Image: Adobe / Keyshort
<h2>Teachers and support staff across all early learning services, kōhanga reo, kura, and state and state-integrated schools can now access free COVID-19 Employee Assistance Programme support, Education Minister Chris Hipkins announced this week.</h2>
<p>“Our kaiako and teachers have been vital in supporting our learners during COVID-19 and have stepped up again to assist them and their whānau in this latest resurgence in our community,” Hipkins said.</p>
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<p>“On behalf of all New Zealanders, I would like to express my gratitude to our education workforce for going above and beyond to ensure our children and young people are supported while learning from home.</p>
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<p>“They are playing an important role in our country’s COVID-19 response by looking after the education and wellbeing of our children. I’m sure every New Zealander will join me when I say we need to look after their wellbeing at this difficult time as well.”</p>
<p>This service is being funded out of a $16m Workforce Wellbeing Package. It will be accessible from 25 August 2021 to 25 November 2021. Each educator can have up to three confidential one-on-one counselling sessions online, or by phone, to support them while COVID-19 restrictions are in place.</p>
<p>“This is in addition to any existing services that an early learning service or a school already provides to their teachers and support staff,” said Hipkins.</p>
<p>“Everyone has their own way of dealing with stress. Having someone to talk to – may it be your family, whānau, friends, work colleagues, or via our Employment Assistance Programme – can help. I encourage all our educators to make use of all the wellbeing resources available to them, including this new support.” </p>
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<p>“We have overcome COVID-19 before and we can do it again. To our educators, parents and students across the country – please look after yourself, your families and each other.”</p>
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<p>More information about the EAP service is available on: <a href="https://www.education.govt.nz/covid-19/workforce-wellbeing-package/" target="_blank">Workforce Wellbeing Package – Education in New Zealand</a></p>
<p>You can find other wellbeing support from Ministry of Education <a href="https://www.education.govt.nz/covid-19/covid-19-and-wellbeing/#additionalsupport" target="_blank">here.</a></p>

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