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The Citizens Advice Bureau International Students Service Centre is being officially opened today by Prime Minister Helen Clark. Located on the 12th floor of Wollongong House on Auckland's Queen Street, the service is the first free independent information service dedicated to international students in New Zealand.
Nick Toonen, Chief Executive of the New Zealand Association of Citizens
Advice Bureaux says, "Earlier this year the need for this service
was identified by Auckland City Council, Study Auckland and the
Citizens Advice service. The Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care
of International Students requires education providers to support
students with access to information about everyday life in New Zealand.
These support systems are not monitored so while some education
providers offer extensive support to students, others offer very
little.
"Citizens
Advice Bureaux have been providing free, impartial, independent
information, support and advice to people in New Zealand for thirty
years. Since it began the Citizens Advice service has evolved to
meet the changing needs of our society, such as those which have
been identified in Auckland.
"The
extension of our service to support international students fits
very comfortably with our aim of ensuring that individuals know
about their rights and responsibilities and the services available,
and are able to express their needs effectively."
The International Students Service is open to students of all ethnicities
who can contact its trained Citizens Advice advisers by phone, email
or in person. The centre will also facilitate workshops and clinics
by specialist agencies in a range of languages.
Prominent Auckland businessman Thomas Wang and his wife Jenny have
funded the development of the centre and running costs for a three
month pilot. CABAdmin, the collective of ten Auckland City bureaux
which administers the new service, hopes to secure additional funding
to allow this new initiative to continue. If successful, this model
could be used in other main centres to cater for the needs of international
students.
Address
details for the Citizens Advice Bureau International Students Service
Centre are: 12th floor, Wollongong House, 155 Queen Street, Auckland
City. T: 09 309 3478, E: cab.iss@xtra.co.nz.
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