Sign Up
Log in

Empowering rangatahi to live
their best lives

    What is Career Hauora?

      Career Hauora is a careers and hauora programme which aims to “empower rangatahi to live their best lives” by integrating life skills and careers learning. It provides valuable information, experiences, training, and connections to reduce inequities, build capabilities, inspire aspirations, and boost confidence. By supporting young people from diverse backgrounds, Career Hauora helps them secure meaningful employment and thrive in their chosen paths.

      Career Hauora also emphasises the holistic wellbeing (hauora) of rangatahi, recognising that their mental, emotional, and physical health are crucial aspects of career development. Career Hauora empowers young people by supporting their mental wellbeing, nurturing a sense of purpose and confidence, and helping to reduce inequity.

      Watch our video

        The resources are designed so that anyone can deliver the learning, enabling subject teachers and youth coaches to empower young people to live their best lives.

        Career Hauora is a long-term initiative that is structured across a Year 9 to 13 framework, tailored to meet individuals at their age and life stage. The collaborative and co-created programme includes over 350 resources, videos, slideshows, worksheets and information guides. Designed from a holistic approach using Te Whare Tapa Whā model of hauora (wellbeing), Career Hauora is delivered by subject teachers in form/hauora time, making careers and life skills education accessible to every student.

        Career Hauora has been co-created with feedback and input from:

        • Secondary School staff and students,
        • Ministry of Education
        • Career Development Association New Zealand (CDANZ)
        • Mayor’s Task Force for Jobs
        • Careers Educators
        • Employers
        • Ministry of Social Development
        • Tertiary Educators

        Personal impact of Career Hauora

        • Reduces career anxiety

        • Increases sense of self
        • Offers hope and aspiration
        • Creates stronger connections with school and class
        • Prepares students for life beyond school
        • Improves work readiness
        • Provides direction for self-guided learning

        Pilot

        Contact

        About the Career Hauora imagery: 

        A career is a journey requiring action and effort to keep moving forward. The paddler needs to paddle on both sides to keep the waka moving in a straight line.  Direction can be changed at any time.

        The two crossed hoe (paddles) represent a starting point or end goal.  A crossroad and interconnection.  Crossing the hoe in these designs connects the symbols; career and hauora.  Each element affects the other and both are important for life-balance.

        The manawa koru design on the hoe with the breath line down the middle refers to self / life breath / Rangi and Papa.  The three manawa represent self-whānau-community and past-present-future.

        Alignment with Regional and National Strategy

        Career Hauora directly addresses the Ministry of Educations’ National Education Learning Priority 7, “collaborate with industries and employers to ensure learners/ākonga have the skills, knowledge and pathways to succeed in work.”

        Career Hauora also supports the Waikato Workforce Development action plan, specifically action 16 “Improve the quality of careers guidance for young people in the Waikato.”

        Career Hauora aligns with the Tertiary Education Commission’s report “Transitions from Secondary School (2022)” and the Career Education Strategy.

        Research and Impact

        Quantitative and qualitative data was collected throughout the 2022 pilot.

        • Students were surveyed twice via SurveyMonkey, 5 months apart, to assess the impact of Career Hauora.
        • Staff were surveyed to gain feedback on the resource structure and content as well as the staff professional learning and development sessions.
        • Several student and staff focus groups were held covering resource content and accessibility, time allocation and structure and overall effectiveness in enhancing student Career Hauora.

        Personal impact of Career Hauora

        • Reduces career anxiety
        • Increases sense of self
        • Offers hope and aspiration
        • Creates stronger connections with school and class
        • Prepares students for life beyond school
        • Improves work readiness
        • Provides direction for self-guided learning

        Career Hauora delivers the following significant benefits

        Greater retention of students at school, leading to lower NEET rates, higher achievement and better transitions into work and training.

        Development and promotion of entry-level work opportunities and tertiary education training pathways.

        Fosters strong local schooling, tertiary and employer connections to develop skills pipelines supporting future local labour market needs.

        Positively affects rangatahi wellbeing through earlier intervention, supporting career pathways in schools.

        Economic Impact

        Alongside the much needed improvement in wellbeing that Career Hauora gives to our rangatahi, it also positively impacts economic development. Through Career Hauora, young people are better informed about local industries, they are more work ready, their career and study aspirations are raised and ultimately their career decisions are better aligned to growth industries. Local employers are invited to connect with schools and students, enabling real education and employment pathways. Career Hauora is scaleable as resources can be utilised nationwide across all secondary schools, all teachers and all year levels, as well as all youth organisations.