| |
In this issue:
Eek it Out
Editorial
Equity of access to study must be
protected
Latest Happenings
Buy, Sell and Exchange
Eek it Out
Eek it out was launced last year but will continue to be a
work in progress, feedback and suggestions are very welcome.
If you have any great money saving tips and
tricks, novel (and cheap) recipes, or handy hints designed
to save time, money and/or energy for busy students, parents
and families, please
email
them to us.
We would love to add a gardening section if
anyone has a green thumb and wishes to write and update the
section, no technical knowledge needed, just a document we
can do our magic with.
Editorial
 The new
year is now well and truly here, we hope everyone
has had a wonderful holiday period, is well and
truly rested and all ready to leap into another year
of study.
There will be many worrying about finances this year
with no access to TIA, As a former student returning
to study myself this year on limited income, I can
totally relate.
Remember
this is an investment in your future, (and for
parents - your children's futures too!). Adult
learners face many more challenges than their
younger counterparts, but on the most part your
tutors/lecturers/schools of study will realise this
and support you all the way.
The satisfaction you will feel when you achieve your
goals will be immense, I am eagerly anticipating my
own graduation (from prior study) in April. Education changes lives
plain and simple, beyond the increased employment
prospects, education improves self esteem, opens
minds to possibilities, inspires others, and sets a
vitally important example to our children of what
you, and they can achieve.
The governments recent announcement of a $500 loan
for some beneficiaries will no doubt help some,
however we at HandUp believe it falls far short of
the mark. We are also concerned that it places
further financial burdens on those least able to
afford it. We will continue to lobby government for
reinstatement of FULL access to training incentive
allowance.
Go to
www.handup.co.nz
for more information
Equity
of access to study must be protected
 We are greatly concerned to hear discussion of restricting
access to tertiary institutions. It is vitally important
that ALL New Zealanders retain access to education at ALL
levels. Read Labour's press release
here
for further information. |
|
|
Latest Happenings
Recently, John Key, in his Statement to Parliament[1],
announced his intention to reform the benefit system. Once
again, he has given figures to show us how much tax funded
money is being paid out in ‘benefits’, but it is a
distortion of the actual amount being used to fund benefits
such as the DPB, Unemployment and Sickness benefits.
Key states that, “In 2010, New Zealand taxpayers will fund
an estimated $7.6 billion of benefits and income support,
not including Superannuation. This amounts to $20.8 million
every day, or $867,500 every hour.” This is, of course,
misleading as the amount he has described includes Working
for Families Tax Credits, In Work Tax Credits, Accommodation
Support and Childcare Subsidies, etc all of which working
and lower income families (within eligibility criteria) are
able to access.
Once again the New Zealand public is being duped into
thinking that the “bene bludgers” are rorting the system and
living off the backs of hard working Kiwis. “I need to be
able to look taxpayers in the eye and assure them that their
hard-earned wages are not being used to support those who
lack the will or desire to work as hard for their living as
their fellow New Zealanders”, states Key.
Hand Up continues to lobby the National Government for
better support for beneficiaries to upskill themselves and
gain qualifications and skills to improve their chances of
getting off the welfare system and in to productive,
gainful, satisfying and long-term employment.
Currently, Government policy restricts access to funding to
ensure that parents on the DPB and others on the Invalid’s
Benefit etc are stymied, where they face government-made
barriers to a better self-sufficient life.
Keep supporting our efforts.
You can do this by joining us on our Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=203816790161&ref=ts),
joining us on our Website (www.handup.co.nz), writing to
your local MP and National Government Ministers to voice
your dissatisfaction at their current welfare and education
policies relating to beneficiaries and adult education,
contacting Hand Up and telling us your story so that we have
evidence of how government policy is affecting you and
giving us your ideas for future action.
Kia Kaha - Trudy
Buy, Sell and
Exchange
We know that many of you, even in the face of restricted
funding, are undertaking tertiary level study.
For some this will be your first year and we wish you all
the best as you undertake your chosen field of study or
training.
For others it will a return to study already started and we
wish you well as you move on through the year and navigate
the higher levels of academia you will be studying at.
We thought that it would be a good idea to give you a chance
to buy, sell or exchange text books via our Hand Up website.
If you would like to contribute to this please email either
admin@handup.co.nz or trudy@handup.co.nz with the details of
the item/s you would like to buy, sell or swap, including
titles, authors, editions and approximate cost (not
forgetting your name and contact details) we will get
underway with making this service available to our members.
|
|
