The quality work of UPC students has added more flare and fun to playgrounds at multiple early learning centres across our communities.
The donation of playhouses built by UPC students in 2020, and the fun they provide young learners has been further elevated thanks to a strong and valued partnership with Unitec’s Early Learning Centre (UELC).
This saw 24 secondary school Waitākere Campus students visit UELC last week to complete the practical component of their ECE standard as part of Unitec’s Level 3 Health course.
UPC’s Sarah Sommerville says: “As part of the standard, the students explore the value of play and create resources to help children’s development and learning that they then attempt to implement during our visit. This was our first time bringing our students over and something we are looking forward to repeating in the future. This partnership is something the UPC are very excited about.”
UPC has also gifted multiple community partners the completed playhouses created by Unitec students. UELC are the latest recipients of two and Te Kōhanga Reo o Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Hoani Waititi are also recipients of these tāonga.
The playhouse Project was created during the UPC redevelopment last year for level 3 students and despite the disruption of COVID-19 students managed to complete 11 playhouses.
This year, students are on track to completing a further 18-20 playhouses with some of the completed projects again to be donated to more of our community partners.
“While most of the houses will be gifted to our partners, the rest will be sold to help build an ongoing student project fund and recoup some of the costs involved in creating them,” Sarah says.
The houses will be sold for $250 each and anyone interested in purchasing one can contact the UPC team for further information at upc@unitec.ac.nz
Great initiative!