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Le Va > Le Va mental health and addiction scholarships | Background

Background

Le Va is managing the Ministry of Health's Pacific Mental Health Workforce Awards. Previously managed by the Health Research Council (HRC), the transition of the scholarships to Le Va was complete on 1 January 2009. Le Va acknowledges the Pacific Manager and staff at HRC for their assistance and support to ensure a smooth transition. We look forward to building on the excellent relationship we have with the Pacific Team at the HRC.

Our core responsibilities to the Ministry as funder are to:

A) Promote the Scholarships

We will develop and implement a promotion plan for the Scholarships within New Zealand:

  • The promotion plan will be developed and agreed to by the Le Va Pacific Reference Group, Le Leo o Le Va, and the Ministry of Health by 31 March 2009 (for 2009 Awards Programme), and 31 March 2010 (for 2010 Awards Programme).
  • The promotion plan will be aligned with evidence-based workforce needs, and Le Va will determine workforce development priorities in conjunction with the Ministry of Health.

B) Management of the Le Va Pacific Mental Health and Addictions Scholarships Programme

We will attend to all aspects of delivery related to the scholarships programme including:

  • Providing administrative support for the scholarships programme;
  • Setting priorities for the scholarships with reference to existing policies developed by the Ministry of Health;
  • Taking a broad, strategic view of the workforce needs of the Pacific Mental Health and Addictions Sector;
  • Issuing applications for the scholarships;
  • Identifying criteria for assessment of the applications;
  • Receiving and processing applications for awards by mid-November of the preceding year;
  • Providing administration assistance to the Scholarship Assessing Committee;
  • Allocating scholarships to successful applicants;
  • Notifying in writing successful and unsuccessful applicants;
  • Drafting and entering into Scholarship Agreements with recipients including requirements of students to supply six-monthly academic transcripts/evidence of progress;
  • Processing and making payments;
  • Managing the scholarships agreements with the training organisations and/or scholarship recipient as agreed; and
  • Obtaining written permission from each student agreeing to take part in the promotion aspects of the scholarships programme and authority from each student to access their final results from their training organisation.

C) We will develop a Mentoring Programme which will include:

  • Approving all mentors;
  • Drafting and processing a mentoring Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between each mentor and scholarship recipient;
  • Administering payments to mentors if required.

D) We will be responsible for organising the Le Va Pacific Mental Health and Addictions Student Support Fono ("Scholarships & Award Ceremony")

  • The student workshop fono and Awards dinner will generally be held in February of each year to coincide with the academic year.

Note: the inaugural Le Va Workshop fono and Awards Dinner was held at the Fale Pasefika, University of Auckland on 20 February 2009.


E) Pacific Mental Health Workforce Development Awards Assessing Committee

  • We will convene a Pacific Mental Health and Addictions Workforce Development Awards Assessing Committee.
  • The National Manager of Le Va will Chair this committee.
  • In addition to this Committee, guidance and advice will be provided by Le Leo o Le Va (Le Va's National Pacific Reference Group).
  • Membership is currently being finalised and committee members will be profiled on the Le Va website.

For more information, contact Shana Malio.

 

Page last updated: 3 March 2009