Covid-19 Welfare Manager George Haswell, Wellbeing Coordinator Tim Rowe and Covid-19 Welfare Manager Katie Mills with care packs for ҕl students. Covid-19 welfare initiatives have been made possible through the generosity of ҕl donors and supporters.
Led by Covid-19 Welfare Managers George Haswell and Katie Mills, a team of staff volunteers delivered care packages of essential provisions, groceries and other support to students with Covid-19.
This was all made possible through the generosity of those who donated towards Kono Iti, the student emergency fund, that was first launched at the beginning of the pandemic.
The team arranged urgent grocery deliveries to students who were isolating and included sweet treats along with fresh, nutritional produce in the care packages. Two students even received surprise birthday cakes as they were unable to celebrate with friends and whanau.
Volunteers also made welfare calls to those most in need.
“Feedback from students was overwhelmingly positive,” said Mills. “Sometimes they were surprised the University was calling to see how they were.
“For many, it was their first time away from home, so it was really important for the University to support those students and create a sense of belonging.”
Haswell added: “Each welfare call was different to the next. You could go from someone who was feeling fine, to someone who was quite poorly on the next one. It was all about ensuring that person got the right support they needed at the time.”
The care packages, along with the Winter Warmth Fund launched in June, ensured that students could focus on getting better and returning to their studies.
“We learnt that students were worried about bills and staying warm if they had to stay at home,” said Haswell. “It’s been a big concern.”
To determine who received the grant, the ҕl Welfare team focused on equity and ensuring those who needed it the most were prioritised.
“With the cost-of-living crisis, and lower quality of student housing, we wanted to be ready to support students in advance,” said Haswell at the time.
“We knew Covid-19 would have a long tail, and planed ahead to ensure students get the support they need, especially during exams and assignments.”
