Skills Matter

Skills Matter provides funding for postgraduate training for new graduates and existing practitioners working in DHB, NGO and primary care settings, including nurses, social workers, occupational therapists, psychologists and addiction practitioners.

All programmes:

• combine academic and workplace learning
• are at postgraduate level (levels 8 and 9 in the New Zealand qualifications framework)
• are underpinned by the Let's get real framework.

Te Pou manages Skills Matter funding on behalf of the Ministry of Health.

Applications for a funded place on a programme must be made directly through the relevant tertiary institute.

The programmes of study available are:

• New entry to specialist practice: mental health and addiction nursing
• New entry to specialist practice: allied mental health and addiction
• Core skills for specialist practice in infant, child and adolescent mental health and addiction
• Clinical leadership in nursing practice
• Assessment and management of co-existing substance use and mental health
• Postgraduate Certificate & Diploma courses in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy

A travel and accommodation assistance grant is also available to help trainees when the distance from their work to their place of study is more than 100 kilometres.

If you're a prospective student, you should:

• find out what programmes are on offer
• learn about the travel and accommodation assistance grant
• see what past students have said about the impact of Skills Matter.

If you're a current student, you should:

• be familiar with the service specifications for the relevant course
• find out about the available travel and accommodation assistance grant.

If you're a manager or employer:

• our resource Guidance for employers of Skills Matters trainees explains what employers need to know and do in order to support an employee to successfully complete their programme and apply their new knowledge in the workplace
• you should be familiar with the service specifications for courses that your employees are enrolled in
• you can read evaluations and reflections from past students.

Students from NGOs are eligible to apply to all courses. However, if an NGO-based nurse is interested in applying for the new entry to specialist practice: mental health and addiction nursing (NESP) programme they should indicate their interest to Te Pou in the first instance.

The following guides outline some considerations for NGO-based students and employers.

• Guidance for employers of Skills Matters trainees.
• Guidance for NGOs supporting nurses on the New Entry to Specialist Practice programme.