WILSS Learning Experience
WILSS designs its programmes keeping in mind the uniqueness of every school, community, and workplace. Through feedback and collaboration, our programmes are designed to be relevant and specific to the needs of the learners.
Our aim is to help our learners develop their confidence, become connected and actively involved within their school, community, and beyond.
Programmes incorporate skill development, self-esteem and motivation development, self-presentation skills and work confidence.
Our programmes are pathways towards employment, further education opportunities or up-skilling in current roles.
WILSS does not treat learning experiences as 'one off' events and accordingly some of our programmes comprise the use of a learning cycle involving four steps:
Experience – Learners need to be involved in activities from which learning points can be extracted.
Review – Learners need time to reflect on the experiences they have had. They need to consider what has happened to them and why things occurred the way that they did.
Seek conclusions – After having reflected, learners need to develop conclusions about the situations they were in and then extract points on how these can be applied in the future.
Plan – Conclusions should raise further questions that can form the basis for further experimentation, experiences and development.
Guidance and Support Systems
All learners will have available to them, on request, guidance, and support systems. WILSS is a signatory to The Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice 2021. Code of Practice link. The code administrator is the WILSS General Manager who can be contacted on 0274757515 or jack@wilss.ac.nz
WILSS at all times conducts its dealings with learners in a fair and equitable manner and complies with specific requirements of the Education Act 1989 and other relevant legislation.
Learners are required to abide by the rules and regulations of WILSS as set out in the Learner Handbook. This Handbook includes information about WILSS guidance and support systems and is given to each learner on enrolment.
Welfare and support services
WILSS learning support policy advises the support services available which include:
Local networks to provide support.
Library network service.
Employment and career guidance.
Additional professional support.
Facilitators.
Learners will be referred to relevant outside professional agencies and counselling when this is requested. Employment and career mapping will be provided by external support people or from outside agencies on request.
Fees Free Policy
In 2018 the Government announced details of a fees-free policy for students who are new to tertiary education. The policy covers 120 credits towards a qualification; the equivalent of year of full-time study, or two if you study part-time and has no age limit.
Are You eligible?
Full fees-free details are available at www.feesfree.govt.nz. You can also use this link for a quick guide to help you check your eligibility and understand next steps.
Attendance Policy
100% attendance is expected on all courses. The learner will be contacted by WILSS as soon as a pattern of unexplained absence is apparent. If that contact does not lead to resolution of the non-attendance issue, a follow-up discussion will be held, and the learner will be warned of the possibility that further non-attendance may result in them being withdrawn from their course. Details of any discussion will be placed on the student’s file. Following continued absence for a further two weeks and a failure on the learner’s part to contact WILSS, the learner will be withdrawn from their course, an email/letter explaining this will be sent to the learner, and a copy of the email/letter will be placed on the learner’s file.
