Pastoral Care Code of Practice

 EMMAUS WALK TRUST

 

Pastoral Care Code of Practice

Created September 2023

Review September 2025

 

Content

The context in New Zealand

Emmaus walk charitable objectives

Emmaus walk pastoral care code

Summary

 

1.     The context in New Zealand

The Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice 2021 came into effect in New Zealand on 1 January 2022. The Code sets requirements for learner wellbeing and safety for:

a.       All tertiary learners generally; and

b.       Tertiary learners residing in student accommodation; and

c.       International tertiary learners.

The Code requires providers to create safe and inclusive learning environments that support learner participation and engagement. Under our mutual obligations to Te Tiriti O Waitangi, tertiary institutions also need to ensure that their student support systems work well for Māori. The Code is monitored by NZQA as Code Administrator and a new Dispute Resolution Scheme is being created. The Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice 2021 can be found on the NZQA website.

Emmaus is a private Christian tertiary education provider not accredited with NZQA. It does not provide residential accommodation for students, and does not have separate fees for international students. Nevertheless, Emmaus seeks to comply with the spirit and general principles of the 2021 Education Code of Practice.

2.     Emmaus Walk Trust Charitable Objects

The Emmaus Walk Trust Deed lists the first three Charitable Objects of the Trust as:

“To glorify God and serve God’s Kingdom by:

  1. Providing courses of study which aim to integrate Christian faith and life through spiritual formation, practical experience and teaching which is based on a Biblical worldview.

  2. Facilitating communities of learners, comprised of both Christians and seekers, who will engage in learning opportunities that will inspire, equip and enrich them in knowledge, skills and personal development for Christian ministry and mission.

  3. Creating a community of Christian discussion and debate on matters of Christian theology and Biblical studies and their application to current theological, ethical and social issues.”

In creating such a community of learners, Emmaus wants to provide a safe and supportive learning environment for all who come. Emmaus staff will seek to foster in each student a positive frame of mind, resilience, satisfaction with self, healthy relationships and experiences, and progress towards learning outcomes. Specifically, Emmaus will provide: robust and supportive safety systems; a channel for learner voices to be heard; and a simple and direct complaints process. These are outlined below.

3.     Emmaus Walk Pastoral Care Code

3.1  Safe and supportive learning environments

Student and staff behaviour
A Christ-like approach requires that we speak and listen to each other in an open and respectful manner, giving space for everyone to speak. We want to exercise care to preserve relationships, and to operate with grace, forgiveness and Christian love. We have an obligation to try to resolve disputes directly, following the principles of natural justice. We seek to preserve the unity we have as Christians through the Holy Spirit, by preserving the bond of peace. Abusive behaviour, harassment and discrimination has no place in an Emmaus learning environment.

John 14:34,35 - “A new command I give to you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Environmental learning spaces

Emmaus monitors the environmental spaces used by our learning community to ensure that learner welfare and safety is paramount. This includes both physical locations and digital locations.

Where a safety incident or accident occurs in an Emmaus location, Emmaus staff will attend to any person affected, and will complete and file an incident report with the appropriate authority.

Privacy

Emmaus upholds the privacy of all those connected with Emmaus, whether learners or staff, and so ensures the safe handling of all personal information.

3.2 Learner voices 

Emmaus courses are designed for adult learners, offering a high level of interaction and opportunity for discussion. Emmaus values this type of learning, and seeks to create a secure environment to foster it.

Emmaus recognises and values the diversity of learner groups in its community and seeks to safeguard and support that diversity.

Emmaus encourages feedback from our learners. This is achieved by the following:

  • administering Student Evaluation forms after every Emmaus course

  • the Emmaus Dean inviting a student representative from the Thursday Foundations programme class to attend the Emmaus Trust Board meetings each year

  • the Emmaus Dean advising all students at the start of every term of the Emmaus Student Complaints Procedure, and that they can bring any concerns or complaints to the Dean or Board.

3.3 Student Complaints Procedure

Emmaus has a clear complaints procedure that is available to all learners, and issued to all staff/ teachers.  It is referenced on the Emmaus website and is available upon request from the Emmaus Administrator or Dean. It provides a process to deal with concerns and complaints, misconduct, harassment and discrimination.

The goal of the Emmaus Complaints Procedure is to give complainants a fair hearing, to provide natural justice and to ensure safety of all learners, and to work toward reconciliation where possible.

Concerns and complaints

A concern can be a matter that is affecting a student, is important to them, and may be impacting their learning, but is not serious enough to be a formal complaint. Dealing with a concern is a more informal process. A complaint is something of a more serious nature and therefore must be put in writing.

Misconduct & Serious Misconduct
Misconduct is defined as failure to maintain proper standards of integrity, or conduct that is a threat to the security, safety or wellbeing of students or staff of Emmaus. 

Serious misconduct may include, but is not limited to: harassment, abusive behaviour, assault, theft, fraud, misappropriation, willful negligence, willful disobedience or willful misconduct. The finding of serious misconduct will result in immediate suspension.

Harassment and Discrimination

Harassment and discrimination may be offensive behaviour or unwanted attention. It may involve an abuse of power to disadvantage, discriminatory behaviour, or insult. Any kind of harassment is unacceptable – sexual, racial, academic, religious, or any other form of discrimination.

 

Summary

The goal for Emmaus is to provide a learning environment where the wellbeing and safety of learners and staff is maintained, and where all participants can flourish as human beings made in the image of God.