Changes to the Apprenticeship in Mental Health and Addiction Support programme

Kia ora,

This email is to advise you of upcoming changes to the Careerforce Apprenticeship in Mental Health and Addiction Support programme.

This apprenticeship programme is being updated to reflect changes to the resulting qualification: New Zealand Certificate in Health & Wellbeing (Social and Community Services) (Level 4) with a strand in Mental Health and Addiction Support.

Careerforce sought, and has listened to feedback from the sector about the capabilities needed to prepare programme facilitators, support workers, or caregivers for the future and, as a result, we have updated the Mental Health and Addiction Support apprenticeship programme. This will see your staff become more confident to be able to work alongside people and their family/whānau to support their autonomy, foster hope and develop resilience.

Key changes with the updated programme from 1 August

From 1 August, any apprentices enrolled in the updated version of the apprenticeship will see a slightly different programme to those enrolled in the current version. This includes:

Three new modules:

APP104a ‘Te Tiriti o Waitangi and My Role’
APP143 ‘Psychological First Aid’
APP142 ‘Advocate for a Person’

One module has been removed from the programme:

APP112a ‘Exceed – Investigating a Topic’

The credit value increases from 120 to 128 credits.

The average duration of the Careerforce Apprenticeship in Mental Health and Addiction Support remains 18 - 24 months.

Updated programme opens on 1 August

All training agreements received from 1 August 2022 will be enrolled in the updated version of the programme.

For apprentices enrolled in the current version of the programme

Apprentices enrolled in the current version of the programme will be awarded the qualification once they have completed all the requirements as per normal.

Current apprentices have until 31 December 2023 to complete all assessments in their current programme and for the assessments to have been registered as completed with Careerforce. Your Careerforce Apprenticeship Advisor will support them as much as possible to prioritise completion of their current programme.

Shortly, we will be communicating with current apprentices about their completion requirements.

Apprenticeship Boost Payments

In May 2022, the Government announced the extension of the Apprenticeship Boost fund through to December 2023. The Apprenticeship Boost programme remains the same, but with one exception.

To date, employers were able to claim monthly payments of $1000/month for apprentices in their first 12 months and $500/month for apprentices in the second year. From 5 August 2022, these payments will change to $500/month for apprentices in either their first or second year.

Employers are still required to claim these payments via MSD. Please review the conditions on their website.

Additionally, and via the Targeted Training and Apprenticeship Fund (TTAF), Careerforce apprenticeship programmes are currently fees free for enrolments through to December 2022.

If you have any questions, please contact your Careerforce Apprenticeship Advisor.