NZMA Students Bring Christmas Cheer To The Disadvantaged

A group of students from New Zealand Management Academies (NZMA) Waikato have discovered that helping those in need makes for a truly memorable Christmas.

Nine students studying for their Certificate in Supervision Level 5 recently raised $1160 for the Special Children’s Christmas Party, which was held at Hamilton’s Mystery Creek Events Centre on 10 December. The three-and-a-half hour Christmas extravaganza was put on for disabled and disadvantaged children and included everything from celebrity stage shows and a small-animal petting yard to magicians and presents from Santa.

As well as fundraising as part of a class project, the students also volunteered their help at the event, enabling them to see first-hand where their donation had gone to.

Student Hinemoa Short was thrilled to be able to contribute to her local community in such a meaningful way and described the day as “unforgettable”.

“It was the best day ever,” she said. “Just to see the children’s smiles was the best – cool and sad at the same time. It was great knowing that our fundraising was going to such a good cause.”

The fundraising efforts were part of the project management and team leadership components of their NZMA Certificate in Supervision course. The students were required to choose a project and then work together on it as a self-directed team.

Class tutor Lisanne Baukema said it was part of NZMA’s philosophy on experiential learning.

“By getting the students to take part and be in control of an authentic project they learn much more than they would just listening to me talking at the front of the class. The main thing is being able to work as a self-directed team. This means students have to make their own decisions about the fundraising and organise themselves. The tutors act as a steering committee, offering them guidance if required, but the project itself is student-controlled and -led,” said Lisanne.

The students were in two groups, and spent up to six weeks working on their projects. One group approached local butchers and raised their funds by selling meat raffles, while the other group sold tickets for a hangi, which they organised and cooked.

Lisanne was very proud of the results.

“Both groups did very well and everyone was very proud of themselves for what they achieved. I think that the students have learned a lot – again, it is better to learn from their experiences rather than me telling them what they should be doing step by step.

“It is important for them to learn that there is no ‘I’ in team. Throughout their careers there will be times when they have to rely on their teammates to get something done. They need to realise that every person is different and everybody contributes different skills to a team.”

The Special Children’s Christmas Party was held in association with Radio Network and Variety – the Children’s Charity, and was sponsored by local businesses. Its aim was to put smiles on the faces of the more than 1600 disadvantaged or disabled children who were invited.

These events, which have been running in New Zealand for more than 13 years, were held all around the country. This is not the first time NZMA has been involved - and nor will it be the last! It is a wonderful way for the provider, and its students, to give back to the local community and progress in their studies at the same time.

Jason Mills – another of the NZMA students involved in the project – said it was a very worthwhile experience.

“It was a lot of work and at the beginning I didn’t fully appreciate what the event was really about,” said Jason.

“But having the opportunity to help out at the party – and to see the kids and their smiles – made me realise what it was all about. Seeing so many kids with disabilities coming out to that special day was just awesome.”