Faith Finds Her Vocation
June, 2017
At the end of Year 13 when Faith Chadfield finished school, the question of which direction she was going to take was still very much up in the air.
As her final days of school approached, the bright and affable 18-year-old found herself without the crucial NCEA Level 2 qualification, and seemingly without a great deal of options; “I was really confused in my last couple of years at school, because I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I felt really lost. I wasn’t passing anything…it wasn’t a good feeling.”
Six months down the track, and Faith is moving forward with a goal and a plan - and is thriving - thanks to a free training programme delivered by Whanganui-based tertiary education provider Training For You.
The Whānau Positive Futures programme is a free, 80-credit programme which leads to the achievement of NCEA Level 2, and has a vocational pathway in the Social & Community Services Sector. A strong component of the programme is Early Childhood Education - an area that Faith has discovered is right up her street.
The eldest of three daughters, Faith has realised that caring for younger ones is her strength; “I’ve got a lot of younger cousins that I take care of, and I find it so easy, so that made me think, ‘maybe there is something there?’.”
While Faith’s peers have found different directions in university, working, or in apprenticeships, Faith now proudly says, “I’m studying Early Childhood.”
The Whānau Positive Futures programme runs for 36 weeks, with classes held Tuesday-Thursday. The programme has five modules made up of unit standards that provide knowledge and skills that can be a stepping stone to further education. Towards the end of the programme, students are given the opportunity for work placements which help them get a feel for the work they are thinking about doing. Faith is looking forward to a placement in an Early Childhood setting. “I’ve finally decided what I want to do. I want to be a kindergarten teacher.”
Now currently half way through the programme, the content is proving very relevant to her future career; “Last week we completed our First Aid certificate training. I know I’ll definitely need a First Aid certificate if I want to work with children. There are heaps of different units that are really helpful. Today we’ve just started on immunisation for children – how to talk to parents about it, that sort of thing.”
In choosing Whānau Positive Futures, Faith did have the advantage of some inside knowledge – her mother completed the programme last year. Through her Mum’s experience, Faith was able to determine that the programme was right for her. “My Mum really enjoyed it. She said it felt really comfortable here, and she got along with everyone.”
While Faith is still in her teens, some of her classmates are in their 30’s and have children of their own, which simply enhances the learning experience. Says Faith, “It’s good because they have experience of kids. Sometimes they bring their children in and it is really relevant to what we are learning. They have heaps of tips on what to do, or if I’m stuck with something they talk about situations they’ve had with their children. We all have our input, but with those that have children, sometimes their responses are that much more realistic – it makes it better.”
Faith has also found the transition to tertiary learning easy, “It’s pretty relaxed. There’s a structure to it, but not so much that you feel trapped. I just feel like this course is better suited for me than school.”
Born and raised in Whanganui, Faith has an exotic mix of Tongan, German, French, NZ European, Māori and Hawaiian heritage. Her wide appreciation of different cultures is sure to be a great asset when working with children and families. Looking ahead, Faith Chadfield plans to continue her study to gain more qualifications. The future is indeed looking bright for this positive young woman, “It feels good having a goal to work towards. I just 100% want to work with children.”
