Engaging with parents and community

Engaging with family and community in learners’ career education helps schools to:

• enhance their understanding of young people's learning processes
• enhance their understanding of how NCEA works
• create a wider school community prepared to work together to benefit both the community and learners, eg, the Gateway programme
• enhance the school’s standing in the community and build trust
• foster a sense of value and belonging to the community for learners 
• foster an environment of shared knowledge where complementary skills and understanding are developed
• include parents in their young people's learning and career planning (evidence shows that most parents want to be involved)
• increase resources for and skills of learners through extracurricular experiences and education outside the classroom, eg, mentoring programmes
• provide a network for learners to more easily find future employment and training.

Review the list - how else can your school engage the community?

The opportunities for engagement go far beyond family members and businesses. A careers community can involve:

Individuals and community organisations

• parents, PTA
• trusts and charities
• churches
• sports and cultural clubs
• providers of targeted information and services for schools, eg, Royal Society or Futureintech
• international and national scholarship providers.

Business and industry

• large employers (eg health boards)
• parent-owned businesses
• banks
• businesses of ex-learners
• iwi businesses
• community education trusts
• industry days
• professional associations
• employment scholarship providers.

Education and training

• tertiary education provider liaison staff, polytechnics, universities, PTEs
• armed services recruitment staff
• motivational programme providers, eg, Project K
• alternative education providers
• apprenticeship and cadetship co-ordinators (industry training organisations)
• career expos.

Government – national and local

• regional economic development agencies
• Ministry of Education staff, eg, pouwhakataki (Māori community liaison officers)
• Ministry of Social Development youth services, eg, youth work brokers and Youth Transition Services
• mayors' taskforce for jobs.

Linking with your community provides a win-win situation. Review what initiatives you are currently undertaking to try to create a connection with your community. Can you add to or improve on these?