Students get help with new lifestyle

STUDENT LIFE: At Whanganui UCOL's market day are Amberlee Faiut-Rafferty (left), Andy Tipan, Korrallie Bailey-Taurua and Dana Garrett. PHOTO/STUART MUNRO

Whanganui UCOL's orientation programme continued on Thursday with a market day.

Campus manager Gina Guigou said the academic year started with a powhiri last week for new students.

Mrs Guigou said the market day aimed to bring together businesses and organisations supporting students to UCOL so students could find out more about them.

"We've got banks, Student Job Search, Castlecliff Medical Centre, and lots of other organisation here today," Mrs Guigou said.

"Once you become a student at the tertiary level, you have to take responsibility for your own life, and this makes it that little bit easier."

UCOL was also promoting its students ambassador programme at the market day.

"This is a trial programme that has been happening in Palmerston North, but this is new in Whanganui," Mrs Guigou said.

Ambassadors could be a representative for their class, or they could be someone who assisted classmates when they were having problems.

"We're hoping that this will lead on to a buddy system for international students."

Mrs Guigou said there were around 200 international students across UCOL's four campuses "and that is going to grow".