The ISWS Steering Group from left to right: Melody Hao, Aanoalii Rowena Fuluifaga, Marion Blundell, Helena Finau-Hakalo, Sophie Martin-Welsh. Not pictured: Monique Bell
Unitec’s International Student Wellbeing Strategy (ISWS) Steering Group, with help from many Unitec staff and students, has developed a website that aims to bridge the cultural gaps in sexual education and wellbeing for International students across New Zealand.
The ISWS Steering Group of Aanoalii Rowena Fuluifaga, Marion Blundell, Monique Bell, Helena Finau-Hakalo, Melody Hao and Sophie Martin-Welsh secured $127,000 in MOE International funding in 2020 to develop a nationwide accessible resource for International students’ wellbeing. Their work resulted in the development of a website: www.healthyrelationships.ac.nz, which is designed to bridge the cultural gaps in sexual education and wellbeing for International students. The information is accessible in three languages: English, Mandarin and Farsi.
Learning and Achievement Manager Rowena Fuluifaga said there was a concerning number of Unitec International students who found themselves in difficult situations, around sexual education and wellbeing in the International student community prior to students arriving in New Zealand.
“We engaged with a diverse group of students and facilitated focus groups who helped unpack some of the misconceptions that helped develop an informative resource for students .”
Feedback from students of Hindi, Mandarin and Farsi spoken nationalities clearly informed the steering group of the clear gap in the sexual health education and knowledge many international students had prior to arriving in New Zealand.
“We are very thankful for their input and generous contribution to helping us bridge some gaps and produce and informative website for our tauira,” said Rowena.
The homepage of the new ‘Healthy Relationships’ webiste
The resources contribute to the MOE’s national Health and Wellbeing Strategy outcomes by co-designing sexual health content and information, with students, creating greater awareness and communicating tailored information for international students. Resources cover topics such as contraception, consent, sexually transmitted infections and pregnancy.
It also has a collated directory of service providers for international students to access both local and national services across sexual health, mental health support, and a broad range of services for relationship and safety issues.
The website was launched at our International Orientation Day in semester 2, 2020 and the MOE are sharing the website nationally. It has also been added to the iCent (International Student) app, so is available for all of our students as they progress through their journey at Unitec.
Rowena said it was a huge milestone to launch the website, and the team was grateful for the support of so many stakeholders.
“On behalf of the ISWS Steering Group, we’d like to thank our internal and external stakeholders who supported us throughout the project: student participants, BHSD students, international student connectors, Te Puna Waiora Team, Student Success Event Team, International Team, Design lecturers Cris De Groot, William Bardebes and Cyrille Paul Lim, our service design and web designer from Design and Contemporary Art (Creative Industries School), the LGBTIQ+ Ally network, Family Planning and NZ Police.:
If you have any question or feedback about this project, please contact ISWS Project Coordinator Melody Hao.