bachy

As a qualified Counsellor dealing with bereavement/loss, alcohol, drugs and mental health issues does anyone feel it would be a useful service that expats (or locals) could use in New Zealand?

Hokey-pokey

Its certain that your skills could be put to great use in NZ. However the government is in the process of cutting back many state funded counselling services. Counsellors and psychologists are having a few battles going on over funding , and this generally equates to a loss of work. Im sure there are professional organisations you could contact directly.

BEVS

Kia Ora from the New Zealand forum & welcome to BE.

As this is NZ specific, I'll move it over to the NZ forum for you.

BEVS

Please have a read of the actual New Zealand Immigration website.( click the words to access the link.)

Try the Points Indicator. to see how many points you could perhaps gain. You need a minimum of 100 to submit an expression of interest under the skilled migrant category if you wish to emigrate to New Zealand and become a permanent resident.

Counsellors = skilled occupation ANZSCO 272112 .

Your qualifications need to match the New Zealand standard. What overseas qualifications do you have?

I can't find the occupation on either of the shortages lists. That means that any NZ employer wanting to offer you a job needs to prove to NZIS that there is no NZ resident or citizen for that job.
However, if the NZ employer is an NZIS accedited employer, then they may offer you the job but you will need to fit the NZIS criteria for this with regard to quals , standards and pay rate offered.

missbirmingham

Hi

They are very strict recently with counsellors in NZ. You will have to be registered as a counsellor and have NZ experience before you can practice as an independent counsellor. You have more chance as an alcohol and drug worker or as a social worker working for a health board or agency.

You will find it hard to get a job like that from oversees as they want cultural sensitive counsellors ie experience with working with Maori and as said before the budgets have been cut and there are more counsellors than work!

I have tried working here as an independent counsellor for a year but it is very tricky, even with good degrees, NZ experience and living here.

Look at the skill shortage list and the qualifications and see what you can use as a way in. Look at probation and the ministery of social development career sites. Good luck!

bachy

Counsellors = skilled occupation ANZSCO 272112 .

Your qualifications need to match the New Zealand standard. What overseas qualifications do you have?

Child Protection Awareness Level 1, 2 and 3.
Mental Health Awareness. Bullying Awareness Training. Eating Disorders Awareness. Training Substance Misuse Awareness Training. Mentor young people. Mediator young people. Drug and Alcohol Counselling.



Professional Memberships
British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy.
Counselling Children and Young People.
Association for Independent Practitioner.
Northwest Counsellors Association.
Psychotherapy Protection Society.



Salford University
City/Country: Manchester -England
Qualifications: MSc Cognative Behaviour Therapy Module.
Completed: 2008

Institution: Bolton Community College
City/Country: Bolton. England
Qualifications: Diploma in Counselling Level 4
Completed: 2007

Institution: Bolton Community College
City/Country: Bolton. England
Qualifications: Level 2 Counselling for Bereavement and Loss.
Level 3 Certificate in Counselling Skills.
Completed: 2005

Institution: Bolton University
City/Country: Bolton- England
Qualifications: Bolton University
Bachelor of Arts Degree Second Class Honours, First Division. Community and Social Studies
Completed: 2004

Institution: Bolton Community College
City/Country: Bolton. England
Qualifications: Introduction to Counselling.
Level 3 Sociology, Criminology.
Completed: 2004

Institution: Bolton Community College
City/Country: Bolton. England
Qualifications: Level 3 Social and Community Study.
Level 2 Return to Study.
Completed: 2001

BEVS

Eer. I rather meant , do you have an NZIS recognised degree etc. One that NZIS will recognise as matching the standard set.

Have a read of the recognised quals on the NZIS website.

Link to New Zealand Association of Counsellors.

bachy

Just checked on the link you sent for recognised qualifications and my, Degree = Level 7 and 50 points under SMC.
Diploma = Level 6 and 50 points under SMC

BEVS

You would claim for your highest qual.

That would be

If your partner also has qualifications/degrees , it might be worth a further 20 points .

Have you tried the points indicator at all?
What points do you feel you would have , without a job offer.

Please be aware, as others have pointed out m that there is global recession and jobs can be thin on the ground in places.

missbirmingham

Do you want to go for residency first based on points or find a job first? I am sorry to be miss gloom and doom but courses and modules in the UK will not count for much here. Your degree and diploma obviously will and so will your work experience.

Do your homework and check all the government and counsellers sites. As said before: it really is not easy to get a job and people have found it very difficult here as their skills and experience don't count for much here as it isn't NZ skills or experience!

Justcol

All i see is Bolton,Bolton,Bolton,Salford
thats my old patch
I was with Bolton MBC social services for 5 years.

bachy

Hi, I have done the points indicator.
On my information 110 with no offer of work for me or my wife.
With a offer of work for me but not my wife 170.
With a offer of work for me and my wife 190.

On my wife's information 120 with no offer of work for her or me.
With a offer for her but not me 180.
With a offer of work for her and me 200.
The 10 points is due to me being older than my wife

BEVS

The minimum is 100 points to submit an Expression of Interest.

140 points is an automatic draw from the EOI pool.

With 120 points you could , if you wished, submit an EOI and see how the selection goes. You might gain PR without a job offer.

If you gained a job offer during this time, then just let NZIS know and they will adjust the application.

Of course, one needs an income here in NZ, unless one is very wealthy , so keep on putting out those feelers with the health boards etc to get a feel for the lay of the land .

bachy

We live in Astley Bridge, near ASDA, which is ok but we need to get out of this country. We have looked at the mov**** site but its not as good as this one-still we'll keep looking because we need all the info we can gather.

My wife did work for HM Revenue & Customs for 18 years as a Debt Management Officer but she now works for Shaw Trust as an In Work Support Adviser- supporting people who have gone back into work after being off with sickness or a disability. She cant find her current role on any list-would you have any suggestions?

I have BA Hons degree (2:1) in Community and Social Studies and am practising as a Counsellor. We seem to have 120 points without any job offers-would it be worth applying?

Also we set up teenbratcampuk (www.teenbratcampuk.co.uk) we were thinking of bringing this over-what do you think?

Sorry for all the questions-just trying to gather as much as poss.

Margaret Parkinson

Try sending Bolton1 a private message. You should quess from her title she comes from Bolton. They only arrived in August as you will see from her posts. I am sure she worked for Bolton Social Services and she has got a similar job in Bethlehem. They came on her qualifications. Her husband got a job a few weeks ago.

From one Lancashire lass to a Lancashire lad.

June