Graduate Diploma in Not-for-Profit

By MARK STORY

This NZQA approved (level 7) diploma was developed for busy managers, team leaders, volunteers or board members working within the not-for-profit (NFP) sector.

Participants can study for as few as four days or as many as 40 days in any year, says programme leader Aly McNicoll.

"The courses are in short blocks of two or three days at a time. Most students graduate in three to five years, depending on how many courses they do each year."

McNicol says each student can customise their learning to meet their needs. Delivered by Unitec's school of community studies in six New Zealand centres - Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Bay of Plenty, Nelson, Hamilton - and in the Pacific, the programme focuses on issues not usually dealt with in business school, including fundraising, contracting with Government, and managing volunteers.

The seven core compulsory courses (78 credits) within the diploma include: culture and values of the not-for-profit sector; not-for-profit accounting and financial management; community funding and entrepreneurship; small team leadership; governance, volunteerism, employee motivation and management; and ethical management of change.

Students then select another 42 credits to complete their diploma.

As an introduction to the programme, the culture and values of the not-for-profit sector course will be offered in Auckland February 18-20 and June 23-25, and in Hamilton April 26-28.

At the other end of the course, students take the paper on ethical management of change once they have passed at least 66 credits. Assessment is typically carried out by project work to improve organisational performance within a student's particular area of study. Fees for next year are still being finalised, but each 12-credit paper this year costs around $400.

There are two intakes a year and students may enrol for individual courses. Enrolments should be made by the end of January or at the latest, two weeks before any course begins. Each course has a maximum of 25 places.

Students wishing to apply for the graduate diploma in Not-For-Profit Management will either have a relevant tertiary degree or professional qualification or have at least three years' paid or volunteer work experience as a manager or leader in a not-for-profit organisation.

Students with English as a second language must show sufficient written and oral language skills to meet course work and assessment requirements.

Most students already work within the sector, but opportunities open to graduates include: management or co-ordination roles, human resource management, team leader positions and training roles in not-for-profit and community organisations.

The programme has several scholarship programmes which recognise the work participants have done as unpaid or low-paid workers for their communities. Student loans and allowances are also available.

What past students think

Sandy Thompson

41

National executive officer, National Association for Out of School Care and Recreation (NAOSCAR)

Auckland City

Graduated 2003


"I entered this role with an arts degree and a teaching certificate, but no training for work within the not-for-profit sector.

"The real value of the course was about practical learning relevant to my own organisation, and networking with fellow not-for-profit professionals.

"I use what I've learned every day.

"Much of what we do revolves around developing positive relationships with Government and businesses.

"The most important thing the course taught me is that it's impossible to do that until you truly know your own organisation first."

What employers think

Peter Heaslip

National Chair, NAOSCAR

Auckland City


"This course has made a big difference to the way Sandy's managed the organisation's transition into a much larger service provider following major Government funding.

"Much of her role involves staff training and working with Government.

"While Sandy has always had the ability, this course has given her the confidence and competence to work on a whole range of projects simultaneously."

The qualification

Graduate Diploma in Not-for-Profit Management

Unitec Institute of Technology

Phone: (09) 815 4321 ext 8587

Unitec