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New Zealand Certificate in Health and Wellbeing (Social and Community Services) (Level 4)
With strands in Mental Health and Addiction Support, and Whānau, Community, and Social Services
HS1801
Course details
-
Feb 2026Jul 2026
- One year
- Full-time
- $3,500*
- You may qualify for fee-free study under Fees Free Policy or MPTT*
- Level 4
- Available for International Students. International Fee Guideline
- Hamilton City Campus or Regional/Online delivery
Summary
This one-year health and wellbeing programme will provide students with the foundation knowledge, skills, and practical experience required to work alongside individuals, families, and whānau accessing social and community services.
Students gain a wide range of transferable skills essential to the role of a support worker and select from one of the following strands to further strengthen their learning:
- Mental health and addiction support: Apply mental health and/or addiction tools and strategies when working alongside tangata, family, and whānau to support autonomy, foster hope, and develop resilience.
- Whānau, community, and social services: Apply community and social services tools and strategies when working alongside tangata, family, and whānau to support autonomy, identify goals, reduce vulnerability, and build resilience or achieve aspirations.
A key benefit of this programme is its flexibility in delivery. Students studying at our Hamilton Campus study face-to-face with tutors and their peers twice a week and have three days for independent study or placement. Students living rurally in the wider Waikato can choose to study online with classes delivered by a tutor via Zoom. This programme is also delivered online for those already employed in a support work role.
Students will undertake 200 practicum hours in a work setting relevant to their selected strand to apply their knowledge and skills, enhance their learning, and develop professional practice.
We welcome all new students with an induction at the start of the programme.
View programme modules
Group A: Core compulsory modules
| Module code | Module title | Level | Credits | Pre-requisites | Co-requisites |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| COMC409B | Introduction to the Health and Wellbeing Sector | 4 | 15 | ||
| COMC410B | Theory for Practice | 4 | 15 | ||
| COMC411 | Te Ao Hauora Māori | 4 | 15 | ||
| COMC412B | Societal Influences in Health and Wellbeing | 4 | 15 | ||
| COMC413B | Working with Tangata | 4 | 15 |
Group B: Mental Health and Addiction Support strand compulsory modules
| Module code | Module title | Level | Credits | Pre-requisites | Co-requisites |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| COMC414B | Mental Health and Addiction Support Practicum 1 | 4 | 15 | ||
| COMC415B | Mental Health and Addiction Support Practicum 2 | 4 | 30 |
Group C: Whānau, Community, and Social Services strand
Career/further opportunities
This qualification meets the requirements for the Pay Equity Settlement Act 2017. Completion will allow employees and those seeking to enter the industry to follow a career path with qualification attainment linked to wage increases.
Depending on the strand you choose, graduate opportunities may include:
- Residential care
- Youth work
- Family violence support
- Social justice advocacy
- Community development
- Aged care
- Refugee support
- Accessibility/disability support
- Employment, housing, and budget support
- Tamariki ora support
- Wellbeing field officer
- Health and wellbeing mentor
- Mental health and addictions support
Further study opportunities
Graduates of this programme may go on to degree-level study including:
Frequently asked questions
How much time outside of class will I need to spend on study?
In addition to class time and online tutor directed learning, students are also need to complete independent learning – in total the mix of study time will add up to about 40 hours per week
Who is this certificate best suited to?
It is suitable for those interested in working with people in the mental health & addiction support, or whanau, community and social services sectors.
What is the benefit of having this certificate?
Those who hold this certificate can attain higher wages through the Care and Support Workers Pay Equity Settlement. You can find out more about that here.
What is the difference between this certificate and the Te Are Pūtake pathway?
The difference between the Certificate in Health and Wellbeing and Te Ara Pūtake, is that the certificate has two distinct purposes. Those who successfully complete it can either transition to further study in Social Practice (using it as a pathway qualification), or improve their employment and pay outcomes in the role of a Support Workers. The core role of Te Ara Pūtake is as a bridging qualification that students generally complete with the intent to continue studying further.
Can I work and study at the same time?
As a full-time course of about 40 hours, we recommend that those in full-time employment study part-time. Students then can take up to two years to complete the programme.
What are the criteria for being an online student?
The programme can be undertaken online for students living rurally and unable to attend classes in Hamilton, and those already employed in a support work role with approval of the employer and placement coordinator.
What is a practicum?
Practicum is a period spent in the community working alongside individuals and whānau accessing mental health & addiction support or social and community services. The idea of practicum is that you have a context in which to take on the role of support worker while still being guided and supervised.
Practicum placements provide students with the opportunity to gain practical support work skills and experience such as understanding agencies, systems, and accountability processes, developing awareness of professional roles and responsibilities, collaborative collegial relationships, working with tangata whaiora, and application of professional and ethical practice.
What support will I have before and during practicum?
We will assist students in finding a placement by helping create a profile, CV and cover letters, preparing for interviews and locating appropriate organisations for students to contact. In addition, throughout the placement, the Wintec Practicum Kaitiaki will liaise with the student and the Agency Liaison to ensure students are achieving their learning goals.
How are practicums organised?
Students must be proactive about finding a suitable placement and can begin this process as soon as their application is accepted. All placements must be approved by the Practicum Kaitiaki and a contract agreement signed by each party (Wintec, student, and agency), prior to starting placement.
Who pays for costs associated with practicum?
The student must meet costs related to transport and any accommodation that the agency does not generally cover for its employees. The agency is expected to provide the student with routine resources required to complete tasks agreed to be undertaken during placement.
What happens if I am already working in the field?
The primary objective of placement is to provide work experience that assists the integration of the knowledge gained during the course and to create future career opportunities. If this can occur in the current workplace with recognition by the agency of the student’s needs and role, then it may be an appropriate placement. This would need to be discussed and determined with the Practicum Kaitiaki and Agency Liaison.
Placements
As part of your programme of study, you will spend 200 hours in a practicum placement; this is where you link the theory you are learning with practical application.
You will be expected to be proactive in finding work placements. Think about the agencies you already know about or are connected with and agencies whose work you are most interested in experiencing. Once your study
has started, you will be supported by the practicum coordinator to approach and confirm your placement. Note that some placement options are limited, and you may be required to undertake a placement experience in an agency that is not your first option.
Events
Disclaimers
Entry criteria
You can apply for this programme if you meet one or more of the below options.
Based on your school achievement (secondary study)
- 40 credits at NCEA Level 1; including 10 literacy credits and 10 numeracy credits;
- Or a recognised equivalent.
Based on study completed after school (tertiary study)
- A relevant course at NZQF Level 3;
- Or a recognised equivalent.
Based on your work experience (on the job)
If you can demonstrate relevant knowledge, skills and experience that you have gained through work experience, that will help you to be successful in the programme.
Based on discretionary entrance
If you don’t meet any of the above options, and you think you have what it takes to complete this programme, you can apply for discretionary entrance. Your application may be accepted if you can demonstrate a good chance of success. Approval of discretionary entrance applications is decided by the relevant manager. If your application is approved, your acceptance into further programmes relies on you demonstrating success in this programme.
Selection criteria
- All candidates are required to:
- Complete the standard Wintec application form
- Complete a self-declaration of criminal convictions
- Complete a self-declaration of mental or physical condition
- Candidates may also be required to provide additional information and/or attend an interview in order for their application to be assessed.
- Candidates for the online cohort are required to be working (paid or voluntarily) for at least 12 hours a week in a health or wellbeing organisation.
- Employees and volunteers working in the health and wellbeing sectors are required to undergo initial and ongoing checks to ensure they are a fit and proper person to provide support and are required to undergo the following checks:
- Police checks
- Two references
- Checks against Children’s Act 2014
- Checks against any other relevant legislation
- Candidates are required to disclose whether they have been convicted of a criminal offence and police vetting will be carried out on all candidates. By signing the police vetting form candidates are consenting to the police vetting process being carried out. Candidates should be aware that some types of criminal convictions may limit their ability to secure practicum placements and, thus, to complete the programme requirements. When determining whether an applicant’s criminal convictions impact their ability to meet the requirements of the practicum component, the “severity, recency, age at offending and pattern of offending are taken into consideration”. Persons who are convicted of ‘specified offences’ will not be accepted onto any programme that requires that Person to work in an organisation providing a regulated service.
Applicants must declare any pending or new convictions arising at any stage throughout the entire enrolment period. A conviction or failure to declare a conviction may also result in the student being immediately withdrawn from the programme.
Any unsatisfactory result arising from the full safety checking process may result in the candidate being declined entry or withdrawn from the programme of study. - Candidates are required in their applications to indicate whether they have had a physical or mental condition that is likely to impact on their participation on the programme. Candidates should be aware that some types of physical or mental conditions may prevent them from participating in elements of the programme or in the candidate being declined entry or withdrawn from the programme of study.
Practicum requirement
- Candidates wanting to use their workplace for the placement component of the programme may do so at the discretion of the Programme Co-ordinator. Workplaces will be checked for suitability in relation to the programme. Candidates will be required to provide a letter from their manager/employer confirming the support of the workplace/agency and availability of a supervisor for their studies.
- Where candidates transfer from on-campus to online learning, the availability of a supervisor to meet the work placement criteria will be required.
English language requirements
Candidates who have English as a second language are required to have an academic International English Language Test System (IELTS) score of 5.5, with no individual band score lower than 5.0; or PTE: (Academic) score of 42 with no band score lower than 36 or NZCEL: Level 3 (Academic).
Want to see full details of the entry criteria?
Don't meet the entry criteria?
Pathways
To check what you need to gain direct entry to a course, review the entry criteria available on each programme page. These assist you in understanding what qualifications or experience are typically required to gain entry. You can contact our team at info@wintec.ac.nz or 0800 2 Wintec at any time for further guidance.
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Semester 1 2026
Induction day
Date: Thursday, 19th February 2026
Time: 9am
Venue: A1.04, City Campus
Semester 2 2026
Induction day
Date: Monday, 20th July 2026
Time: 8am
Venue: A1.04, City Campus
If you are a regional or online student, we welcome and encourage you to attend this induction.
If you are unable to attend your induction day, please let us know by email.
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