A Prison Officers view of NZ!!
Aug 25th 2005, 4:39 pm
#31
Forum Regular
Joined: Jul 2005
Location: Yorkshire going to Hamilton
Posts: 168
Re: A Prison Officers view of NZ!!
Originally Posted by scottish
Glad you do know it all... one last piece of advice dont presume your other half will get a job right away. I made that awful mistake and ended up with a huge confidence blow and all our savings gone... Just make sure you have enough funds as back up just incase.
And for the record we also had the hard work and commitment speach its just some times things can go pear shaped.
Another thing you should take on board is if your other half or the major wage earner goes sick (only 5 days sick pay in NZ to start) what do you do when you have no wages coming in. We were lucky and ACC paid 80% of hubbys wages due to work related illness but this was a nightmare for us to try and live off.. so imagine if you have no wages coming in!!
Anyhow thing I have said enough.
And for the record we also had the hard work and commitment speach its just some times things can go pear shaped.
Another thing you should take on board is if your other half or the major wage earner goes sick (only 5 days sick pay in NZ to start) what do you do when you have no wages coming in. We were lucky and ACC paid 80% of hubbys wages due to work related illness but this was a nightmare for us to try and live off.. so imagine if you have no wages coming in!!
Anyhow thing I have said enough.
Aug 25th 2005, 7:04 pm
#32
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 576
Re: A Prison Officers view of NZ!!
Originally Posted by MV5555
thanx for the advise at least we cant say everyone told us everything
Not been able to find work was really hard on us as a couple, but we got through it. I ended up working in Mitre 10 part time filling shelves etc for $11ph. I applied for loads of jobs but couldnt get my foot in the door not even for an interview. Just make sure you have a safety net for those bad times and youll be sorted.
Good luck
xx
Aug 25th 2005, 8:39 pm
#33
Forum Regular
Joined: Apr 2005
Location: uk
Posts: 147
Re: A Prison Officers view of NZ!!
Hi again
Thanks Scottish for you experiences - for my part they are welcomed as although we certainly don't have rose tinted glasses on it is very good to hear from people who have experienced life in NZ. It would be very foolish to go out to NZ without having found out as much as possible before hand. We still haven't made up our minds yet as we will wait to her from my husband's colleague in Auckland first.
We have, however, received an e-mail today from Alex D at the corrections department, who has asked that we keep up contact as they are aware that moving to NZ is a very big step and she is some sort of "Buddy" for us. From what she says in the content of the e-mail, we feel that they already know via the immigration that we have not yet completed out application for residency. Anyway will wait and see first.
Thanks Scottish for you experiences - for my part they are welcomed as although we certainly don't have rose tinted glasses on it is very good to hear from people who have experienced life in NZ. It would be very foolish to go out to NZ without having found out as much as possible before hand. We still haven't made up our minds yet as we will wait to her from my husband's colleague in Auckland first.
We have, however, received an e-mail today from Alex D at the corrections department, who has asked that we keep up contact as they are aware that moving to NZ is a very big step and she is some sort of "Buddy" for us. From what she says in the content of the e-mail, we feel that they already know via the immigration that we have not yet completed out application for residency. Anyway will wait and see first.
Aug 26th 2005, 4:15 am
#34
Make pumps lots......
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 149
Re: A Prison Officers view of NZ!!
Ok....Went around Rimutaka today. Rolled up with a fair degree of trepidation and in all honesty was expecting to see a shit hole.
It's relaxed, big, controlled and set in a beautiful valley. Of course it has problems, it's a place where people are held against their will. Overcrowding is a major thing for the whole corrections dept at the mo - sound familiar?
I was there for about 3 and a half hours and looked all over. Inmates are called cons, the block is the block, and it's a jail. To some that'll sound odd, but to most screws that'll sound welcome.
I spoke to 3 or 4 Brits that work there and they love it. It's basically several little jails in one location and they're building more 'pods' now. In a 24 hour period, the Medium/High lags (their words, not mine!) are unlocked for about 4 hours. That obviously isn't a lot, but they've got tv's, sanitation and showers in their cells, plus the cells are a fair degree larger than ours. It's a basic regime with a focus on sentence management.
YO's go up to 18 - then they're adults - not the 25 our lot want to do. The Moari focus unit was amazing. Thry do weapon training as part of their development! It was very relaxed area with a strong work ethos. It really opened my eyes. We will all need to do a lot of reading.
In a nut shell. I can see myself there.
The money is average. However overtime is readily available. 1 bloke took home 70k last year. That should ease the transition, eh? Yes, it's hard work. Is anyone truly expecting anything less??
Met Scott and had coffee. They're looking at using the custodial care NVQ to get us more money. The help the Samoans got will not be available - the reasoning being that they moved from a very poor country with a poor exchange rate to a developed country. I'm meeting Alex next week as she was in Auckland today.
The overall impression I got was a positive one. An ex police dog handler who is at the nick now is taking me out and around next week in his ute. He lives on the Kapiti coast and loves the place. The staff were all welcoming, friendly and relaxed.
If you want a piece of England - stay there. If you want to embrace the opprtunity that we've been given and are willing to adapt - come. This isn't Britain and your kids will need to accept they'll be wearing a school uniform of long shorts and long socks with a blazer!!
I also inadvertantly met an estate agent in Upper Hutt and had coffee. He was v. helpful. Ric Tyson of Harcourts. [email protected]
The SCO that showed me around gave me his e-mail and suggested you contact him - Don't bombard the poor fella tho!! Alan Brown - [email protected]
If you've got any questions for me, feel free.
It's relaxed, big, controlled and set in a beautiful valley. Of course it has problems, it's a place where people are held against their will. Overcrowding is a major thing for the whole corrections dept at the mo - sound familiar?
I was there for about 3 and a half hours and looked all over. Inmates are called cons, the block is the block, and it's a jail. To some that'll sound odd, but to most screws that'll sound welcome.
I spoke to 3 or 4 Brits that work there and they love it. It's basically several little jails in one location and they're building more 'pods' now. In a 24 hour period, the Medium/High lags (their words, not mine!) are unlocked for about 4 hours. That obviously isn't a lot, but they've got tv's, sanitation and showers in their cells, plus the cells are a fair degree larger than ours. It's a basic regime with a focus on sentence management.
YO's go up to 18 - then they're adults - not the 25 our lot want to do. The Moari focus unit was amazing. Thry do weapon training as part of their development! It was very relaxed area with a strong work ethos. It really opened my eyes. We will all need to do a lot of reading.
In a nut shell. I can see myself there.
The money is average. However overtime is readily available. 1 bloke took home 70k last year. That should ease the transition, eh? Yes, it's hard work. Is anyone truly expecting anything less??
Met Scott and had coffee. They're looking at using the custodial care NVQ to get us more money. The help the Samoans got will not be available - the reasoning being that they moved from a very poor country with a poor exchange rate to a developed country. I'm meeting Alex next week as she was in Auckland today.
The overall impression I got was a positive one. An ex police dog handler who is at the nick now is taking me out and around next week in his ute. He lives on the Kapiti coast and loves the place. The staff were all welcoming, friendly and relaxed.
If you want a piece of England - stay there. If you want to embrace the opprtunity that we've been given and are willing to adapt - come. This isn't Britain and your kids will need to accept they'll be wearing a school uniform of long shorts and long socks with a blazer!!
I also inadvertantly met an estate agent in Upper Hutt and had coffee. He was v. helpful. Ric Tyson of Harcourts. [email protected]
The SCO that showed me around gave me his e-mail and suggested you contact him - Don't bombard the poor fella tho!! Alan Brown - [email protected]
If you've got any questions for me, feel free.
Last edited by Den13; Aug 26th 2005 at 5:27 am.
Aug 26th 2005, 5:19 am
#35
Make pumps lots......
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 149
Re: A Prison Officers view of NZ!!
Originally Posted by dekajack1
I would be interested in your opinion about Rimutaka Den coz it is where I am heading early next year. If you can, ask roughly how long it normally takes to drive from there to the Kapati coast.
Thanks and good luck,
Beef
Thanks and good luck,
Beef
Interested to know that you know which prison you are going to in Wellington, I was told that I could go to any of the Prisons within the region for between 6 months and 12 months at a time.
Were you told what establishment you were going to with job offer.
Ann
[/QUOTE]Rimutaka is the largest by a long way in the Wellington region so it's where the spaces are. I haven't been told I'm definitely going there but the other 2 - Arohata and Wellington are dead mans shoes - a female jail and a 'volountary segregation' nick, which are both small.
I know they are about to launch a recruitment drive for female officers in NZ as they need more with the new place opening near Auckland, so Arohata may be an option for any Female staff going over.
You can seek a transfer to another establishment, but the staff I spoke to were happy where they were. There's a unit rotation policy in place so you should get a new area every 2 years.
Wellington city itself is a bustling place. Really busy with a very European feel in my opinion - It's an amazing sight as you come down SH2 at night with the lights reflecting off the water. It makes seeing the tail end of all those logging trucks for all those hours worthwhile! Every 20 or so kms on SH2, theres a sign that says 'passing place 1km' What it should say is 'Next slow logging truck 1.5kms'.
Oh, and there hasn't been a word invented yet that describes just how green the grass is here. It's eye poppingly verdant and looks good enough to eat!
Last edited by Den13; Aug 26th 2005 at 5:34 am.
Aug 26th 2005, 6:29 am
#36
Forum Regular
Joined: Jul 2005
Location: Yorkshire going to Hamilton
Posts: 168
Re: A Prison Officers view of NZ!!
Originally Posted by Den13
Ok....Went around Rimutaka today. Rolled up with a fair degree of trepidation and in all honesty was expecting to see a shit hole.
It's relaxed, big, controlled and set in a beautiful valley. Of course it has problems, it's a place where people are held against their will. Overcrowding is a major thing for the whole corrections dept at the mo - sound familiar?
I was there for about 3 and a half hours and looked all over. Inmates are called cons, the block is the block, and it's a jail. To some that'll sound odd, but to most screws that'll sound welcome.
I spoke to 3 or 4 Brits that work there and they love it. It's basically several little jails in one location and they're building more 'pods' now. In a 24 hour period, the Medium/High lags (their words, not mine!) are unlocked for about 4 hours. That obviously isn't a lot, but they've got tv's, sanitation and showers in their cells, plus the cells are a fair degree larger than ours. It's a basic regime with a focus on sentence management.
YO's go up to 18 - then they're adults - not the 25 our lot want to do. The Moari focus unit was amazing. Thry do weapon training as part of their development! It was very relaxed area with a strong work ethos. It really opened my eyes. We will all need to do a lot of reading.
In a nut shell. I can see myself there.
The money is average. However overtime is readily available. 1 bloke took home 70k last year. That should ease the transition, eh? Yes, it's hard work. Is anyone truly expecting anything less??
Met Scott and had coffee. They're looking at using the custodial care NVQ to get us more money. The help the Samoans got will not be available - the reasoning being that they moved from a very poor country with a poor exchange rate to a developed country. I'm meeting Alex next week as she was in Auckland today.
The overall impression I got was a positive one. An ex police dog handler who is at the nick now is taking me out and around next week in his ute. He lives on the Kapiti coast and loves the place. The staff were all welcoming, friendly and relaxed.
If you want a piece of England - stay there. If you want to embrace the opprtunity that we've been given and are willing to adapt - come. This isn't Britain and your kids will need to accept they'll be wearing a school uniform of long shorts and long socks with a blazer!!
I also inadvertantly met an estate agent in Upper Hutt and had coffee. He was v. helpful. Ric Tyson of Harcourts. [email protected]
The SCO that showed me around gave me his e-mail and suggested you contact him - Don't bombard the poor fella tho!! Alan Brown - [email protected]
If you've got any questions for me, feel free.
It's relaxed, big, controlled and set in a beautiful valley. Of course it has problems, it's a place where people are held against their will. Overcrowding is a major thing for the whole corrections dept at the mo - sound familiar?
I was there for about 3 and a half hours and looked all over. Inmates are called cons, the block is the block, and it's a jail. To some that'll sound odd, but to most screws that'll sound welcome.
I spoke to 3 or 4 Brits that work there and they love it. It's basically several little jails in one location and they're building more 'pods' now. In a 24 hour period, the Medium/High lags (their words, not mine!) are unlocked for about 4 hours. That obviously isn't a lot, but they've got tv's, sanitation and showers in their cells, plus the cells are a fair degree larger than ours. It's a basic regime with a focus on sentence management.
YO's go up to 18 - then they're adults - not the 25 our lot want to do. The Moari focus unit was amazing. Thry do weapon training as part of their development! It was very relaxed area with a strong work ethos. It really opened my eyes. We will all need to do a lot of reading.
In a nut shell. I can see myself there.
The money is average. However overtime is readily available. 1 bloke took home 70k last year. That should ease the transition, eh? Yes, it's hard work. Is anyone truly expecting anything less??
Met Scott and had coffee. They're looking at using the custodial care NVQ to get us more money. The help the Samoans got will not be available - the reasoning being that they moved from a very poor country with a poor exchange rate to a developed country. I'm meeting Alex next week as she was in Auckland today.
The overall impression I got was a positive one. An ex police dog handler who is at the nick now is taking me out and around next week in his ute. He lives on the Kapiti coast and loves the place. The staff were all welcoming, friendly and relaxed.
If you want a piece of England - stay there. If you want to embrace the opprtunity that we've been given and are willing to adapt - come. This isn't Britain and your kids will need to accept they'll be wearing a school uniform of long shorts and long socks with a blazer!!
I also inadvertantly met an estate agent in Upper Hutt and had coffee. He was v. helpful. Ric Tyson of Harcourts. [email protected]
The SCO that showed me around gave me his e-mail and suggested you contact him - Don't bombard the poor fella tho!! Alan Brown - [email protected]
If you've got any questions for me, feel free.
Fantastic post den you have lifted my wifes spirits some what keep up the good work mate............hope yur enjoying your hols se u soon.
Aug 26th 2005, 6:48 am
#37
tickle my tadpoles
Joined: Jun 2005
Location: Cornwall
Posts: 50
Re: A Prison Officers view of NZ!!
Originally Posted by Den13
Ok....Went around Rimutaka today. Rolled up with a fair degree of trepidation and in all honesty was expecting to see a shit hole.
It's relaxed, big, controlled and set in a beautiful valley. Of course it has problems, it's a place where people are held against their will. Overcrowding is a major thing for the whole corrections dept at the mo - sound familiar?
I was there for about 3 and a half hours and looked all over. Inmates are called cons, the block is the block, and it's a jail. To some that'll sound odd, but to most screws that'll sound welcome.
I spoke to 3 or 4 Brits that work there and they love it. It's basically several little jails in one location and they're building more 'pods' now. In a 24 hour period, the Medium/High lags (their words, not mine!) are unlocked for about 4 hours. That obviously isn't a lot, but they've got tv's, sanitation and showers in their cells, plus the cells are a fair degree larger than ours. It's a basic regime with a focus on sentence management.
YO's go up to 18 - then they're adults - not the 25 our lot want to do. The Moari focus unit was amazing. Thry do weapon training as part of their development! It was very relaxed area with a strong work ethos. It really opened my eyes. We will all need to do a lot of reading.
In a nut shell. I can see myself there.
The money is average. However overtime is readily available. 1 bloke took home 70k last year. That should ease the transition, eh? Yes, it's hard work. Is anyone truly expecting anything less??
Met Scott and had coffee. They're looking at using the custodial care NVQ to get us more money. The help the Samoans got will not be available - the reasoning being that they moved from a very poor country with a poor exchange rate to a developed country. I'm meeting Alex next week as she was in Auckland today.
The overall impression I got was a positive one. An ex police dog handler who is at the nick now is taking me out and around next week in his ute. He lives on the Kapiti coast and loves the place. The staff were all welcoming, friendly and relaxed.
If you want a piece of England - stay there. If you want to embrace the opprtunity that we've been given and are willing to adapt - come. This isn't Britain and your kids will need to accept they'll be wearing a school uniform of long shorts and long socks with a blazer!!
I also inadvertantly met an estate agent in Upper Hutt and had coffee. He was v. helpful. Ric Tyson of Harcourts. [email protected]
The SCO that showed me around gave me his e-mail and suggested you contact him - Don't bombard the poor fella tho!! Alan Brown - [email protected]
If you've got any questions for me, feel free.
It's relaxed, big, controlled and set in a beautiful valley. Of course it has problems, it's a place where people are held against their will. Overcrowding is a major thing for the whole corrections dept at the mo - sound familiar?
I was there for about 3 and a half hours and looked all over. Inmates are called cons, the block is the block, and it's a jail. To some that'll sound odd, but to most screws that'll sound welcome.
I spoke to 3 or 4 Brits that work there and they love it. It's basically several little jails in one location and they're building more 'pods' now. In a 24 hour period, the Medium/High lags (their words, not mine!) are unlocked for about 4 hours. That obviously isn't a lot, but they've got tv's, sanitation and showers in their cells, plus the cells are a fair degree larger than ours. It's a basic regime with a focus on sentence management.
YO's go up to 18 - then they're adults - not the 25 our lot want to do. The Moari focus unit was amazing. Thry do weapon training as part of their development! It was very relaxed area with a strong work ethos. It really opened my eyes. We will all need to do a lot of reading.
In a nut shell. I can see myself there.
The money is average. However overtime is readily available. 1 bloke took home 70k last year. That should ease the transition, eh? Yes, it's hard work. Is anyone truly expecting anything less??
Met Scott and had coffee. They're looking at using the custodial care NVQ to get us more money. The help the Samoans got will not be available - the reasoning being that they moved from a very poor country with a poor exchange rate to a developed country. I'm meeting Alex next week as she was in Auckland today.
The overall impression I got was a positive one. An ex police dog handler who is at the nick now is taking me out and around next week in his ute. He lives on the Kapiti coast and loves the place. The staff were all welcoming, friendly and relaxed.
If you want a piece of England - stay there. If you want to embrace the opprtunity that we've been given and are willing to adapt - come. This isn't Britain and your kids will need to accept they'll be wearing a school uniform of long shorts and long socks with a blazer!!
I also inadvertantly met an estate agent in Upper Hutt and had coffee. He was v. helpful. Ric Tyson of Harcourts. [email protected]
The SCO that showed me around gave me his e-mail and suggested you contact him - Don't bombard the poor fella tho!! Alan Brown - [email protected]
If you've got any questions for me, feel free.
Lifted hopes a lot, and the jail sounds more like the job I joined rather than the one it has become.
Scott
Aug 26th 2005, 8:20 am
#38
Forum Regular
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 145
Re: A Prison Officers view of NZ!!
Den13
Your doing a fantastic job as our "global roving NZ reporter" if it doesn't work out for you in the prison service you will have a new line of work
Brilliant posts its great to hear from someone out there who knows our line of work
Keep it coming and have some karma to go with the
to help you sleep
awaiting the next instalment
K9
Your doing a fantastic job as our "global roving NZ reporter" if it doesn't work out for you in the prison service you will have a new line of work
Brilliant posts its great to hear from someone out there who knows our line of work
Keep it coming and have some karma to go with the
to help you sleepawaiting the next instalment
K9
Aug 26th 2005, 9:43 am
#39
Banned
Joined: Aug 2005
Location: Soon to be Wellington
Posts: 17
Re: A Prison Officers view of NZ!!
Thanks for all the info Den.
For you to take time out to do this after you have only just arrived has been truly amazing. :scared:
Thanks again and keep up the good work, we all await you next post with great anticipation and interest.
Beef
For you to take time out to do this after you have only just arrived has been truly amazing. :scared:
Thanks again and keep up the good work, we all await you next post with great anticipation and interest.
Beef
Aug 26th 2005, 5:56 pm
#40
Forum Regular
Joined: Aug 2005
Location: UK to NZ (Wellington) January 2006
Posts: 52
Re: A Prison Officers view of NZ!!
Originally Posted by Den13
Hi
Interested to know that you know which prison you are going to in Wellington, I was told that I could go to any of the Prisons within the region for between 6 months and 12 months at a time.
Were you told what establishment you were going to with job offer.
Ann
Interested to know that you know which prison you are going to in Wellington, I was told that I could go to any of the Prisons within the region for between 6 months and 12 months at a time.
Were you told what establishment you were going to with job offer.
Ann
Rimutaka is the largest by a long way in the Wellington region so it's where the spaces are. I haven't been told I'm definitely going there but the other 2 - Arohata and Wellington are dead mans shoes - a female jail and a 'volountary segregation' nick, which are both small.
I know they are about to launch a recruitment drive for female officers in NZ as they need more with the new place opening near Auckland, so Arohata may be an option for any Female staff going over.
You can seek a transfer to another establishment, but the staff I spoke to were happy where they were. There's a unit rotation policy in place so you should get a new area every 2 years.
Wellington city itself is a bustling place. Really busy with a very European feel in my opinion - It's an amazing sight as you come down SH2 at night with the lights reflecting off the water. It makes seeing the tail end of all those logging trucks for all those hours worthwhile! Every 20 or so kms on SH2, theres a sign that says 'passing place 1km' What it should say is 'Next slow logging truck 1.5kms'.
Oh, and there hasn't been a word invented yet that describes just how green the grass is here. It's eye poppingly verdant and looks good enough to eat![/QUOTE]
Hi
Just want to add my thanks along with all the others.
It certainly is good to hear things from a warders point of view, or in my case a wardette.
Dont want yo working too hard, have some fun as well (cant believe I am saying that to a warder).
Take Care
Ann
Aug 26th 2005, 8:14 pm
#41
Forum Regular
Joined: Apr 2005
Location: uk
Posts: 147
Re: A Prison Officers view of NZ!!
I second what everyone else has said. It's very good of you to take the time out whilst there to let us all know what the set us is.
May I ask which regions are we all from in the UK. We are from the East Midlands area.
Suze
May I ask which regions are we all from in the UK. We are from the East Midlands area.
Suze
Aug 26th 2005, 8:21 pm
#42
Make pumps lots......
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 149
Re: A Prison Officers view of NZ!!
Wow! Thanks everyone.
The SO's exam won't count coz the NZQS doesn't recognise it. I haven't done the NVQ so basic salary for me!
I went up and met all the HR people in Wellington and they were really enthusiastic about us all. They are arguing the point with NZQS about the NVQ as the one over here has Maori modules in it. I must say I felt they were really trying for us. They are also going to appoint liaison officers in jails with a large influx of Brits/Dutch. Oh, and on the qt, they will be doing another recruitment in UK, don't know when. So far 126 Brits have agreed to come.
A couple of Officers and SCO's I spoke too said not to worry too much, As long as you show a commitment to the NVQ you can act up and due to the large recruitment drive thats going on theres a lot of new staff, so experience will be looked upon very favourably. They reckon most of us will be running wings within 6 months.
The initial course is held in a tiny building next to Rimutaka and is residential. The estate agent I met said they keep it quiet, but the jail rents rooms from a college next door. I couldn't get that confirmed however. Also spoke to a union rep who is under the impression a sizable pay rise in on the horizon to encourage more recruits. Union reps ALWAYS say that!! lol!!! His argument is that the cost of living is increasing, wages aren't and they need nearly a thousand officers to keep up with the jail building programme.
Scott also used me for the prison magazine - he wanted a few quotes. So now I have to leave UK - My No.1 will shoot me on sight........
The SO's exam won't count coz the NZQS doesn't recognise it. I haven't done the NVQ so basic salary for me!
I went up and met all the HR people in Wellington and they were really enthusiastic about us all. They are arguing the point with NZQS about the NVQ as the one over here has Maori modules in it. I must say I felt they were really trying for us. They are also going to appoint liaison officers in jails with a large influx of Brits/Dutch. Oh, and on the qt, they will be doing another recruitment in UK, don't know when. So far 126 Brits have agreed to come.
A couple of Officers and SCO's I spoke too said not to worry too much, As long as you show a commitment to the NVQ you can act up and due to the large recruitment drive thats going on theres a lot of new staff, so experience will be looked upon very favourably. They reckon most of us will be running wings within 6 months.
The initial course is held in a tiny building next to Rimutaka and is residential. The estate agent I met said they keep it quiet, but the jail rents rooms from a college next door. I couldn't get that confirmed however. Also spoke to a union rep who is under the impression a sizable pay rise in on the horizon to encourage more recruits. Union reps ALWAYS say that!! lol!!! His argument is that the cost of living is increasing, wages aren't and they need nearly a thousand officers to keep up with the jail building programme.
Scott also used me for the prison magazine - he wanted a few quotes. So now I have to leave UK - My No.1 will shoot me on sight........
Last edited by Den13; Aug 26th 2005 at 8:26 pm.
Aug 26th 2005, 9:12 pm
#43
tickle my tadpoles
Joined: Jun 2005
Location: Cornwall
Posts: 50
Re: A Prison Officers view of NZ!!
Originally Posted by Den13
Wow! Thanks everyone.
The SO's exam won't count coz the NZQS doesn't recognise it. I haven't done the NVQ so basic salary for me!
I went up and met all the HR people in Wellington and they were really enthusiastic about us all. They are arguing the point with NZQS about the NVQ as the one over here has Maori modules in it. I must say I felt they were really trying for us. They are also going to appoint liaison officers in jails with a large influx of Brits/Dutch. Oh, and on the qt, they will be doing another recruitment in UK, don't know when. So far 126 Brits have agreed to come.
A couple of Officers and SCO's I spoke too said not to worry too much, As long as you show a commitment to the NVQ you can act up and due to the large recruitment drive thats going on theres a lot of new staff, so experience will be looked upon very favourably. They reckon most of us will be running wings within 6 months.
The initial course is held in a tiny building next to Rimutaka and is residential. The estate agent I met said they keep it quiet, but the jail rents rooms from a college next door. I couldn't get that confirmed however. Also spoke to a union rep who is under the impression a sizable pay rise in on the horizon to encourage more recruits. Union reps ALWAYS say that!! lol!!! His argument is that the cost of living is increasing, wages aren't and they need nearly a thousand officers to keep up with the jail building programme.
Scott also used me for the prison magazine - he wanted a few quotes. So now I have to leave UK - My No.1 will shoot me on sight........
The SO's exam won't count coz the NZQS doesn't recognise it. I haven't done the NVQ so basic salary for me!
I went up and met all the HR people in Wellington and they were really enthusiastic about us all. They are arguing the point with NZQS about the NVQ as the one over here has Maori modules in it. I must say I felt they were really trying for us. They are also going to appoint liaison officers in jails with a large influx of Brits/Dutch. Oh, and on the qt, they will be doing another recruitment in UK, don't know when. So far 126 Brits have agreed to come.
A couple of Officers and SCO's I spoke too said not to worry too much, As long as you show a commitment to the NVQ you can act up and due to the large recruitment drive thats going on theres a lot of new staff, so experience will be looked upon very favourably. They reckon most of us will be running wings within 6 months.
The initial course is held in a tiny building next to Rimutaka and is residential. The estate agent I met said they keep it quiet, but the jail rents rooms from a college next door. I couldn't get that confirmed however. Also spoke to a union rep who is under the impression a sizable pay rise in on the horizon to encourage more recruits. Union reps ALWAYS say that!! lol!!! His argument is that the cost of living is increasing, wages aren't and they need nearly a thousand officers to keep up with the jail building programme.
Scott also used me for the prison magazine - he wanted a few quotes. So now I have to leave UK - My No.1 will shoot me on sight........
Like everyone says it is good to get views from someone going through the same as us.
Not recognising the SOs exam will mean I will try and rattle out the NVQ 2 and 3 in the next couple of months. (Just got to think of a reason the training manager will believe).
And remember for all those going, try to make sure your first aid certificates are in date, apparently all those working with priosners need to have one.
Anyway have a nice bnank holiday weekend all.
Scott
Aug 26th 2005, 9:16 pm
#44
Forum Regular
Joined: Aug 2005
Location: UK to NZ (Wellington) January 2006
Posts: 52
Re: A Prison Officers view of NZ!!
Originally Posted by ranbysue
I second what everyone else has said. It's very good of you to take the time out whilst there to let us all know what the set us is.
May I ask which regions are we all from in the UK. We are from the East Midlands area.
Suze
May I ask which regions are we all from in the UK. We are from the East Midlands area.
Suze
I presently work with the Scottish Prison Service, in central Scotland. Where I stay I am 2minutes from the jail I work. 10 mins from only female jail here and within 45 minutes from another 3 jails.
Trying to figure out the travelling times to jails from various parts of Wellington Region, as Scott said at interview they where close together. Looking on with interest regarding the NVQ as up here we have SVQs which for the last 10 years have been compulsory for new recruits.
Going out begining of January hoping to get husband and son settled into at least rented accommodation and school before going back to college.
Ann
Aug 27th 2005, 6:28 am
#45
Make pumps lots......
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 149
Re: A Prison Officers view of NZ!!
Originally Posted by ranbysue
I second what everyone else has said. It's very good of you to take the time out whilst there to let us all know what the set us is.
May I ask which regions are we all from in the UK. We are from the East Midlands area.
Suze
May I ask which regions are we all from in the UK. We are from the East Midlands area.
Suze
I work in London but live in Hampshire.
Just to whet your appetites a bit more, I went to the kapiti coast today for a drive. It's a hell hole - long sandy beaches, the pacific rolling gently in across the bay, Kapiti Island rising majestically out of the ocean, Emerald green hills behind you and a flock of sea birds all dive bombing an unseen shoal of fish.
So if any of you are contemplating moving there - don't - coz I want it all to myself!!
