Student Support

Index

Travellers
Peer Mediation
Manaakitanga
Peer Sexuality Support Programme (PSSP)
Skittles
Career Service
What is Gateway?

Our school provides students with a structure of a House system, which in partnership with families foster good routines and clear expectations of behaviour within an orderly and ethical environment supported by restorative practices.

Mount Roskill Grammar school has a comprehensive and holistic Student Services Department.

We are passionately committed to the proactive support of the mental, social and physical health of our rangatahi. We are proud to work under the school’s core values of Whanaungatanga, Manaakitanga, and Tūmanakotanga and we share a commitment to social justice and affirming diversity.

Our Student Services Department contains a Guidance Counselling team and a Health Clinic.

The counselling team consists of six counsellors, several itinerant specialist counsellors and an itinerant Freshminds Psychologist.

The Health Clinic has four Nurses, a Doctor and a Physiotherapist.

Our building is next to the Hall. When you walk in, one of our friendly receptionists will help you access the services you need or you can make an appointment by email or online. Referrals are welcome from students, from staff and from family members.

If appropriate students can be referred free of charge for psychological support to the school psychologist who works in our team or to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, either the Kari Centre (at Greenlane Clinical Centre) or Whirinaki (South Auckland). Referrals can be recommended when students face chronic or severe depression, severe anxiety, panic attacks or other mental health challenges.

Itinerant Counsellors from Auckland Sexual Abuse Help and Community Alcohol and Drug Services work from our premises for students who request specialist help.

Travellers

Travellers is a school-based mental health promotion programme for small groups of young people identified in Year Nine that enhances connectedness and supports changes in life’s journey. Changes rangitahi may need support with include:

Changing schools
Changing friendships
The loss of something or someone close, such as family member or pet
Changing residence such as moving cities or countries
Changing family status such as parental separation or remarriage
Changing state of wellbeing e.g. self-esteem, illness or injury

Peer Mediation

Peer Mediation is about students helping students. Mediators aim to resolve conflict in a constructive way. Conflict is a normal part of our lives and it is how we choose to deal with it that can make the difference.
The New Zealand Peace Foundation provides the mediation training in our school. Mediators learn to respect diversity and to value differences.
The role of the Mediators is to not only help students resolve conflict behind closed doors in a confidential mediation room. It is also about being “Ambassadors of Social Justice”. Mediators lead in the school community by promoting and modelling fairness and respect for others, watching out for harassment and bullying, and by supporting students to get help when needed. Their aim is to help the school to be a safer place.
Mediators lead in the celebration of International Peace Week with assembly presentations, painted banners and white ribbons, face painting, stall day and a community Peace march.

Manaakitanga

Manaakitanga is our Year 9 anti-harassment programme. To learn effectively, students need to feel emotionally safe and connected at school. Manaakitanga, Whanaungatanga and Tūmanakotanga are our school’s overarching values.
Harassment, bullying, mocking and shaming cause long-term psychological damage. At Mount Roskill Grammar School we take all harassment seriously. We don’t think it’s a “normal part of growing up”, we don’t believe it’s helpful to ignore it, we don’t think it’s “just a bit of friendly mocking”. We proactively work on preventing it, and actively deal with it when it does occur.
In term one each year, all Year 9 core classes have a workshop in the “Sunshine Room”, the large group room of the Counsellors that can seat a whole class in a circle. We explore harassment through this interactive workshop. Students learn about our fierce commitment to fight harassment and bullying, and some of the effective processes we use to stop it when it occurs. We also talk about the need to reach out for support, and the importance of referring yourself or your friend to a Counsellor if they feel low, and notice suicidal thoughts.

Peer Sexuality Support Programme (PSSP)

We are proud to be part of the Auckland District Health Board’s Peer Sexuality Support Programme.
This programme started two decades ago when increasing evidence became available that advice and information given by peers is effective in influencing adolescent attitudes and behaviours. Young people have knowledge of the culture, language and concerns of people their own age. This way young people can be empowered to make informed decisions about their social and sexual health.
The trained students then act as support, resource and health promotion people both within their peer group and within the wider school. Our students help the counsellors teach classes on relationships and sexuality within the Year 10 Health programme. They actively promote values like respect and communication, and initiated the now nationally spread “Consent Awareness Week”.

Skittles

Skittles is our school’s Diversity group, co-facilitated by a group of trained student leaders and staff.
It is an inclusive alliance of people who share a firm commitment to social justice. We work towards creating a safe and supportive school for rainbow students and staff.
It also is a place that provides belonging and connectedness in a warm atmosphere of acceptance and celebration of different sexual and gender identities. We proactively avoid labelling and judgement.
The group organises the annual “Day of silence” to draw attention to the silencing impact of homophobia and transphobia.

Career Service

The HOD Careers is available before school, after school, at interval and lunchtime to students of all levels for short discussions about future education, training, career pathways and job search. No appointments are required during these times.

Students with career issues can request one-on-one interviews either by seeing the HOD Careers or emailing careers@mrgs.school.nz. This service is open to students at all levels within the school and includes assistance with CVs and job search.

A range of guest speakers from universities, P.T.Es, trades training, Defence Forces, Police etc. are invited to speak to interested students of all levels about their courses, entry requirements and the related job markets. Students also have the opportunity to attend a number of career events and trips to tertiary institutions.

Career and subject choices

Check out the link below from the CareersNZ website or see the HOD Careers.

To get a job, you will also need a CV, so either attend one of our CV workshops or have a go at writing your own, using the CareersNZ CV Builder.

https://www.careers.govt.nz/tools/cv-builder/

What is Gateway?

The GATEWAY programme is designed to strengthen the pathway for Year 12 and 13 students to progress from school to the workplace.

It provides students with structured workplace learning, across a wide range of industries and businesses, while they continue to study at school.Students are given the opportunity to ‘test drive’ their career choices, while gaining valuable ‘real’ experience and ‘real’ learning. GATEWAY gives students confidence to make a smooth transition from school to work, while still attending school.

For more information email gateway@mrgs.school.nz

Who is eligible for the GATEWAY Programme?

Year 13 and selected Year 12 students at Mt Roskill Grammar School
Students who have a good attendance record
Students who are ready to enter the working world but want some experience first
Students who can keep up to date with academic studies while on placement
Students who have a desire to explore a particular career path
Students who have parental approval and support

How to apply

Students will be advised when application forms are available through the school’s daily notices.

Acceptance is by way of an application and interview process. The school reserves the right to select suitable students.

For more information on Gateway please email gateway@mrgs.school.nz.

Send completed form to gateway@mrgs.school.nz

2022 Application Form
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