Flaxmere College Teen Parent Unit celebrates 10 years

Big turnout for the 10-year celebration of the Flaxmere College The Teen Parent Unit, Te Tipu Whenua o Pa Harakeke.

In November, Flaxmere College celebrated 10 years since the school’s Teen Parent Unit opened.

The college has been supporting its students and community, helping teen parents continue their education while supporting the needs of both the parents and their child or children.

The Teen Parent Unit, Te Tipu Whenua ō Pā Harakeke is an alternative education facility that provides holistic support and education to young parents.

The unit is open to those who are hapū or have tamariki, with priority given to teen parents. However, the school can take those who are a bit older and have a few students who are in their early 20s.

Flaxmere College saw a gap when it came to teen parents in Hastings having the opportunity to continue their education, as the Napier teen parent unit at the time had a waiting list.

The Teen Parent Unit, Te Tipu Whenua ō Pā Harakeke head of department Melanie Fowler said, “It’s still very important to the community and wider district as there is still a need for holistic support for young parents.”

Along with helping students get to their NCEA levels, the school provides transport, if required, support to get to appointments, parenting sessions, regular activities such as art sessions and going to the gym with Sports HB, as well as workshops with other outside providers, such as Community Law. The unit also helps students to get their driving licences and there is a daycare attached (although they don’t have to send their tamariki there to attend the unit).

“The beauty of having it next door is if their tamariki needs breastfeeding or a bit of extra awhi they are just down the corridor,” Fowler said.

The unit also has subject specialist teachers who will develop an individual learning plan with each parent based on their goals and academic achievements to date.

“We also have a support worker who can advocate and assist the student with any benefit, housing, or other pastoral issues,” Fowler added.

On average, each year the unit has 19 enrolments However the last couple of years it has been closer to 30, with some of these enrolments being returning students.

When asked what would happen to the students if there was no Flaxmere Teen Parent Unit option, Fowler said, “There are other great courses out there that also support young parents, but they tend to be short courses, not NCEA through to UE, and they don’t have daycare.

“We really are a one-stop-shop.

“The success of the students always stands out to the teachers, whether that be the success of the student who completed all her secondary qualifications with us, who has gone on to complete a teaching degree and is now a primary teacher, right through to the student who, after years of waiting, settled into her own home and whose partner now has long term work.

“To be honest, sometimes it’s even the achievement of attending, despite the barriers and demands of being a parent.

“We love witnessing their personal growth, like the moment a student realised she had more to offer and a whole world of career opportunities was opened up,” Fowler said.

To celebrate 10 years, past and present students and staff were invited to attend an afternoon celebration at the unit. Photos of students from every year were on display, and the current students made finger foods for the event. There were speeches from staff and students and cake to mark the occasion.

Fowler said, “It was wonderful to see the students catching up with one another and staff reconnecting with ex-students.”

She added, “We also had a book they could write in, sharing a favourite memory from their time here, which was beautiful to read and reinforced the positive impact we can have if they are happy to let us come of their journey with them.”