This programme will: Allow students to consistently demonstrate knowledge and an understanding of mental health and illness and mental hisealth services, and consistently demonstrate appropriate attitudes and values for mental health support work. Demonstrate the application of various models of communication and conflict resolution, for the purpose of fostering the recovery of consumers/tangata whai ora, and to assist consumers/tangata whai ora when they are experiencing mental distress. Assist consumers/tangata whai ora to enhance living in, and/or establish their state of wellness/recovery. Assist family/whanau of consumers/ tangata whai ora to understand mental health and distress, mental health services and to assist family/whanau/ support people as identified by the consumers/tangata whai ora, to be effectively supportive and to maintain their own health and wellness.

Graduates of this programme will have the skills to seek employment as mental health support workers, senior support workers in non clinical services, eg residential activity centres, vocational skills, community services. They may be employed as senior mental health support workers, community support workers, and team leaders in NGO's providing services for people with enduring mental illness and severe mental illness. They may be employed in acute services in hospital settings. They may find employment as support workers in areas of special practice such as drug and alcohol support services, child and young people services, psycho geriatrics, dual diagnosis, Kaupapa Māori services or Pasifika services.