
Target intends to
continue to maintain strong stakeholder involvement in the development of its
programmes and in its positioning. This
will be carried out through a range of approaches, including the following:
Ø
Target’s
annual strategic planning process will include a needs assessment and a review
of the relevance of its current programmes.
It will thus ensure that those providing feedback to Target will enable
Target to make decisions as to what courses are required to run to meet real
needs of students.
Ø
Feedback
will continue to be sought on an annual basis, through informal and formal
questionnaires and feedback’s from students
and learners on the relevance and content of each course.
Ø
Community Stakeholders as well as other stair casing institutions will provide Target with specific
feedback on each course as part of the advisory groups relating to each course
that meet on at least an annual basis.
In this way stair casing institutions can advise Target on how best to
position the courses so as to meet their requirements.
Ø
As part
of the quality delivery and assessment
teams, staff will have feedback into Target’s courses on an ongoing
basis. Course content, presentation and
procedures will be adjusted in accordance with this feedback.
Ø
Target
has and will continue to regularly participate in community and educational
forums and liaise with representatives of TEC,the Ministry of Education and NZ Qualifications Authority to ensure
that it is meeting the courses and standards provided by the funding and
approving bodies. Many of the community
groups such as advisory groups for Pacific Island education that Target staff
are involved with, will assist referring agencies with the knowledge of
Target’s courses and enable these agencies to position themselves accordingly.
Ø
Some of
Target’s courses include work-based placements.
For such courses Target consults with the industries and organisations concerned, often inviting them to participate
in the course advisory group. This
practice will continue into the future.
Target is a member
of Pacific Island Peoples’ Training Organisation New Zealand (PIPTONZ) and as
such meets with the other eight tertiary training providers in this group. Target’s staff share
information in the participatory sessions hosted by PIPTONZ and also learn
and glean information relating to the sector.
In the development of this charter Target has collaborated with PIPTONZ.
In its
collaborative exercise as described above Target will ensure that:
Ø
Its
courses remain relevant and meet with the real needs of the learner
Ø
Target
is eliminating duplication and competition from its activity and thus ensuring
its is well positioned in the marketplace to receive a financial sustainable
number of learners in its courses
Ø
It
maintains an awareness of the requirements of the stair casing institutions and
those institutions which refer clients to Target
Ø
Regularly
up-skilling its staff and the organisation
generally in the current requirements of funding agencies as well as better
practice amongst the training organisations it
collaborates with
Ø
Ensuring
it is both educationally and financially viable
Target acknowledges
the Treaty as the founding document of Aotearoa New
Target is
developing a partnership with Maori as part of its strategic planning
process. This partnership commitment is
a living expression of our commitment to respecting and promoting our
recognition of the Treaty. Target’s current social services programs program
has strong Maori consultation as we work alongside the ITO “Te Kai Awhina Ahumahi”.
Target currently
has a number of Maori staff spread across the three centers,
we have two key Maori staff that are on the management team, the operations manager
and the quality system document coordinator who is also a center manager and a
small number of tutorial staff. Target
also has an external support network of Maori available to Maori.
Target has
developed a Treaty of Waitangi Policy and a training programme in this area.
In ensuring that we
provide a culturally safe and appropriate service to Maori we are committed to
understanding the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi and in particular
understand that Target needs to provide a pathway to education that meets and
demonstrates knowledge of Maori aspirations and their learning needs.
Target’s approach
to supporting Maori is to work with the whanau holistically whether we are
supporting the student with a personal issue that involves the extended whanau
or perhaps the extended whanau needs support to enable the learner to move
forward with their education and or life circumstances.
Target will
endeavor to develop consultation and partnership with local iwi through our
external Maori advisor.
Target’s commitment
to Maori development and achievement is demonstrated through the following
processes within the organization.
q Recruitment: Target aspires to have a
significant Maori on the staff; all staff will be selected on the ability to
work with Maori and understand the Treaty as a basic requirement of their job.
q Pastoral Care: As described above and in
other sections, Targets pastoral care is such that it enhances Maori cultural
identity or awareness.
q Cultural Safety: Target has strong polices
and practices in this area.
.
q A Maori Learning Policy is being developed.
q Staff training and knowledge of the Treaty
of Waitangi is in process.
q On site Maori leadership and advice is actioned through our current staff and recruitment policy.
q Two out of the five senior management
positions held by Maori
q Maori Advice is sought at the Governance
level when required.
q A Maori stakeholder plan and links to Iwi is being developed.
Target Education staff
have participated in “Treaty of Waitangi” training and will periodically
refresh and extend their knowledge in this area.
The Maori advisor
will develop and undergo the following –
As mentioned in the sections above, many of Target’s students have failed
in the system of education to gain recognized qualifications. Target’s courses
as listed in section 2 above are designed to address the needs of these
students. In particular Targets life skills and foundation courses are designed
to address attitudinal and behaviour issues and
provide students with the skills and disciplines needed for advancement to
further study or the work place.
Target has consistently exceeded its goals with respect to course
outcomes. The following histograms indicate recent course outcomes at each of
its branches. Positive outcomes are seen as students either gaining employment
or stair casing into another higher level training course either at Target or
another institution.
Target’s approach and the atmosphere of the institution is critical to the success of the learners. This is based on
learning and developmental models that embody the following key principles:
Individual Learner Evaluation and Progress: Target recognizes
that each person is a unique individual and evaluates and sets a course of
action for each person recognizing their individual circumstances and learning
needs and style.
Community and Family Support: Target recognizes
that while each person is an individual the environment that they live and
study in is critical to the success of the individual. As such Target seeks the
support of the individuals community and family as
well as cultural support.
Comprehensive Approach: Target recognizes
that individuals are not able to successfully learn if there are “other things”
going on in their lives such as housing issues other stresses. Target offers
students pastoral care and creates a friendly family environment.
Maintaining and Delivering Relevant Courses: The key means for Target to
meet the Learners needs is through the delivery of courses that are relevant to
their current aspirations and assist them to take the next step in their
educational journey.
Maintaining Well
Trained Staff: Target is
committed to maintaining well-trained staff and has a staff training policy included
in its Quality Management Systems. It
will continue to ensure that all of its staff have the
necessary skills and qualifications as well as the appropriate attitudes and behaviours to ensure that the needs of its learners are
met.
Maintaining Suitable
Materials and Assets: Target
regularly purchases and upgrades its resources to meet learner needs. It has appropriate printing and IT facilities
to ensure the production of materials and the quality management system
requires all staff members to report to the centre managers when there is a
need for additional resources.
Target’s Approach is demonstrated in the following processes which we
commit to in managing our students education and care in the training environment.
These processes are summarized as follows:
q The enrolment process ensures that the
learner is applying for the correct program that works in with their pathway
plans.
q Target confirms their eligibility by
receiving a print out from Ministry of Social Development.
q Target confirms with Ministry of Social
Development case managers that their clients they are applying for a program at
Target Education.
q The
learner will do a pre-assessment that will signal to the program supervisor
that their goals are, their literacy level and their
pathway.
q The program supervisor will then interview
the potential student to ensure that they understand the course
information.
q On completion the program supervisor will
advise the Manager of the outcome and the potential student will be enrolled
into the program, put onto a wait list or referred to an appropriate provider.
q Once the learner has been accepted onto the
program within the first week the program supervisor will ensure that a
coaching interview is done and
q An individual learner plan (ILP) is set
up: This plan then becomes an ongoing
working diary for the learner until the program or until the learner has
achieved their objectives or goal.
q The ILP allows the learner to do a number of
different activities for example, self assessment of the learner, what units
have been achieved, what units need to be achieved and what they need to do to
complete any units,
q We are also able to give the learner two
units standards once they have completed their ILP,
q Each Learner also has a copy of Target
Education’s code of conduct, learner contract and Target Education’s vision
statement.
q Students are allowed up to 30 minutes per
day to utilize the ILP.
q Coaching interviews are done every 6-8 weeks
and must be completed prior to a program development team meeting. Coaching interviews gives the student and the
program supervisor information around the student’s progress on the program,
the possibility of re-visiting of their pathways and support and guidance that
may be required.
q The program supervisor will then bring
forward any issues if any to their program development team.
External
Support: Target Education
has an extensive network at each branch that enable their
students to access external support within their local communities. Our client base come from all different walks
of life and have many different issues that require support.
All students are
made aware from day one of entry into the program that this is available to
them and they can speak with anyone from the staff in which they have either a
rapport with or have confidence in.
Managing
Issues: An issues
management process for support and guidance includes a summary is filled out
when consultation is taking place, if there are sensitive issues and there is a
need for a witness, another staff member will be present. This usually is the center manager. The issue is discussed and either a
recommendation is made or the issue is dealt with internally. On completion the learner and all staff
present sign the support and guidance form and a copy goes into the individual
learner file to be reported in our audit process at the end of each year.
In summary, the programme that a student enrolls in
is flexible and has the ability to be completed at the learners pace and within
their own individual learning scope. This is the significant difference between
Target and what many mainstream institutions do. Any entry learner can achieve
in this environment because it is sufficiently customized and flexible to be
managed.
Target has a Board of directors, senior management team, and tutorial staff. Pacific people are represented at all levels of this structure. The following histogram illustrates the ratios of staff and student ethnicity:
Target has a staff
profile that generally reflects its market and customer base and directions.
Ø
While
Target desires to maintain its staff profile it is committed to an Equal
Opportunities policy (as expressed in its QMS) and selects the best person for
the job, evaluated against the necessary competencies. These competencies
include the need to demonstrate sensitivity and understanding of the key
cultural backgrounds of Targets clients.
Ø
Targets
staff training policy and its performance appraisal system enables staff to be
aligned with the cultural and other needs of the students and provides feedback
for the necessary adjustment by individual staff members.
Target Education Limited's structure is shown on the attached page. It has a board of Directors.
Managing
Director Jamaliyeh Drake. Community Advisory Board provides advice and
guidance to the Directors on issues that pertain to Pacific community
development and in particular advice on guidance in supporting community
aspirations. The advisor Board has
Pacific community and religious leadership together with industrial sector
representation. The Technical what is technical either adjust or delete and
Audit Advisory Group provides advice also to the Board of Directors. This is a specialist advisory group that
provides advices on quality and audit issues, (QED and Associates for example
has been our auditor for 10 years) Our specialist
advisors on educational issues, together with our property development advisor
sit on this group.
Jamaliyeh Drake is
the Managing Director and has four direct reports and heads of the
All staff are
required to adhere to and are trained in Target’s comprehensive NZQA approved
Quality Management system. This system,
which is comprehensively and regularly updated outlines the goals and
objectives of the organisation, the systems to
achieve the goals and objectives including the operation of quality teams, the
planning cycle and a framework for policy development; governance and
management responsibilities and objectives, personnel standards, physical and
learning resources, learner information and entry and support criteria and
procedures as well as processes to deal with disciplinary matters, development
and delivery and review of programmes, assessment and moderation, notification
and reporting and the requirements for the achievement of the goals and
objectives of the organisation including performance
indicators.
Target will
continue to ensure appropriate governance and management of its Organisation
through maintaining and enhancing its structure and systems, and training and
developing its management capability. The following are they key features of
this:
q The Board has and will develop and maintain
a set of Governance Policies which define its relationship with its Chief
Executive we do not have a chief executive including expectations relating to
management and reporting, its meeting processes, timing and agenda’s; its
strategic planning, programming and budgeting procedures, its delegations and
financial management processes.
q The Advisory Board, consisting largely of
q Beyond the involvement of the Board and
Advisory Board, each programme has an identified group of individuals who act
as a programme advisory group. These groups include Pacific community leaders and sector
representatives. These groups meet at
least annually and will continue to do so, to consider the content and
directions of each and make suggestions for its development.
q The Quality Management system, together with
the annual statement of objectives and policies and the annual business plan
are the key guiding documents for Target Education Limited. These documents set out the educational and
developmental objectives for the students of Target Education, the businesses
financial objectives, thus ensuring it is maintaining ongoing financial
viability, and the detailed practices and procedures by which the business will
run (in the Quality Management system).
Target has identified
its stakeholders both for the purposes of this charter and for its ongoing
management of its organisation. With respect to this charter, Target has
identified four generic groups, with which it has entered into a process of
consultation:
1.
Students
and learners: Target has
provided a draft charter and requested a number of focus groups from students
to review and comment on this. This is taking place
during August and September of 2003.
2 The
Community: Target has
identified the communities, which its learners are from, and has, for the
purposes of this charter, entered into a consultation process that provides
community feedback on the direction of the organisation. In particular Target has consulted with the
3 Industry
and other Training Providers: Target has sought specific feedback from
industry and other training providers as part of the development of this
charter. As mentioned in sections above,
Target annually consults these bodies and this has been a further opportunity
for Target to link in with its key providers.
A list of industry groups to whom the charter was sent and who
participated in the consultation is attached.
4
Staff: All
of Target’s staff have been involved in the development of a charter, either
through crafting initial paragraphs or alternatively through interactive
sessions which a PowerPoint presentation was provided for discussions.
5
Government
funding and support agencies: Target has submitted its charter for
consideration to TEC, WINZ, Workbridge, and the
Ministry of Education for their comment and views. Feedback from these agencies has been helpful
in drafting the final report.