Ngā mahi hāpai iwi me ngā ratonga tangata
Social Work and Human Services
Help individuals deal with difficult life situations and make a real difference in your community.
Social workers make a difference in people’s lives by providing advocacy, education and support to individuals, families, groups and communities.
At Ara you’ll be taught by a dedicated team of qualified professionals with extensive experience across a broad range of social work environments.
We cover a broad range of social work and human services subjects.
Social work and human services support are some of the most important vocations in the health and social services sector, and at Ara Institute of Canterbury, we believe it is vital to support our community with effective and relevant social services programmes.
Employers in the public and private sector respect our qualifications, knowing you have had both professional training on campus and real experience in the workplace. Graduates from these programmes succeed across a range of industry and community-based organisations. An Ara Institute of Canterbury qualification gives employers a clear signal that you have the skills and practical experience to contribute to the workplace from day one.
Workforce restrictions apply for those employed in sectors working with children. See the full workforce restrictions.
If you think you may require modifications in order to undertake the practical components of a particular course of study, we encourage you to discuss these with us so we can give them careful consideration.
As it may take time to consider and implement any modifications, please contact disability@ara.ac.nz as early as possible prior to the course starting. We’ll also need to check that there’s no risk of harm to you or anyone else before making a final decision.
Throughout this process we’ll communicate with you in a clear and timely manner.
Related programmes & courses
Postgraduate Certificate in Professional Supervision
Gain the expertise needed to supervise others effectively in professional contexts.
Bachelor of Social Work
Gain the skills needed to help and support people facing challenging situations and events.
Principles of Family Violence Intervention Micro-credential
Enhance your professional capabilities with knowledge and skills in an important area of social practice.
Certificate in Health and Wellbeing (Level 4) - Community Facilitation
Gain the skills to support change, growth and wellbeing at a community level.
Certificate in Health and Wellbeing (Level 4) - Mental Health and Addiction Support
Help individuals in mental health and addiction settings to recover and build resilience.
Certificate in Health and Wellbeing (Level 4) - Social Services
Help individuals and families to reduce vulnerability and build resilience.
Social Work and Human Services Information Session
Learn about careers focused on helping others