Three years ago, Alora Hill shared her inspiring journey from a once troubled teenager who didn’t do very well at school, to a newly qualified teacher aide at Waitaki Girl’s High School.
Today, she’s not only thriving in her role but standing tall in her identity, now very much grounded in her culture and brimming with confidence.
Although she left school at 15 without an NCEA qualification, with support and encouragement from Waitaki Girls High School and work-based learning provider, Careerforce, Alora has successfully completed a Youth Work Apprenticeship.
Completing the apprenticeship triggered a decision for Alora to reconnect with her Māori heritage. This deepened her sense of purpose, and meant her impact in the classroom went far beyond academic support.
Alora Hill, teacher aide at Waitaki Girl’s High School
Alora says that her passion in life is to help students with their mental, emotional and spiritual health and wellbeing. “I believe, if we can support students in these areas then they have the best chance to engage and excel in their education,” says Alora.
“As a teacher aide, I work as an advocate for the students, listening to them, making sure they feel heard and are getting the support they need. We work very closely with our students, and because of this, we can often be the first people to pick up on their needs.
“There are many different layers to being a teacher aide and supporting our youth; the studies I have done helped further develop my skills in this area.”
The apprenticeship was something that Alora was very keen to do to extend herself. “I thought it would be good to see if I could actually do it because I never believed that I could, but I wanted to progress further in life, so this was a good opportunity to test myself,” says Alora.
The Apprenticeship in Youth Work is a 21-month programme delivered fully on-the-job. The programme is designed to enhance teacher aides’ understanding of students and their socio-cultural contexts and help develop practical skills in communication, goal-setting, and cultural awareness.
With a young family, the on-the-job method of learning worked well for Alora. “The best part about doing study through Careerforce was that I could do it at my own pace. Working while studying fitted in beautifully with my whole life and all my responsibilities. Sometimes I smashed out the work faster than was needed and then I would give myself a break for a bit as life got busy.”
As a Māori woman, Alora had earlier felt disconnected from her culture and the study inspired her to build connections from her Māori heritage. “When I started looking at the Te Whare Tapa Whā (Māori health) model, I realised something was missing in my life. If I hadn’t come across that model in this learning, I wouldn’t have started to reconnect with that side of my culture. It’s had a really big impact on me.”
“After completing this study, I took time to rebuild connections with my estranged whānau and to focus on the personal growth and healing that came from that journey,” says Alora.
“There was a module that was all about self-reflection and all about taking care of yourself while you’re taking care of others. I found that was really beneficial. Still to this day, I use those skills inside and outside work.”
While she still finds her role as a teacher aide deeply fulfilling, Alora feels she’s ready to grow even further. With the confidence gained through her apprenticeship and a renewed connection to her Māori heritage, she’s begun to explore new possibilities, particularly the idea of combining teacher aiding with youth work in schools. It’s a direction she believes could have a powerful impact on students.
“That kind of wraparound support would be amazing,” she says. “It really comes down to what school’s value and what’s possible in terms of funding, but I’m hopeful. I know it could make a real difference.”
Alora adds, “While I have not yet found my next study opportunity, I feel that when the right one comes along, I’m more confident in my ability to engage with it and succeed.”
With hands-on support and potential scholarships to cover costs, Careerforce apprenticeship programmes offer an affordable way to invest in the professional growth of teacher aides. For more information about apprenticeships for teacher aides, contact Careerforce.
Susan Tattersall