Lalsela's Journey

Lasela has been working at  North Shore Hospital since 1986 as a kitchen hand. During this time has done everything from making dietry drinks and snacks,  rolls in the cafeteria and processing  menus. But in 2006 Lasela heard an advertisement on a Pasifika radio station recruiting Pasifika to join the police force.  She immediately contacted the recruitment office to get more information and was soon enrolled on a pre-course study group that met for 14 weeks to cover English, numeracy, abstract reasoning and physical training. However Lasela soon realised that if she was going to fulfill her dream she needed additional support with her literacy and numeracy. She contacted Literacy North Shore in July 2008 and began her journey towards reaching her goal.  Since 2008 Lasela has worked with a number of tutors both in small groups and one on one.  She first concentrated on her English literacy skills and once she had passed the police's literacy entrance test she started to develop her numeracy skills. A few months ago Lasela heard that she had passed her numeracy entrance too.

Lasela is now close to reaching her goal and will soon enter the last phase of the recruitment process.

We wish Lasela well!

Michael's story

Michael easily manoeuveres his huge Scalion bus around the tight corners of Browns Bay.  He is looking a little weary from being on the road for 7 hours having started at 5.30am but he cheerily greets his passengers as they file on to the bus.  A few years ago life was very different.  A a child his mode of transport was being sandwiched between his aunt and her partner on the saddle seat of a Triumph 650 Bonnieville in convoy with other members of the gang in rural New Zealand.  His childhood did not include climbing trees or building model ships but rather he was expected to roll joints and pump the beer keg for the members at Chapter meetings and to tend to the 'crops'.

A few years ago, while in hopital following an accident, he decided to break free from his life of bondage with the gang and from his addiction to heroin and morphine.  He wanted to find an honest way to make a living. Michael secured a job as a bus driver at Ritchies Transport Holdings and has gone on to prove himself to be a reliable and responsible driver. 

Having never made it to high school, when he was offered a place on the work based literacy programme being run by Literacy North Shore at the Ritchies Albany depot he seized the opportunity and attended classes for 3 hours per week.  Michael had full attendance throughout the programme and soon started to develop his skills.  Through the learning process Michael discovered that he has a flair for narrative writing and has gone on to write some amazing stories about his experiences on the bus run.

Michael is determined to continue to build on the significant learning gains that he made as a result of his workplace literacy programme. We wish him well as he continues his learning journey.

Louise Gives Back to a Community in Need 

When Louise joined Literacy North Shore a few years ago, she was shy and afraid to talk, read, or write for fear that people would laugh at her.  But her literacy journey has been transformational. It has given her the confidence to set goals and work towards achieving them.

One of her dreams was to follow in her parents' footsteps to become a North Shore Maori Warden. Having already completed two units of study and with only one to go, Louise has successfully achieved her goal and wears her uniform with pride.

Following the devastating February earthquatke Louise was part of a group of wardens who travelled to Christchurch to offer support and distribute food parcels, water and clothing to those most affected and traumatised by the event. The days were long and stressful but we accomplished a lot' recalls Louise  'Many people hadn't seen anybody for over a week when we went to their houses; they were so pleased to see us and talk to us.  You had to be there to see how bad things were.'

This was Louise's first trip to Christchurch, the South Island and her first flying experience! Although it was  a very stressful time, Louise made many new friends while she was there and she is hoping to return for Christmas this year.  We are very proud of your achievements Louise and we hope you will soon be able to fulfil your next dream of being employed as a nanny.  Kia Kaha!