With Grants for Good funding over $50,000 worth of individuals’ study options in 2023, it’s been incredible to see the difference this contribution can make to the wider communities they touch.
All around Aotearoa New Zealand there are pockets of awesomeness happening within our communities. Whether it’s NGOs helping vulnerable families or schools supporting learners with additional needs, there’s an impact that can be made. And usually, these initiatives start with one individual wanting to make a difference.
And that’s where HealthCarePlus’s Grants for Good come into play. Our grants offer a form of financial aid that does not need to be repaid, allowing students to progress with their studies or make an impact with a special project they are running.
Take, for example, Jess Morgan. She leads a team at Steps Forward, a small NGO providing free wrap-around support services to the Hibiscus Coast community. The whānau her organisation supports come to Steps Forward with incredibly complex issues, and it takes a team of dedicated staff to help them on their journey to a stronger and more positive future.
By funding Jess’s study towards her Postgraduate Certificate in Professional Supervision (at the University of Auckland), she has been able to learn theoretical frameworks to guide her practice of supporting her team. In addition, she has learnt skills to help her team navigate the continually challenging encounters with vulnerable people.
“Supporting the wellbeing of my team is an important part of my role,” says Jess. “All too often, I have felt the blurry edges of my knowledge and skills as I strive to support my team. The knowledge gained from this study will ensure that as an agency, we are working in a safe, sustainable way, maintaining our team and their families’ wellbeing and enabling us to provide high-quality support to the vulnerable members of our community.”
As a practitioner, Jess also undertakes supervision herself and recognises the power of this time. “These sessions have been a lifeline when I have been really struggling,” says Jess. “This training will enable me to give this kind of [supervision] support to my team.” You can read more about Jess Morgan through the spotlight interview here.
In addition to providing financial assistance, our grants can also help to reduce the stress associated with financing a study programme or qualification. By providing financial assistance, Grants for Good can lessen the need for students to take out large amounts of student loans.
Thanks to Grants for Good, Rachael Murphy, a kindergarten Kaiako (teacher) in Tauranga, has been able to take the leap into postgraduate study. The grant has allowed her to work part-time, providing time and space for study.
Her Masters in Educational and Developmental Psychology through Massey University looks at the multiple dimensions of learning and how educational settings can be more inclusive of individual differences.
In her work as a kindergarten teacher, Rachael sees a need for more learning support specialists, and so through her studies she hopes to better understand and find ways to “make educational settings places that support all learners to be the best they can be.”
Both Rachael and Jess encourage those looking to apply to just “Give it a shot.” Rachael suggests allowing plenty of time and following the advice given by HealthCarePlus. “Save your responses as a separate document, then paste them into the application at the time of submission,” says Rachael.
Grants for Good has three categories of individual grants: study support for hardship, individual professional development and individual small projects. To find out more about whether you are eligible to apply, click below.
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